8i2 Reading-Course for Farmers' Wives. 



between feedings to keep the kidneys active and the body in good con- 

 dition. Yet many mothers never think of giving the baby so simple a 

 remedy as a drink. 



Regularity of meal hours. — From the day the baby is born it should be 

 fed at regular hours and at regular intervals. Time should be given after 

 each meal for the food to digest and the stomach to rest. It is a common 

 sight to see little babies of a few weeks or a few months old, fed at all 

 hours and at all times. The child cries and the mother has learned that 

 feeding it will cause temporary relief. It is a very fatal mistake. The 

 child is, as a rule, nqt crying because it is hungry, but because it is thirsty, 

 or because irregular meal hours and constant feeding have upset its diges- 

 tion and colic has resulted, or because it is sick or uncomfortable. First 

 determine the cause of the irritation. Find out whether it is due to 

 colic, to indigestion, to thirst, to uncomfortable clothing, chafing, pins, 

 cold or heat, or the beginning of some illness. Do not make things worse 

 by feeding the child. If the trouble is due to indigestion, the amount of 

 food is to be decreased and not increased, and a longer time must elapse 

 between feedings. A drink of warm water will often relieve the irrita- 

 tion. If the trouble continues, a good physician should be consulted who 

 will be able to judge whether or not medicines should be given. 



For the first six weeks the bslby should be put at the breast every two 

 flours in th*e d^ay time from 5 A. J\I. until ii P. M. It should then remain 

 quiet until the following morning, allowing six hours of undisturbed rest 

 for both mother and child. For the first few days another night feeding 

 may be necessary until the clfild learns to rest quietly without the extra 

 food, but this should be discontinued as soon as possible. Gradual les- 

 sening of the amount of food given at this extra feeding and a little 

 patience will quickly accustom the child to adjust itself to this schedule. 

 Common sense must always govern the planning of any schedule. In 

 some cases where the child is very robust and the mother's milk is rich, 

 these intervals are too short and the number of feedings too many. The 

 main point is absolute regularity, whatever the schedule. The schedule 

 will have to be adjusted to the child. If the child is asleep when its 

 meal hour arrives it should be awakened for the first few days. If this is 

 done, it will very soon become accustomed to awaken with a clock-work 

 regularity. 



From the sixth week to the third month the nursing intervals should 

 be gradually increased to three hours, giving seven feedings between 5 

 A. M. and 11 P. M. inclusive. If it is possible to avoid it no night feed- 

 ings should be given at this time. By the sixth month six feedings 

 should be enough for the average child and by the end of the year five. 

 Irregularity of feeding not only affects the child directly by inter- 



