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41
130 of the mothers worked in factories, workshops. &c., and 80 were employed
as outworkers in their own homes.
413 infants were brought up on the breast, or 84.7 per cent.
32 infants were artificially fed, or 6.5 per cent.
43 infants were partly brought up on the breast and partly artificially fed,
or 8.8 per cent.
Breast feeding was generally the case for the first three or four months, after
which it was often found necessary to supplement the breast with an artificial food
of some kind.
Condensed milk was largely used for infants who were entirely artificially fed
Inferior brands were often bought because of their cheapness, regardless of the fact
that the milk was machine skimmed, and contained no fat, which is so essential to
a baby.
When the breast milk is deficient in quality or insufficient in quantity, and it
becomes necessary to have it supplemented, cow's milk is rarely given for that purpose.
It seems to be believed by a large number of women that the two kinds of milk
will not agree with the baby. Flour, cornflour, and fine oatmeal are frequently
given. One baby, 14 days old, was given two feeds daily of cornflour mixed with
water, and another baby, 12 days old, was having fine oatmeal, on the advice of
its grandmother, who insisted that the child cried so much because he was hungry.
This was the young mother's first baby, and she had taken her own mother's advice,
as she was quite ignorant of infant feeding. Dinners were obtained for her from the
Stepney Invalid Kitchen on her promising to discontinue the oatmeal for the baby.
It soon became unnecessary to give the bottle at all, as the breast milk was found
to be sufficient.
The mothers were often found to be very ignorant as to what constitutes a suitable
diet for babies and young children, and tea, bread soaked in tea, meat, fish,
vegetables of all kinds were frequerftly given to infants under one year.
62 births referred to first-born children. As a rule these mothers knew less
of infant feeding than the others, but were found to be very amenable to instructions
and eager to learn ; whereas mothers who had several children were not so anxiou,
to receive advice.
The infants were fairly well cared for, being usually bathed once daily at first,
but this duty was found to be neglected as the child grew older, especially if the
mother had to go out to work to support the home.