NURSING. 293 



MAITAQEMENT OP THE NEWLY-BORN CHILD : Washing 

 and Dressing— Feeding and Feeding-bottles — Aperients— 

 Sleep — Warmth and Fresh Air — Separation of Navel- 

 string— Swelling of the Breasts in the Newly-born— The 

 «' Thrush." 



After making the mother comfortable, the next duty of the 7mrse is to 

 attend to the washing of the child. This should be done, if possible, before the 

 medical attendant leaves the house, in order that he may have an opportunity 

 of examining the child thoroughly. For the washing, a foot-bath is required, 

 or a basin at least one foot broad, one foot deep, and two feet long, so that the 

 whole body, with the exception of the head, may be placed in the water for a 

 minute or two. The nurse must also be provided with a piece of soft flannel, 

 some olive-oil, a piece of good, unirritating soap, and, for the dressing, in 

 addition to the clothes, a needle and thread, some safety-pins, and a piece of 

 linen rag six inches square, with a hole cut in its centre large enough to admit 

 the navel-string. Sitting at a convenient distance from the fire, she then pro- 

 ceeds to unfold the flannel wrapper and anoint the child's skin with warm 

 olive-oil wherever it is covered with the white greasy material usually present. 

 This having been done, the child is to be put into the water, the temperature 

 of which should be about 90®, and the head supported on the left hand out of 

 the water. After having rested there for about two minutes, it is to be taken 

 on the lap and washed with soap and flannel, the eyes being carefully cleaned 

 first, then the head, and afterwards the remainder of the body, great pains 

 being take to cleanse the little wrinkles at the various joints. After gently 

 drying the skin with a soft warm towel, it must be well powdered, and espe- 

 cially those parts near the joints where chafing is most likely to occur; viz., 

 under the knees and armpits, in the groins, and between the thighs. The 

 piece of flannel used for the first washing should be burnt. 



The skin having now been well washed, dried, and powdered, the square 

 of old linen is to be held near the fire for a minute and slipped over the remains 

 of the navel-string, which Is to be folded in it and turned upwards upon the 

 child's abdomen, where it is to be retained by means of the flannel binder until 

 its separation, which usually takes place about the fourth or fifth day. 



Up to the time of this separation, the child must be washed from head to 

 foot on the nurse's lap, night and morning. Afterwards, when there is no 

 longer any fear of injuring the navel, the child should be placed in the water 

 for two minutes during the morning washing, the evening washing being done 

 on the nurse's lap as before. Whenever a napkin is removed, the parts pro- 

 tected by it must be well cleansed by sponging with a little soap and water, and 

 then thoroughly powdered, so as to prevent the skin becoming sore. This rule 

 holds good even if the napkin has only been soiled with urine, though it is of 

 course still more necessary when there has been also an action of the bowels. 



It is part of a nurse's duty to wash and dress the child during the time she 

 stays in the house, and she should, for this purpose, be provided with a large 

 soft flannel apron, which must be carefully dried each time it is used- 



