Now and then patients are kept under observation for a longer period, but, as a rule, they are discharged as well as examined at the end of four weeks. They may also discard the abdominal binder about this time and put on corsets, which, however, should not be tightly worn. Although thrown upon her own resources from this moment, the patient will clearly understand that she must continue to exercise sound discrimination in what she does. And here, of course, we encounter the greatest difficulty in offering practical advice, for what one may do easily will overtax another. Generally speaking, going up and down stairs more than once a day is inadvisable until another two weeks have passed. Likewise the mother who would adopt a conservative policy will not take full charge of her baby before it is six weeks old, though there can be no objection if she wishes to direct its care. The same advice applies to running the household. Over- exertion, no matter what the source, delays convalescence from child- birth to such an extent that the safe plan is always to err on the side of doing too little, rather than to run the risk of doing too much. CHAPTER XII THE NURSING MOTHER The Breasts--Human Milk--The Technique of Nursing--Hygiene of the Mother: Diet; Psychic Influence; Recreation and Rest--The Supplementary Bottle--Weaning. When the obstetrician pays his final visit the mother usually has ready a number of questions, most of which anticipate difficulties in the care of the baby. At that time, however, minute and far-reaching directions cannot always be given. Unforeseen peculiarities in the development of the child may modify such general principles for the management of infants as could be laid down in advance. With a few exceptions, therefore, mothers require during the early years of a baby's life skilled advice as to his upbringing--advice for which neither instinct nor haphazard counsel is a safe substitute. It is an excellent plan, and one which is becoming more and more popular, to have a physician supervise the care of the baby through the period of most active growth. According to this plan, the mother, even though her baby is well and developing as it should, consults the physician at regular intervals, once a month for example, and upon these occasions secures help in solving problems which are certain to present themselves. Such an arrangement shows a merited appreciation of the proverbial "ounce of prevention," and when serious difficulties do arise materially counteracts the tendency to panic which is exhibited by so many young mothers.