THE EYES
The closed eyes of the newly born child are generally covered with mucus which should be carefully wiped off with a piece of sterile cotton dipped in boracic acid solution, in a manner not to disturb the closed lid. A separate piece of cotton is used for each eye and the swabbing is done from the nose outward. The physician or nurse drops into each opened eye two drops of twenty per cent argyrol, the surplus medicine being carefully wiped off with a separate piece of cotton for each eye. The baby should now be placed in a darkened corner of the room, protected from the cold.
The eyes are washed daily by dropping saturated solution of boracic acid into each eye with a medicine dropper. Separate pieces of gauze or cotton are used for each eye.
THE FIRST OIL BATH
As soon as the cord and the eyes have received the proper attention and the mother has been made comfortable, the baby is given its initial bath of oil. This oil may be lard, olive oil, sweet oil, or liquid vaseline. The oil should be warmed and the baby should be well covered with a warm blanket and placed on a table which is covered with a thick pad or pillow. The temperature of the room should be at least eighty degrees Fahrenheit. Quickly, thoroughly, and carefully the entire body is swabbed with the warmed oil—the head, neck, behind the ears, under the arms, the groin, the folds of the elbow and knee—no part of the body is left untouched, save the cord with its dressing. This oil is then all gently rubbed off with an old soft linen towel.
THE FIRST CLOTHING
After the oil bath, the silk and wool shirt (size No. 2), the diaper and stockings are quickly put on to avoid the least danger of chilling. The band having been applied at the time of the dressing of the cord, our baby is now ready for the flannel skirt. This should hang from the shoulders by a yoke of material adapted to the season, cotton yoke without sleeves if a summer baby, and a woolen yoke with woolen sleeves if a winter baby. The outing-flannel night dress completes the outfit and should be the only style of dress worn for the first two weeks. Loosely wrapped in a warm shawl, the baby is about ready for its first nap, save for a drink of cooled, boiled water.
This cooled, boiled, unsweetened water should be given in increasing amounts every two hours until the child is two or three years of age. It is usually given the child in a nursing bottle. In this way it is taken comfortably, slowly, can be kept clean and warm, and should the babe be robbed of its natural food and transferred to the bottle as a substitute for mother's milk, it will already be acquainted with the bottle and thus one-half of a hard battle has already been fought and won.
BABY'S FIRST NAP
The baby's bed should be separate and apart from the mother's. It may be a well-padded box, a dresser drawer, a clothes basket, or a large market basket. A folded comfortable slipped in a pillow slip makes a good mattress. A most ideal bed may be made out of a clothes basket; the mattress or pad should come up to within two or three inches of the top, so the baby may breathe good fresh air and not the stale air that is always found in a deeply made bed. Into this individual bed the baby is placed as soon as it is dressed; and a good sleep of four to six hours usually follows.