The Care and Feeding of Children 993 



Night clothes. — Flannel, stockinet, or canton flannel make good night 

 clothes. The little night slip should be made in the same plain way as 

 the dress but should have a draw string run in the bottom of the hem. 

 This can be drawn together at night and protects the child's feet against 

 cold during the sleeping hours. 



None of the clothing which the child wears in the day time should be 

 kept on at night. The child should be completely undressed and allowed 

 freedom of limb for a few moments with gentle massage or rubbing, and 

 should then have fresh, dry, wann clothes, consisting of a shirt, a clean 

 diaper and pad and the night slip. The clothing worn during the day 

 should never be worn at night but should be hung where it will air 

 thoroughly and should be warmed before being put on in the morning. 



The clothing should frequently be washed as it absorbs the moisture 

 and secretions from the baby's body and then ceases to be the same source 

 of warmth and comfort. Diapers should not be dried and worn again 

 after wetting. They should first be washed and sunned. No clothing 

 which the baby wears should ever be starched. 



Short clothes. — The age at which clothing should be shortened differs 

 with the season and the vigor of the child, the present tendency being to 

 shorten the clothes as soon as possible. 



Shoes.- — When the child begins to walk and the feet need protection, 

 care should be taken in selecting the foot gear. Soft moccasins with 

 shaped soles and lacing over the ankle are best, as these do not press the 

 foot out of shape. Small, strapped slippers or soft shoes made with broad 

 spreading toes and soft soles are excellent. No shoe should be worn 

 which in any way contracts or constricts the foot. A well-shaped foot 

 means much of health and comfort to the adult in later years. 



Regularity of intestinal movement. — With the healthy baby the habit of 

 freeing the bowels with regularity may be established during the first 

 month or two of life. The child should be carefully supported over the 

 chamber night and morning at about the hour when evacuation usually 

 occurs. The association of idea is quickly set up and the habit soon 

 becomes fixed. The early establishment of this habit has more than one 

 virtue. It lessens the number of soiled diapers, thus ensuring more 

 hygienic conditions for the household and less work for the one in charge, 

 and it hastens the day when the diaper may be altogether discarded. 

 The same method of training may be applied in teaching the child to 

 urinate regularl}' or at least to make its wants known. 



The infant should never be allowed to pass even one day without at 

 least one free intestinal movement. It may sometimes be necessary to 

 accomplish this with sick or feeble children by giving an enema to soften 

 the fecal matter. Drugs should never be given except under the advice 



