The Care and Feeding of Children . 997 



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 and 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 five a. m. 

 and eleven p. rh. inclusive. If it is possible to avoid it no night feedings 

 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 interfering 

 with its powers of digestion, but it affects the quality as well as the quantity 

 of the mother's milk by overworking the milk-producing glands. One 

 cause of failure in the mother's supply of milk is due to habitual irregular- 

 ity in feeding the child. 



Length of time of nursing. — About twenty minutes should be given 

 to each nursing. If the time is shorter than this it usually means that 

 the milk flows too freely and that the quick feeding may result in diges- 

 tive disturbances. Under these circumstances the flow of milk should 

 be controlled by pressure of the nipple between the fingers. If the child 

 falls asleep while nursing it should be awakened and kept awake until 

 it has finished the meal. The contents of one breast should be sufficient 

 for a meal, especially with younger babies, and the breasts should be 

 alternated. As the child grows older, or if the 3'ield of milk is not large 

 at any one time, it may be necessary to give both breasts at a meal. After 

 the child has been fed it should be placed in its crib on the side which 

 has been uppermost during the nursing. This rests tired muscles and 

 ensures better sleep. 



Care of the breast. — Indigestion in breast-fed babies is sometimes caused 

 by a lack of care of the mother's breast and of the child's mouth. Before 

 and after each nursing the nipples should be washed with a dilute boric 

 acid solution and rinsed with fresh water. The baby's mouth should 

 also be cleansed by wrapping a little soft cloth or cotton around the finger 

 and swabbing out the mouth with clean water. Milk left on the nipples 

 or in the mouth of the child may sour or become otherwise contaminated 

 and cause as much trouble as unclean milk from any source. The milk 

 which accumulates in the milk ducts is often contaminated and it is often 

 best to withdraw a little of the milk before nursing the child. 



The mother's food. — The general health and nutrition of the mother 

 may affect the composition and quality of the milk. 



The diet of the nursing mother should be much the same as it has been 

 during the nine months previous to the birth of the child. It should be 



