BABY 



526 



BABY 



THE STORY, OF THE BABY 



ABY, THE. A public awakened to 

 the necessity of saving the babies this is the 

 outcome of one of the most important educa- 

 tional movements of the present time. The 

 hiirh (loath-rate among babies (see INFANT 

 MORTALITY) was long regarded as a condition 

 that could not be remedied. Babies were be- 

 lieved to be "hard to raise," and it was ex- 

 pected that about one out of every five would 

 die. People are wiser than they used to be. 

 They have been brought to see that enlight- 

 ened, intelligent care of infants is certain to 

 lower the death-rate, that the babies are the 

 tl out of which future citizens are made, 

 and that healthy children are a nation's most 

 valuable asset. In France, where the declining 

 birth-rate made it absolutely necessary to save 

 as many infants as possible, the baby-welfare 

 movement was first placed on an organized 

 basis. The results achieved there were brought 

 to th<> notice of health authorities and social 

 workers in other countries, and since the last 

 decade of the nineteenth century the slogan, 

 "Save the babies," has come to stand for a 

 world-wide movement. 



In the United States the leadership in the 

 work was taken by the American Association 

 uiy and Prevention of Infant Mortality 

 (organized in 1909 with headquarters in Balti- 

 more, Md.), and the topic has also been made 

 the object of special investigation by the Fed- 

 eral Children's Bureau (see CHILDREN'S Bu- 

 Instruction and information are now 

 n-acliing mothers and others who are interested, 

 through various channels. Numerous pamph- 

 lets, books and magazine articles on the subject 

 have been issued and continue to come from 

 the press; infant-welfare societies for prac- 

 tical work in homes and neighborhood centers 

 have been organized, and in many communi- 

 ties baby "conferences" are held, at which the 

 babies are examined and given marks on points 

 of mental and physical development. These 



are sometimes known as "contests," but best 

 authorities prefer the other term. 



The Baby's Heritage. The leaders in in- 

 fant-welfare work have not forgotten the 

 ancient law that the sins of the fathers are 

 visited upon the children "unto the third and 

 fourth generation." They recognize the right 

 of the baby to be well-born, and they preach 

 the doctrine that diseased parents cannot pro- 

 duce healthy offspring. The special science 

 that has to do with "better parents" is there- 

 fore inseparably bound up with the better- 

 babies movement. It is known as EUGENICS, 

 and is fully discussed in these volumes under 

 that title. 



Another and no less important phase of this 

 movement is the care needed by the expectant 

 mother before the baby comes. Her habits 

 and the conditions surrounding her are vitally 

 related to the welfare of the child. No mother 

 can expect to have a strong, vigorous child if 

 she is overworked, worried, unhappy or ill- 

 nourished. Her diet should be most carefully 

 selected because her own general condition and 

 that of the baby are based upon it. This diet 

 should include soups, fresh fish, eggs, cooked 

 cereals, with cream, milk and sugar, potatoes, 

 asparagus, tomatoes, peas, Lima and string 

 beans, spinach, celery, lettuce, whole wheat, 

 bran, Graham or corn bread, ripe raw fruits 

 or cooked fruits. Only light meats should be 

 eaten, and these very sparingly. Simple pud- 

 dings, like custard, and pure ice cream : in- 

 permissible. Pure water should be drunk 

 freely, between meals; sweet milk, buttermilk, 

 cocoa and chocolate are nourishing, milk being 

 especially good for an expectant mother. She 

 should not drink more than one cup of tea or 

 coffee a day, and should avoid all alcoholic 

 drinks, rich desserts and highly-seasoned foods. 

 There is no foundation of fact in the belief, 

 somewhat prevalent, that beer is beneficial. 



It is best for the expectant mother to bathe 



