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14
3.—Do not as a rule feed the baby between 11 at night
and 5 in the morning.
WEANING BABY.
The baby should not be weaned suddenly, but by
degrees. After the seventh month bread and milk or oatmeal
gruel may be given once or twice a day. Well boiled oatmeal
porridge and new milk should be gradually added to the
diet.
FRESH AIR AND EXERCISE.
Keep the windows always open at the top. In addition,
air the room thoroughly twice every day by open windows
and doors. Take the children out every day.
SLEEP, &c.
Don't accustom your baby to be rocked or nursed to
sleep, or to sleep in your arms.
Fresh air makes sleep more refreshing. The air cannot
be fresh if the bed.clothes are dirty. Young children in bed
with their parents may be injured, or even smothered, by
getting wholly beneath the bed.clothes.
Wakefulness means illness. The most frequent source
of illness in infancy is improper feeding.
During teething, when the child is irritable and restless,
never use soothing syrups, sleeping draughts, laudanum or
any other medicine.
TO FATHERS.
Before the birth of the child the mother should be
relieved of all worry and anxiety.
Work in factory or workshop should be forbidden.
Domestic duties are sufficient.
Whilst the mother is nursing her child the same rules
apply. If the mother goes out to work the money earned is
bound to be lost later on in sickness and weakness in the
child.
Alcohol is bad for mothers both before the birth of the
child and during suckling.
H. BEALE COLLINS,
Public Health Department, Medical Officer of Health.
Kingston.upon.Thames, April, 1908.