Mother's Remedies Part 148

What can be done for them? They should be drawn out, and sometimes a breast pump is needed for this.

Should the nipples be treated after nursing? They should be dried and clean clothing put against them. Some recommend washing them with a mild solution of boric acid.

Are they ever so tender that nursing is painful? Yes.

What can be done for this? The nipples should be drawn out before confinement; if neglected use the following: Compound tincture of benzoin one-half ounce. After each nursing wash them clean with warm water or water and a little alcohol and after drying them, put on the tincture of benzoin with a camel's hair brush. It will not hurt the baby.

What can be done with cracked nipples? Apply benzoin as before directed, and use a gla.s.s or rubber nipple shield until it gets well.

How can caked b.r.e.a.s.t.s be prevented? The b.r.e.a.s.t.s should be kept emptied and well protected, both while nursing and during the intervals. Empty with a breast pump if necessary.

If mother's clothes are wet by the excess milk, what can she do? Use a breast-pump and drink and eat less fluid; eat more solid.

Should a baby nurse at both b.r.e.a.s.t.s? It is better.

If the breast contains pus, what can be done? Nurse at the other breast, but if both b.r.e.a.s.t.s are affected it must stop breast nursing.

Should an infant nurse from a mother who is taking medicine? Not as a rule.

When will the mother be able to nurse again? It is hard to tell. If the child is six months old the child should be weaned if the mother is seriously ill, and children with delicate stomachs should always be weaned, when the mother is sick.

If the mother has not enough nurse, what can be done?--Nurse partly and feed it the rest.

Can the milk secretion be increased? Yes, by regulating the mother's diet.

She should drink freely of good cow's milk and have an occasional bowl of gruel, soup, etc.

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How long can you wait to see if the mother can have milk? It is well to wait several days, nurse all there is and supply the deficiency by bottle feeding.

How often should the baby nurse at first, and how long? Every four or five hours for the first few days--usually nurses fifteen to twenty minutes; one night nursing.

When is there a full secretion of milk? Usually on the third day.

How often should the baby be nursed afterward? After the third day every two hours and twice at night.

How often during the rest of the year? For two to three months every two to two and one-half hours during the day, two times at night; three to five months about every three hours up to ten p. m.; and one time at night; five to twelve months every three to three and one-half or four hours and not at night.

Is it necessary as a rule to give additional food the first few days? No; give plenty of water.

What important things should be attended to in nursing? First, a regular time night and day. Second, nipples should be kept clean.

What should a nursing mother eat? Her diet should be simple and plentiful, and lots of fluids; she should have three regular meals a day, and gruel, cocoa, or milk at bedtime and sometimes between meals. She can use cereals, most soups, most vegetables; avoid sour tart fruits, salads, pastry, and desserts. She may eat egg, meats once or twice daily, but in most cases but once. Tea and coffee if taken should be very weak, and ordinarily no wine or beer.

Are fruits eaten by the mother likely to injure baby? Sour fruits do in some cases, but sweet fruits and most fruits that are cooked do not, and are useful for the bowels.

Should the mother take special care of herself? Yes, she should lead a simple, natural, happy life, with outdoor exercise, as soon as possible after the confinement. She should make her bowels move daily by food and habit; she should not worry, should sleep plenty and should nap for an hour during the middle of the day.

Will the milk of the mother be affected by nervousness? Yes, more so than by her diet; worry, anxiety, fatigue, loss of sleep, household duties, society functions, have an injurious effect upon the child. Mother's grief, excitement, anger, pa.s.sion, act upon the child through the milk.

How does the return of the menstruation affect the milk? The quant.i.ty is lessened, the infant is not satisfied. Sometimes the quality is affected and the child may suffer from restlessness, colic, and acute indigestion.

Should regular menstruation prohibit nursing? Not always; as a rule both functions do not go together. If the child thrives, it can keep on nursing, although it might be well to feed the infant, at least partly, during the period.

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How can you determine that the baby is well nourished? Good color, sleep for two hours after nursing, is quiet, good-natured and comfortable when awake; has normal bowel movements, three stools daily and gains gradually in weight.

How can you tell when a baby is poorly nourished? It neither gains nor loses weight; it is listless, tired, indifferent, cross, fretful, irritable and sleeps poorly. It looks pale, anemic, and it becomes soft and flabby. If the milk is scanty, it nurses long; at other times it tries the breast and turns away seemingly disgusted.

What should be done? This depends upon the conditions; should the child gain nothing for three or four weeks or lose weight, immediate weaning may be necessary; at least other food must be given in addition to the breast food. Feeding may be alternated with the breast nursing.

How do the symptoms show when the mother's milk disagrees? The child, is in constant discomfort; it sleeps little, is restless, cries much, gulps up gas, pa.s.ses it by the bowels, or it acc.u.mulates in the bowels causing colic. There may be vomiting, but more often bowel trouble. The bowels may be constipated but usually there is diarrhea--frequent, loose, green, with mucus and gas.

What should you do in such a case? If the child does not gain or loses weight and there is little chance of improvement in the mother's milk, the child should be weaned immediately. If the child gains in weight, try a little longer to improve the mother's milk.

Why do some babies nurse so often? The milk does not satisfy.

When the baby has thrush, should the mother take special care of the b.r.e.a.s.t.s? Yes, they should be cleaned after every nursing.

How much does the baby's stomach hold at birth? Six to seven teaspoonfuls.

Is vomiting a healthy sign in infants? Frequent vomiting is not natural; see if his bands are too tight; find out if he has been danced or handled after nursing.

When is it harmful? When it is frequent. If it comes up directly after a meal looking just as it was when taken, the child may be over-fed.

What can be done? Reduce the quant.i.ty, or do not let it nurse so long or so often. If vomiting takes place a half hour after feeding, in sour swelling ma.s.ses, it may be getting food too rich in cream, and then the time between nursings should be lengthened; or dilute the breast milk by giving one to two teaspoonfuls of plain boiled water, barley water, five or ten minutes before nursing; the mother should eat less hearty food, especially of meat.

If baby has frequent colic, what is the cause? The milk has too much proteids.

What should be done? Eat less meat, keep quiet, and happy, do not worry, etc.

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How many stools does a healthy baby have daily? About two.

What color? Yellow color and pasty consistence.

If a nursing baby has too many stools, what change should be made in the mother's diet? She should eat food that would cause costive bowels in her.

LOOSE STOOLS IN NURSING BABIES.

They are caused by the mother eating improper food. If the stools are very yellow, foul, greasy or ropy the mother is eating food that produces too much fat (cream) in her milk. If curds appear there is not enough fat, and too much of the proteids (skim milk). When the stools are very green with much mucus in them, the food should be reduced.

If a nursing baby is constipated, what can be done? More boiled water should be given between nursing. The mother should take exercise at least two hours each day out of doors; her bowels should move every day, even if she must take a laxative. She should take plenty of pure, rich milk, cocoa, oatmeal and cornmeal gruels, and some kind of tonic if she is weak.

Tea and coffee should not be used. Ripe fruit (not tart), some green vegetables and a little meat can be eaten. Starchy foods should be avoided. Sometimes baby does not get enough nurse. Then she should be fed and given plenty of pure water between meals.