Better babies and their care

by Anna Steese Richardson

The mother must bear in mind, however, that there is a distinct difference between chronic and acute illness from indigestion. When a baby, that has nursed contentedly and gained regularly in weight, suddenly refuses the breast, this is generally a sign of acute illness, requiring the immediate attention of a physician and prompt treatment. When the symptoms of indigestion are slight, but persistent and regular, and the baby shows general distaste for either breast or bottle, then it is merely some disturbance of digestion, malnutrition or mal-assimilation of food, which can be corrected by modifying the diet.

Neglect of acute indigestion may mean convulsions, intestinal inflammation or other ailment which will quickly prove fatal. Slight but chronic indigestion should be corrected because it disturbs and weakens the entire system, fills it with poison and makes the child liable to disease. The child who “takes cold easily” or “teethes hard” is generally the child whose digestion is out of order.

General disorder of the digestive system is indicated by one or more of these symptoms: Constipation, diarrhea, colic, and vomiting. Gastric or stomach trouble is indicated by vomiting or the belching of gas; intestinal trouble by colic, flatulence, diarrhea, and constipation.

The wise mother will learn to distinguish between the various forms of vomiting. Regurgitation, already described, is not a danger signal; if the milk, unchanged in consistency and color, runs easily from the baby’s mouth almost immediately after the child is taken from the breast or bottle, and then, as if relieved, the infant rolls over in comfortable slumber, there is no cause for anxiety. If, however, the vomiting happens just before the next nursing period, or even an hour after nursing, the diet should receive attention; especially if the milk is curdled or colored with bile.

Before changing the diet, however, other factors in the care of the baby should be considered:

Is it fed at regular intervals, as outlined in Chapter [IV]?

At the Better Babies Contests I have often been shocked at the replies given by mothers when the doctors inquired, “How often is your child fed?”

Here are some of the answers: “I don’t know.” “When he wakes up.” “Whenever he cries.” “When I have time to sit down.”

The child that is fed irregularly is very apt to vomit.

So is the child that is jostled, jogged, or rocked after nursing. Directly a baby is fed it should be laid down in its crib and the food given a chance to digest.