Draperies that cannot be washed, and upholstered furniture, do not belong in the baby's room. A hardwood floor is better than a carpet or matting; while a few light-weight rugs, easily cleaned, are advisable. Enameled walls are easily washed and are, therefore, preferable to wall paper or other dressings.
The windows should be well screened, for by far the greatest dangers to which the baby is exposed, are flies and mosquitoes—carriers of filth and disease. Flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, bed bugs, cats, dogs, lice, and mice are all disease carriers and must therefore be kept out of baby's room.
NURSERY EQUIPMENT
At each window should be found dark shades, and if curtains are desired they should be of an easily washable material, such as mull, swiss, lawn, voile, or scrim. The hardwood floor may be covered where necessary with easily handled rugs which should be aired daily. The other necessary articles of furniture are a crib of enameled iron whose bedding will be described elsewhere in this chapter, a chest for baby's clothes and other necessary supplies, a screen or two, a low table and a low rocker, a small clothes rack on which to air the clothes at night, a pair of scales, and a medicine chest placed high on the wall.
If the room will conveniently admit it, a couch will add greatly to the mother's comfort; and, if possible, it should be of leather upholstery; otherwise, it should possess a washable cover, for all articles that promote the accumulation of dust are not to be allowed in the nursery. In these early weeks and months baby will not benefit from pictures or other wall decorations, and so let him have clean walls that are easily washed and quickly dusted.
The necessities for baby's personal care are:
| Talcum powder. | Sterile cotton balls in covered glass jar. |
| Castile soap. | Safety pins of different sizes. |
| Soft wash cloths. | Hot water bag with flannel cover. |
| Soft linen towels. | Baby scales. |
| Bottle of plain vaseline. | Drying frames for shirt and stockings. |
| Boracic acid, oz. iv (Saturated Solution). | |
| Olive oil. |
BABY'S BED
Since the days of Solomon, accidents have occurred where mother and babe have occupied the same bed. Not only is there the ever-present danger of smothering the babe, but there are also many other reasons why a baby should have its own bed. The constant tendency to nurse it too often and the possibility of the bed clothing shutting off the fresh air supply, are in and of themselves sufficient reasons for having a separate bed for baby.
The first bed is usually a basinet—a wicker basket with high sides—with or without a hood. A suitable washable lining and outside drape present a neat as well as sanitary appearance. The mattress of the basinet is usually a folded clean comfort slipped into a pillow slip; this is to be preferred to a feather pillow, as it is cooler and in every way better for the babe.