Mother's Remedies Part 145

CLOTHING FOR THE BABY.

The chest should be well covered with soft flannel, the limbs protected, but not cramped, the abdomen supported by a band, not too tight. The clothing should be neither too tight nor too loose. No pins should be used, but all bands should be fastened to the body. The petticoats should be supported by shoulder straps.

How should a baby be held during dressing? It should lie on the lap until quite old enough to sit alone. Draw the clothes over the child's feet and do not slip them over the head.

Why use the band, and how long should it be worn? It protects the abdomen, but its main use is to support the abdominal walls in very young infants and thus prevents rupture. The snug flannel band should not be worn more than four months. Then in healthy infants a knitted band may be used and worn up to eighteen months. If the baby is thin and the abdominal organs are not protected by fat, they may be troubled with diarrhea and need protection. In such condition, the band may be worn until the third year.

BABY'S FIRST WARDROBE.

Four to six dozen diapers (bird's-eye cotton), two to three shirts (wool), four flannel skirts, two white skirts (nainsook), two to four night dresses (outing flannel), six day dresses, two wrappers, six pairs of socks, four to six flannel bands, two flannel sacks, two shawls or afghans. The dresses to be worn after the first four or six weeks. Of course this can be less or more elaborate, according to the conditions and circ.u.mstances of the parents, etc.

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What changes should be made in the clothing in summer? The thinnest gauze flannel undershirts should be worn, the outside garments to be changed for the changing weather. They should not be kept too hot in the middle of the day, while in the morning and evening extra wraps should be used.

Should older children go with bare legs? There is no objection, if they are strong and well, to doing this in warm weather.

What kind of underwear should be worn in cold weather? Next to the heaviest is thick enough.

Do children require heavy flannels? Not as a rule, as they usually live in the nursery and they sweat readily while playing. When they go out-of-doors, coats and leggings render thick flannels unnecessary.

Are many children too thinly clad in the house? Very few. The usual mistake is excessive clothing and too warm rooms. These cause them to take cold so easily.

GENERAL DRESSING FOR DIFFERENT SEASONS.

At night baby may have a warm sponge bath, a fresh band, shirt and skirt put on. In the winter he should sleep in a flannel nightdress and this can be made with a drawing string or b.u.t.ton on the bottom so that he cannot expose his feet. In the summer he can wear a cotton night-dress and after the third month the skirt may be left off in very warm weather. By the time baby has entered his second month he may wear simple little "Bishop"

dresses instead of his plain slips. At the end of the third month, the flannel band may be discarded, usually, and a ribbed knitted one used. The band should be of wool in the winter, and of silk and wool in the summer.

It should be put over the child's feet when he is being dressed each morning, and be changed for a fresh one at night, if possible. If the baby is healthy he may begin going out in March, if the days are mild and there are no stormy cold winds. Begin by letting him stay out one-half hour during the warmest part of the day, then one hour, etc. When there is much melting snow he should not be taken out. In cold weather the baby's cap and cloak should be lined with flannel or lamb's wool. Woolen mittens should cover his hands. A veil is not necessary.

Cap for Baby's Ears.--If baby's ears stand out from his head a considerable distance, it can be corrected best when he is young. A skeleton cap is made for this purpose. This can be bought or the mother can make one out of thin lawn or pieces of broad tape. It should fit snugly in order to do any good and be worn for some time.

Drooling.--If the baby drools much he is apt to wet any little bib he may wear and take cold by having damp clothing next to his throat and chest.

Cut a piece of material now made (Linite, by Johnson & Johnson) in the shape of a bib, and bind with tape. This can be worn underneath the bib.

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Short Clothes About the Fifth Month.--Short clothes should be prepared for the baby's wear at the beginning of the fifth month, and may consist of a shirt, knitted band with shoulder straps, flannel skirt made on a cotton waist, in summer or a flannel one for cold weather, and having a row of small flat b.u.t.tons, on to which the white petticoat may be b.u.t.toned; a diaper, and a simple white dress. For summer, white cotton stockings should always be worn, woolen ones in the winter; and they should be long enough so that they may be pinned to the diaper. Moccasins or soft kid shoes should be the first kind worn. At night a baby (in short clothes) should sleep in a shirt, band, diaper and a night-dress of cotton in summer, and flannel in winter. The change to short dresses should not be made in very cold weather; and if the baby is born at such a time as to make it necessary, he may be put into short clothes as early as the end of his third or fourth month, rather than to wait until later and make the change in mid-winter.

Clothing in Summer.--Even in summer, the baby should have clothing which contains some wool. A mixture of silk and wool or cotton and wool may be used for the shirt, band and skirt. The band should never be left off; the shirt may be left off in the hottest weather and the long ribbed band with shoulder-straps may take its place, but the abdomen must be covered by means of the band. The nightdress should now be of cotton and the skirt left off at night, but the band and the thin skirt should be worn. Long, white cotton stockings reaching to the napkin should be worn all summer, and not short socks.

The head should be kept cool, therefore do not use a sunbonnet which shuts out all of the air. Muslin caps and light pique hats provide enough shade, if the baby-carriage has a parasol.

Creeping ap.r.o.ns can be used for babies. They are made of fine gingham and may be put over the dress or worn without one in very warm weather. Make them so as to b.u.t.ton all the way down the back, and they sometimes have an elastic or draw-string run into the hem at the bottom of the ap.r.o.n so that the white skirts may be kept clean.

For early fall, two or three little jackets of light flannel or cashmere can be made; and the baby can wear one of these either over or under his white dress in the morning or evening when it is cool. The baby should be in the house by six o'clock unless the weather is exceptionally warm. In the fall, if he has been accustomed to having his nap on the piazza, in his carriage, a screen should-be placed around the carriage to protect him from any possible draught. After the first of October, in chilly days, he should have his nap in the house.

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Winter.--A year-old baby in winter should wear a medium weight wool shirt, knit band with shoulder-straps, a flannel skirt on a flannel waist, white skirt b.u.t.toned on to the waist of the flannel skirt, woolen stockings pinned to the diaper, laced shoes, a white dress of some cotton material and for very cold days, a little flannel, or cashmere sack. At night should be worn a band, shirt, diaper and flannel night-dress long enough to keep his feet warm. For an outing in the winter he should have on a light, but warmly lined coat; a wadded lamb's wool lining is best, but it is expensive, and flannel may be used. His bonnet should be lined with flannel; and leggings and mittens should be of wool.

First Half of Second Year.--A baby of this age may wear a thin gauze shirt with short sleeves, but he should wear under it the ribbed silk and wool band and also his flannel petticoat during the summer. Summer complaint is often kept off by such clothing.

Second Half of Second Year.--A baby of this age is too young to walk in the streets in the winter, and his feet cannot be protected from the damp and cold sidewalks by the usual roomy shoes. When in the go-cart instead of his carriage, his legs should be well covered, so that dampness and wind will not chill and give him a cold. A large bag having a draw-string at the top is an excellent thing to use for the lower part of baby's body while in the go-cart, and the strings should be drawn up and tied under his arms. This bag may be made of any material (warm) from eiderdown, cloth, flannel to felting; or it may simply be made of an old crib blanket and a small carriage robe placed over it. Baby's ears should be covered at this age on very cold days, when out. The baby girl should wear a lined bonnet, well covering her eyes. Tam O'Shanter caps of angora wool can be made and pulled down over the eyes for both girls and boys alike; or a soft felt hat with rosettes of ribbon lined with flannel sewed onto the elastic can be made for the boy to protect the head and ears.

By the time baby is two years old, diapers should be given up and little drawers used instead. It may be frequently necessary to use diapers at night for several months longer, although if the baby be taken up at ten or eleven o'clock p. m. he will frequently go all night without urinating.

First Half of Third Year.--Children of this age should be put into night-drawers, cotton ones in summer and flannel ones either with or without feet, in winter. Tiny overalls or "rompers" are now used a good deal for both boys and girls while at play.

Second Half of Third Year.--Now he can walk in the street for a little while each day, even in winter, having his legs protected by warm leggings and with small rubbers for his shoes when the walks are at all damp.

Woolen leggings should be used.

Children should not be allowed to race about in their night-drawers and bare feet. They should also have little wrappers and bedroom slippers.

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What About the Nursery? The furnishings should be very simple. No unnecessary hangings or upholstered furniture. A large room, well ventilated and one in which the sun shines at some part of the day. The shades should be dark, but no extra hangings or curtains. Nothing should be allowed about the baby's crib but what can be washed. The air should be kept pure. There should be no plumbing, no drying of napkins or clothes, no cooking of food, and no gas burning at night. A small wax candle will do for all usual purposes.

What kind of heat is best? An open grate fire is best; next, heat from a Franklin stove. Steam heat is bad in a nursery. Never use a gas stove unless for a few minutes during the morning bath.

What should the temperature be during the day? From 66 to 68 degrees with the thermometer hung three feet above the floor. It should never be allowed above 70 F. At night, not below 65 F. during the first three months. After that it may go to 55 F., and after the first year it may go to 50 and even to 45 F.

Does the fireplace furnish enough ventilation? No, the princ.i.p.al ventilation must be from the windows.

How soon can you leave the windows open at night? Usually after the third month, except when the outside temperature is below the freezing point.

How often should the nursery be aired? At least twice a day, after the baby has had his bath in the morning and also before putting him to bed for the night. This ventilation should be done thoroughly and the baby should be moved to another room. In the meantime, any time the child is out of the room it should be aired.

How can you ventilate the room at night? During the winter, while the baby is young, the sleeping room may be ventilated at night by opening a window in an adjoining room; or if the weather is not very severe, a window board may be used, or a frame on which has been tacked heavy muslin; this may be from one to two feet high and put into the window like an ordinary mosquito screen. In summer, a screen around baby's crib will furnish all needed protection from the open windows.

How does a room that is kept too warm affect the baby? He becomes pale, loses his appet.i.te, has some indigestion, gains no weight, perspires very much and takes cold easily.

How early in baby's life may airing indoors be commenced, and how long continued? When the baby is one month old. For fifteen minutes at a time at first and may be lengthened ten to fifteen minutes daily. This airing may be continued in all kinds of weather.

Will the baby take cold? Not if the period is at first short and the baby becomes accustomed to it gradually. It is a cold preventive.

How should such an airing be given? The baby should be dressed with bonnet and tight coat and placed in a crib or carriage which should stand a few feet from the window; all the windows should be thrown open for baby's airing. Doors should be closed to prevent draughts.

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How soon can baby be taken out of doors? In summer when one week old, with eyes thoroughly shaded. In spring and fall usually in about one month; in winter, when about three months old, on pleasant days, and kept in the sun and out of the wind.

What time of day is best? A baby may go out almost any time in the early summer and early autumn between 6 A. M. and 7 P. M. In winter and early spring a young child only between ten or eleven and three.