Can I depend upon the infant's natural desire for food as to the quantity to be given? Not always, the habit of over-eating is frequently acquired, and is frequently seen in infants with a good digestion.
What harm results from over-feeding an infant? The food lies in the stomach or bowels, undigested, ferments, and causes gas and colic, and if the over-feeding is long continued, serious trouble arises. The baby becomes restless, fretful, irritable, sleeps badly, stops gaining weight and may lose weight.
[588 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
LOSS OF APPETITE.
What may cause this? Over-feeding or the use of milk too rich in fat.
What can I do for this trouble? If the child is well, offer food to him at regular hours only. Do not coax or force him to eat even though he takes only one-half or one-third of his usual quantity. Lengthen the intervals between the feedings. It may be necessary with a child under a year old to reduce the number of feedings to three or four in twenty-four hours. Give water at more frequent intervals, weaken instead of strengthening the food.
FOODS FOR SPECIAL CONDITIONS.
Some infants with weak digestive powers, and those suffering from various forms of indigestion, have often much trouble in digesting the fat of milk. To meet such troubles a series of formulas are given obtained from plain milk.
FOURTH SERIES-Formulas containing four per cent fat: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Plain Milk 5 oz. 6 oz. 7 oz. 8 oz. 9 oz. 10 oz. 12 oz. 14 oz. *Milk Sugar 1 oz 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz 3/4 oz. 3/4 oz. 1/2 oz. 1/2 oz. Lime-water 1 oz. l oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. Boiled water 14 oz. 13 oz. 12 oz. 7 oz. 6 oz. 5 oz. 2 oz. 0 oz. Barley Gruel. 0 oz. 0 oz. 0 oz. 4 oz. 4 oz. 4 oz. 5 oz. 5 oz. ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz.
*(Milk sugar is not counted in totals.) If more than twenty ounces are needed get the proportions by adding one-fourth, one-half, three-quarters, or double each ingredient.