FOOD FOR HEALTHY INFANTS DURING THE LATER MONTHS.
How long shall I continue this proportion, that is, the fat three times the proteids (curd)—skim-milk? Usually for three or four months.
What changes shall I then make in the food? After you are using formula five of the first series; that is, six ounces of the ten per cent milk in twenty ounces of milk, increase the fat slowly, for the proportion of fat (three per cent), is near the limit for healthy children.
How then shall I strengthen the milk? By raising the percentage of proteids (curds, skim-milk).
How can I do this? Use the formulas derived from the seven per cent milk and discontinue the ten per cent milk.
THIRD SERIES.—Five formulas for seven per cent milk for the later months—
Formulas. 1 2 3 4 5
7 per cent milk 7 oz. 8 oz. 9 oz. 10 oz. 11 oz.
*Milk Sugar 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 3/4 oz. 1/2 oz.
Lime-water 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz.
Boiled water 12 oz. 11 oz. 10 oz. 4 oz. 3 oz.
Barley Gruel 0 oz. 0 oz. 0 oz. 5 oz. 5 oz.
——- ——- ——- ——- ——-
20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz.
*(As the milk sugar is dissolved in the boiled water the quantity is twenty ounces instead of twenty-one.) Oatmeal gruel can be substituted for barley gruel if there is constipation. To increase the food to twenty-five, thirty, or thirty-five ounces increase the milk ingredients by 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and for forty ounces using two times as much.
How shall I increase the food during this period? Beginning with formula one of this series, which should usually follow five of the first or second series, you can usually make the increase in ten days to No. 2; in two weeks you can use No. 3; but proceed more slowly to four or five when you have reached them. The same formula may be continued sometimes for three or four months with no other change, except an increase in the quantity of the food, that is from twenty ounces to twenty-five, etc.
Is it necessary or important to reduce the proportion of fat as it is at first, reduced in passing from formula five of the first series to formula one of the third series? It is not necessary.
How much is this reduction? From 3 to 2.50 per cent.
How much increase of fat is there from the fifth formula of the second series to the first formula of the third series? From 2.00 to 2.50 per cent.
Can the first decrease be avoided? Yes, by taking off at first the upper thirteen ounces as top-milk, and using in a twenty-ounce mixture seven ounces of this in place of formula No. 1, and also by using for the next increase the upper fifteen ounces as top-milk—taking of this eight ounces in a twenty-ounce mixture in place of formula No. 2. Then follow three of this third series. This is only done when you think the formulas two and three of the third series do not give enough fat.
[584 MOTHERS' REMEDIES.]
Can I add any other food about the sixth or seventh months? Yes, foods in the form of gruel, and have this take the place of part of the boiled water and part of the sugar. Oatmeal and barley gruels can be added.
Can I make further changes at ten or eleven months? The proteids (skim-milk) may be further increased, sugar and lime-water reduced until plain milk is given.
How can I do this? Give at first one feeding of plain milk and barley gruel daily; later two feedings, then three feedings, etc. For example, suppose one infant was being fed with modified milk as formula 4 or 5, series 3, six feedings daily. The plain milk diluted with boiling water would take the place of one such feeding at first, then two, three, four, etc., feedings. Such changes to be made at intervals of two weeks. Proportions of milk and barley gruel should be, at first, about five and one-half ounces milk, two and one-half ounces barley gruel; later six ounces milk, three ounces barley gruel and then seven ounces milk, two ounces barley gruel until plain milk is alone used, and this can usually be reached at twelve to thirteen months. For five months' infants a pinch of soda may be added to each feeding when the lime-water is omitted. It is not generally necessary, however.
Do some infants dislike the milk after the milk sugar has been omitted? Yes; for such 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoonful of granulated sugar may be added for a time to each feeding and gradually reduced.