Part 42 (1/2)

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A Practical Rule for Feeding a Baby on Cow's Milk.

Cow's milk is steadily growing in favor as an artificial food. Country milk should be used instead of milk purchased in town or city.

RULE--Take the upper half of milk that has stood an hour of two, dilute, not hardly as much as a third, with sweetened water, and if there is a tendency to sour stomach, put in a teaspoonful of lime water to every quart. The milk and water should both be boiled separately. If the baby is constipated, it is best to heat the milk over boiling water and not allow it to boil.

INFANT FOOD FOR 24 HOURS.

Age of Child. Milk. Water. Total.

2 to 10 days 1-1/4 gills 3-1/4 gills 4-1/2 gills 10 to 20 days 1-3/4 gills 4-1/4 gills 6 gills 20 to 30 days 2-1/2 gills 6 gills 8-1/2 gills 1 to 1-1/2 months 3 gills 6-3/4 gills 9-3/4 gills 1-1/2 to 2 months 3-1/2 gills 7 gills 10-1/2 gills 2 to 2-1/2 months 4 gills 7-1/2 gills 11-1/2 gills 2-1/2 to 3 months 4-1/2 gills 7-1/2 gills 12 gills 3 to 3-1/2 months 5 gills 7-1/2 gills 12-1/2 gills 3-1/2 to 4 months 5-1/2 gills 7-1/2 gills 13 gills 4 to 4-1/2 months 6 gills 7-1/2 gills 13-1/2 gills 4-1/2 to 5 months 6-1/2 gills 7-1/2 gills 14 gills 5 to 6 months 7 gills 7 gills 14 gills 6-1/2 to 7 months 7-1/2 gills 6-1/2 gills 14 gills 7 to 8 months 8 gills 6 gills 14 gills 8 to 9 months 8-1/4 gills 6 gills 14-1/4 gills 9 to 10 months 8-1/2 gills 6 gills 14-1/2 gills 10 to 11 months 8-3/4 gills 6 gills 14-3/4 gills 11 to 12 months 9 gills 5-1/2 gills 14-1/2 gills 12 to 15 months 9-1/4 gills 5-1/4 gills 14-1/2 gills 15 to 18 months 9-1/2 gills 5 gills 14-1/2 gills 18 and more months 10 gills 5 gills 15 gills

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HOW TO KEEP A BABY WELL.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A delicate child should never be put into the bath, but bathed on the lap and kept warmly covered.]

1. The mother's milk is the natural food, and nothing can fully take its place.

2. The infant's stomach does not readily accommodate itself to changes in diet; therefore, regularity in quality, quant.i.ty and temperature is extremely necessary.

3. Not until a child is a year old should it be allowed any food except that of milk, and possibly a little cracker or bread, thoroughly soaked and softened.

4. Meat should never be given to very young children. The best artificial food is cream, reduced and sweetened with sugar and milk. No rule can be given for its reduction. Observation and experience must teach that, because every child's stomach is governed by a rule of its own.

5. A child can be safely weaned at one year of age, and sometimes less. It depends entirely upon the season, and upon the health of the child.

6. A child should never be weaned during the warm weather, in June, July or August.

7. When a child is weaned it may be given, in connection {320} with the milk diet, some such nourishment as broth, gruel, egg, or some prepared food.

8. A child should never be allowed to come to the table until two years of age.

9. A child should never eat much starchy food until four years old.

10. A child should have all the water it desires to drink, but it is decidedly the best to boil the water first, and allow it to cool. All the impurities and disease germs are thereby destroyed. This one thing alone will add greatly to the health and vigor of the child.

11. Where there is a tendency to bowel disorder, a little gum arabic, rice, or barley may be boiled with the drinking water.

12. If the child uses a bottle it should be kept absolutely clean. It is best to have two or three bottles, so that one will always be perfectly clean and fresh.

13. The nipple should be of black or pure rubber, and not of the white or vulcanized rubber; it should fit over the top of the bottle. No tubes should ever be used; it is impossible to keep them clean.

14. When the rubber becomes coated, a little coa.r.s.e salt will clean it.