General Care of the Baby.—The eyes, the mouth, and navel should be given the usual daily attention. The bowels, if constipated, should be encouraged by small doses of castor oil given with a medicine dropper. If the urinations are not clear and of sufficient quantity the baby may have warm water, about 1 oz. at a time, three or four times daily. Leave the infant with the mother only during the nursing period.
Nursing the Baby.—Practical experience is daily upsetting the theory that a set of rules and regulations can be laid down and followed for the nursing of all babies; that nursing must be done at certain hours and after certain intervals. While babies are alike in nearly every respect, speaking physiologically, there are only a few who can be awakened at regular intervals to be nursed by the mother or fed by the bottle. Some babies can not be awakened sufficiently for nursing, even after four or five hours’ sleep. Others will nurse for twenty minutes (the rules say it should not be longer than ten minutes) at two- or three-hour intervals during the day and then sleep all night.
Of course, where the child can be fed regularly, this helps the mother to regulate her own habits, and is comforting to all concerned. Therefore, nurses should not lack in determination to encourage such a system. But no such regularity should be insisted upon where both baby and mother suffer during the interval when nursing is denied; the former, hungry and crying lustily, and the mother under a nervous strain that is harmful to both. Let there be no hard-and-fast rules. Babies who feed as often as they feel like it (being allowed proper, though not necessarily long, intervals for digestion) generally suffer no ill effects and are healthy and strong. Mother’s milk, the natural feeding, should always be given, rather than any artificial food, when the supply is sufficient and good.
OBSTETRIC SUPPLIES.
- Solutions:
- Antiseptic solutions.
- Normal salt solution.
- Spiritus frumenti.
- Fluid extract of ergot.
- Plenty of sterile water (hot and cold).
- Articles:
- Rubber sheeting.
- Plain roll of absorbent cotton.
- Abdominal binders.
- Vessel to receive placenta.
- Large drainage-pan.
- Large- and medium-sized safety-pins.
- Sterilized Accessories:
- One half-dozen sheets.
- One dozen towels.
- One night gown.
- One doctor’s gown.
- Accouchement pad.
- Two dozen vulva pads.
- Receiving pad for baby.
- Maternity leggings.
- Gauze sponges.
- Cotton pledgets.
- Applicators.
- Tape for the cord.
- Rubber and glass catheters.
- Douche points.
- Douche bag.
- Vaselin.
SUPPLIES FOR BABY BASKET.
- Blunt-pointed scissors.
- Needle, thread and thimble.
- Medium-sized and small safety-pins.
- Rectal and bath thermometer.
- Bar of pure mild soap.
- Jar of pure olive oil.
- Wide-mouthed bottle of alcohol, 95 per cent.
- Wide-mouthed bottle of boric solution.
- Sterile gauze to dress the navel.
- Sterile applicators.
- Two slips.
- Two shirts.
- Abdominal binders.
- Diapers and old soft cloths.
BABY SLEEP.
A young baby sleeps eighteen hours out of twenty-four. At six months of age a baby sleeps about sixteen hours. A one-year-old child sleeps about fourteen hours, and at two years of age at least twelve hours. Daytime naps should be continued as long as possible.