What is the bag of waters? It is a sac containing the fluid in which the child floats while in the womb. The amount of fluid varies from a pint to a gallon or more. When it ruptures there is a sudden flow of liquid, more or less continuous flow. It may occur at the very beginning of labor and is one of the signs of labor.
What are the other signs of approaching labor? A profuse discharge of mucus from the vagina, and this may be tinged with blood. The "show" pains begin generally in the back and are quite regular, one every twenty minutes or half hour. (Dilatation of the womb).
How should the baby be first washed? See Obstetrics.
What clothing should be put on? See Obstetrics chapter.
Care of the eyes.—Wipe the eyelids with clean gauze and water. If there has been much discharge from the vagina during pregnancy, the child's eyes should be washed cleanly and also one or two drops of the one per cent solution of silver nitrate should be put into each eye as a preventive. (See Obstetrics).
How often should the baby's bowels move? Two or three times daily for the first week, and then once or twice a day.
What is the appearance of the stool? It is soft, yellow and smooth and should not contain any lumps.
How about the urine? It should pass from six to ten times a day, and it should be colorless.
What is the average weight of a healthy baby? Seven to seven and one-half pounds.
Does it lose any weight during the first week? Yes, generally a few ounces, then it begins to gain at the rate of four to six ounces each week.