Because young girls are fond of little children and must help their
mothers often with their baby brothers and sisters, they should know how
to care for them. It is essential that they should understand the
following points: The little body needs protection. The head is soft,
and the brain may be injured by hard bumps or pressure. The skin is
tender and is easily irritated by the bites of insects, friction, and so
on. Kicking and wiggling are necessary to the development of the
muscles, but the baby should not be played with all the time; and it is
well for it while awake to lie quiet for part of the time. It should not
be made to sit up until ready to do so. A desire to creep should be
encouraged. Standing or walking should not be taught the baby until it
tries to stand or walk itself, and then it must be helped very
carefully.
The baby should have plenty of fresh air and should be allowed to spend
much of its time out-of-doors. In cold weather it must be warmly covered
and sheltered from high winds. Its eyes should always be protected from
strong sunlight.
Regular hours should be observed for sleep, and the baby should be put
to bed early in the evening. If the house is not well screened in
summer, a mosquito bar should be put over the crib. The clothing should
be light and loose, so that the body can move freely.
Perfect cleanliness is necessary to keep the baby's skin in good
condition; and a daily bath should be given. A morning hour, midway
between the meals, is usually the best time for this. The baby should be
taught to use the chamber before the bath and after the nap. Everything
should be ready before it is undressed. The room should be very warm.
The water should be only moderately warm, and should be carefully tested
to make sure that it is not too hot. The towels and covers for the baby
should be at hand. The head and the feet should be washed first, and the
body soaped before putting the child into the bath. Little soap should
be used, for even the best soap is strong and is apt to irritate the
delicate skin. The bath should be given quickly, and the body wrapped at
once in a blanket or towel and kept covered as much as possible while it
is being dried.
The baby should be fed in small quantities at regular intervals and
given plenty of cold water to drink. Not until it is eleven or twelve
months of age should it be given solid or semi-solid food. Even then,
milk should continue to form the basis of its diet, and of this a
considerable quantity should be used--about a quart a day from the
twelfth month on. As the child grows older a more varied diet will be
necessary. The most hygienic methods of food preparation should always
be observed.
Certain foods should never be given; for example, fried foods, pastries,
condiments, pickles, preserves, canned meats, fish, pork, sausage, cheap
candies, coarse vegetables, unripe and overripe fruits, stimulants,
foods treated with a preservative or colouring matter, and half-cooked
starches.