If your friend can slip out the wet sheet and put a dry one in its place, without your having to turn over, you will be just that much more comfortable, but the doctor will attend to everything else when he comes.
Next the baby. Presumably he is lying there on the foot of the bed, all safe and sound, trying to get used to the new order of things. He is probably making his presence known by crying lustily and though the day may come when that sound will not be altogether pleasant, it is nothing short of music to you now, for you have been waiting a long time to hear it. The baby has come from a very warm place and has suddenly undergone the most abrupt change in his entire mode of living that he will ever experience, so the transition should be made as easy for him as possible. There are two things which he must do immediately, that your body has been doing for him. He must breathe through his lungs and he must keep his body warm. If he has cried loudly, your faithful cool-headed friend may just wrap a little blanket about him, letting him lie as he is until the doctor comes, taking care that his face is not covered for he needs plenty of air. If the room is chilly she might place a flannel covered bag of warm water beside him outside the blanket.
If the baby has not really cried lustily, as we know that even the youngest baby can, he should be made to cry, as that is the way he gets his breathing apparatus to running as it should. Your friend may take one of the clean little gauze squares that you prepared, and wrapping it around her little finger reach well back into the baby’s mouth and remove any mucus that may be lodged there and interfere with his breathing. She will do this more easily and thoroughly if she will pick the baby up by the feet, with one finger between his slippery little ankles so that her grip will be firm, and wipe out his mouth as he hangs head down.
Fig. 24.—Helping the new baby to breathe by holding him head downward and sharply spanking him. Note that the nurse has one finger between the baby’s ankles to prevent his slipping from her hand.
The main thing to remember is that the lining of that new little mouth is as delicate as a rose leaf and if it is wiped with other than the gentlest stroke the surface may be injured and give trouble later on. While he is hanging, head down, your friend may rub his back or stroke it with her free hand and in all probability you will then hear the baby use his lungs to your heart’s content. But if he still does not cry well he may be sharply spanked two or three times as shown in Fig. [24]. In this picture the cord has been cut and the baby is removed from the bed, but that is not necessary for it is very common to hold the baby up, wipe out his mouth, stroke his back or spank him, before the cord is cut.
You need not be at all disturbed if your baby needs these little forms of encouragement, at first, for remember that all of a sudden he is given some very complicated and taxing work to do and it is only reasonable that he should have all possible help as he undertakes it.
Remember, too, in looking forward to this event, that the probability that you or your friend will have to think of any of these things is very remote for the doctor and nurse are almost certain to be with you, and you will be able to give yourself over entirely to being very happy that at last your baby has come.
THE MIRACLE[[1]]
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