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41
with suspicion, after a iitfle conversation the mothers become
interested.
"The most difficult mother to deal with is of the type who,
while treating her child in the worst possible manner with regard
to diet, bathing and sleeping arrangements, admits the instructions
given are the proper manner in which to treat a child, but
also says she "has heard tell of it before," and insinuates that she
has quite determined not to alter her old régime in the least; but
much may be done with these mothers in time.
"A certain class of parents appear to consider it a natural and
desirable thing to lose their children in early infancy. One mother,
having had 11 children and only five surviving, remarked, "Well,
it's a blessing they do die; how could we keep them if they
lived ?"
"There is a decided prejudice against taking the babies out in
all weathers, and it is hard to convince the parents of the great
necessity for fresh air for infants as well as adults, especially in
sleeping apartments. So many people seem to consider it necessary
to treat babies like hot-house plants.
"It is very difficult to dissuade the mothers from having baby
to sleep in their beds. Many mothers make the cold weather an
excuse, and say it is impossible to keep the child warm in a cradle.
Even the danger of over-laying will not induce some mothers to
part with their infants at night.
"Very few of the babies visited are properly clothed. There
is a great tendency to use too many garments of an unsuitable
kind. Long cotton robes and petticoats are dearly loved by many
mothers, and the necessity for woollen clothing is ignored. It is
quite the exception to find a child with woollen garments to the
wrist and below the knees, even in the coldest weather. Flannelette
has largely taken the place of wool or flannel for infants' clothing.
In many cases this is due to the fact that flannel is so much more
expensive, and also more difficult to wash and dry.