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Dr. E. F. Iredell writes:—
"I should like to point out how difficult it is to persuade
the mothers that Infant Welfare Centres exist for healthy
babies and that sick babies are provided for in other
directions. We still frequently see children whose mothers
have not brought them for weeks or months 'because they are
going on well' —a statement which may be, but more often is
not, correct."
Dr. N. Pirikerton writes:—
"On the whole, there is a great improvement in the regularity
of feeding the babies: Most mothers are now aware that the
intervals between feeds should be fairly long. They are also
beginning to realise that when a baby does not seem to be
satisfied with the breast, it is not necessary to wean entirely, but
that supplementary feeding is the better method. In several
cases it has been possible to re-establish breast feeding, even
when the mother had weaned the child for over one or two weeks.
The mothers show great interest in the feeding and training of
their children, and a great desire to learn more. They are
beginning to realise that the responsibility for rearing healthy
children rests primarily with them. There is, however, still
great ignorance with regard to children's teeth. In one case
of a child, aged three years, when I pointed out that the child's
molars were decaying, the mother said : 'I suppose you don't
know these are the child's first teeth !' Some treatment for the
teeth of toddlers should be provided. In very many cases it
would be possible to save these important milk teeth; it is now
almost impossible for the children to have proper attention
anywhere, unless the mothers take the children to distant
hospitals, where special treatment for young children is
provided. The early decay of the teeth may be due to pappy
food, the continuous eating of starchy food, and the fact that
the teeth are practically never cleaned. The use of the dummy
is far too prevalent; and many badly shaped jaws may be
attributed to its constant use.
"The babies under two years suffer very much from lack of
fresh air and sunlight. This seems to be due to two causes:
(1) Many parents think 'it is too cold to take a child out';
(2) Many cannot take a child out. This is because they live
in buildings or tenements where there are no gardens, no
balconies, and it is impossible to drag a perambulator up many
flights of stairs.
"Emphasis should be laid on the fact that the Centre exists
mainly for advice as to the feeding of children, and for the
prevention of disease. Far too many mothers attend once or