Some infants with weak digestive powers, and those suffering from various
forms of indigestion, have often much trouble in digesting the fat of
milk. To meet such troubles a series of formulas are given obtained from
plain milk.
FOURTH SERIES-Formulas containing four per cent fat:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Plain Milk 5 oz. 6 oz. 7 oz. 8 oz. 9 oz. 10 oz. 12 oz. 14 oz.
*Milk Sugar 1 oz 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz 3/4 oz. 3/4 oz. 1/2 oz. 1/2 oz.
Lime-water 1 oz. l oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz.
Boiled water 14 oz. 13 oz. 12 oz. 7 oz. 6 oz. 5 oz. 2 oz. 0 oz.
Barley Gruel. 0 oz. 0 oz. 0 oz. 4 oz. 4 oz. 4 oz. 5 oz. 5 oz.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz.
*(Milk sugar is not counted in totals.) If more than twenty ounces are
needed get the proportions by adding one-fourth, one-half, three-quarters,
or double each ingredient.
Why does an infant so often vomit some of its food soon after feeding? The
quantity may be too large or too rich food, the baby may feed too fast,
the hole in the nipple may be too large, the clothing too tight, or you
may press upon its stomach in moving the baby.
What are the causes of and changes needed for stomach troubles? It is
usually a symptom of indigestion and is frequently caused by too much fat
or sugar.
How can I remedy this? Reduce the fat or sugar, and increase the
lime-water. Avoid the formulas made from the top-milk, or cream and milk.
Those made from the seven per cent milk are not so likely to cause
trouble; but you had better, if the symptoms are severe, use formulas of
the fourth series.
What symptoms indicate that the baby is getting too much fat (cream)?
Vomiting and yellow, foul, greasy, or ropy stools.
How much shall I reduce the milk sugar? Use only one-half ounce to twenty
ounces of food or leave it out altogether.
How shall I know when to reduce the sugar, etc.? When there is excessive
formation of gas in the stomach, causing distention and pain, or belchings
of gas, and often a sour stomach. Reduce the amount of sugar and increase
the lime-water one and one-half to two ounces in twenty ounces of food,
increase intervals between the meats one-half hour and give less quantity.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 589]
What food usually causes habitual colic? This is due to gas accumulating
in the bowels, and is usually caused by the want of digestion of the
proteids (curd).
How shall I overcome this? Use a weaker formula. Use formula 4 or 3 of
first series; or use partially pasteurized milk, or use barley water
instead of plain water.
If curds regularly or frequently appear in the stools, what changes shall
I make? This usually accompanies colic, so use means just
described--reduce the proteids (skim milk).
How shall I modify the milk for chronic constipation? This is difficult to
overcome, and it is more frequent when infants are fed upon a plain milk
diet, variously diluted, than when seven or ten per cent milk is used and
diluted to a greater degree. But you cannot use food containing more than
four per cent fat, that is, eight ounces of ten per cent milk or twelve
ounces of seven per cent milk in twenty ounces of food. In some cases
ordinary brown sugar in one-half the quantity can take the place of milk
sugar, or Mellin's food, malted milk or cereal milk can be used in the
place of the milk sugar. Milk of magnesia can be used for lime-water as
before directed. Orange juice can be given to infants over nine months
old.
What modifications should I make in very hot weather? The proportion of
fat (top-milk or milk and cream mixed) should be less and when it is very
hot, for a short period, it should be much less. Use seven per cent milk
in place of ten per cent, that is, formulas from the second series, or
plain milk, in place of the seven per cent milk, fourth series.
If a child has good digestion, but gains very little or no weight, what
changes in the food should I make? Increase the quantity of the food if
the child seems hungry; or increase the strength of the food, if the child
will not take a greater quantity; do not coax or force the baby to eat,
give him more sleep; fresh air, etc.
If there is no modified milk that will agree with the baby, what shall I
do? If the infant is under four or five months old, a wet nurse would
likely succeed. If a wet nurse cannot be obtained or if the child is older
use some of the substitutes for cows' milk, like Borden's Eagle Brand,
canned or condensed milk. This is better to use when the trouble is in the
bowels and shows colic, gas, curds in the stools, constipation, or
diarrhea. If it is due to indigestion it shows in vomiting, etc.
How shall I use condensed milk? The directions are on the bottle. But if
the baby is three or four months old, and has symptoms of indigestion,
dilute its food with sixteen parts of boiled water, or sometimes barley
water if there is no constipation. As the symptoms improve it can be made
stronger, one to fourteen, one to twelve one to ten, one to eight, such
changes to be made gradually.
[590 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
How long can I use the condensed milk? Generally for a few weeks only as
the sole food, then give one feeding a day of modified milk, for instance,
No. 3 or 4 of the series; later two feedings and gradually increase until
the milk feeding is entirely used.
Why can I not continue to use condensed milk? It is very low in fat and
proteids and has much sugar in it; children who take this food for
sometime often gain rapidly in strength and weight, yet have not much
resistance, and they are very prone to develop rickets and scurvy.
Suppose baby is teething, has a cold, sore throat, etc., what change shall
I make? Dilute the food for two or three feedings by using boiled water in
place of an ounce or two of food; this much to be removed from the bottle
before being given; if it is necessary to continue for several days, use a
weaker formula.
What changes shall I make in this for serious acute sickness? For,
diseases with fever like measles, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc., dilute the
food and reduce the fat (cream from top-milk). Give the food at regular
intervals, but not so often. Do not force food in the early part of acute
sickness.
Suppose baby has acute gastritis, what changes shall I make? Stop all food
and give boiled water, only, for ten or more hours, then try barley water
or whey, but do not give any milk for at least twenty-four hours after all
vomiting has ceased. When you again begin the modified milk use a small
quantity with a low proportion of fat, and you can secure this by using a
formula from the fourth series. You may also double the proportion of
lime-water.
If baby is attacked with intestinal indigestion accompanied by loose
bowels, what food shall I give? If it has but two or three passages daily,
lower the proportion of fat (cream, etc.), in the manner above directed,
and boil the milk for five minutes. Dilute it still more if curds are
present in the stools.
But suppose the attack is more severe? If there is fever and the passages
smell badly and are more frequent, stop all milk and use the diet given
for acute gastritis. (Acute indigestion).
Do other conditions besides the food influence digestion? Yes, use proper
clothing, keep warm feet, regular habits, fresh air. Clean bottles and
food, given at proper intervals and temperature, quiet surroundings and
absence of excitement are needed.
What common mistakes are often made in modifying milk and feeding infants?
Never fail to follow the directions given for removing the top-milk.
Remove all the top-milk of any given strength in making a formula, and
not only the number of ounces needed for the formula. By using rich Jersey
milk as if it were more common milk. The formulas given are based upon
about four per cent fat. Food is very often increased too rapidly,
particularly after stomach and bowel indigestion. The food in an infant of
three or four months old attacked by acute indigestion should seldom be
given in full strength for two weeks afterwards, only half steps should be
taken like two to two and one-half, etc. Another mistake, when indigestion
symptoms show the food is not reduced quickly enough; reduce the food
immediately by at least one-half.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 591]
How to prepare cows' milk at home; what is needed? Feeding bottles, rubber
nipples, an eight-ounce graduated measuring glass, a glass funnel, a brush
for bottles, cotton, alcohol lamp, a tall quart cup for warming bottles of
milk, a pitcher for mixing food, a wide mouthed bottle of boric acid and
one of bicarbonate of soda, a pasteurizer, and later a double boiler for
cooking cereals will be needed.
What kind of bottles shall I buy? A cylindrical graduated bottle with a
wide neck holding about 8 ounces. This makes washing them easier. You
should have as many bottles for use as the baby takes meals a day (ten at
first).
How shall I care for the bottles? Rinse them, as soon as the child is
through nursing, with cold water, and let stand filled with cold water and
a little bicarbonate of soda in the water. Before using them again wash
them thoroughly with the bottle brush and hot soap suds and place them for
twenty minutes in boiling water.
What kind of nipples are best? Straight ones which slip over the neck of
the bottle, of black rubber, and the hole should only be large enough for
the milk to drop rapidly when the bottle is held upside down.
How shall I care for the nipples? Boil new ones for five minutes at first.
After using rinse them carefully in cold water and keep them covered in a
glass containing a solution of borax or boric acid. Turn them inside out
once a day and wash thoroughly with soap and water.
(There is a slight difference in the directions given by different
authorities as to cleaning bottles and nipples, but the general way is the
same.)
What kind of cotton shall I use for corking the bottles? Refined
non-absorbent cotton is best, but the ordinary absorbent cotton will do.
Which is the best--an alcohol lamp, or the Bunsen burner? The Bunsen
burner is the best, cheaper and simpler if there is gas in the house.
Should you use the lamp, put it upon a table covered with a plate of zinc
or tin, or upon a large tin tray. The French pattern is the best.
Give special directions now for preparing the food according to any of the
given formulas? The hands must be clean, as well as everything else--food
and utensils. First dissolve the milk sugar in boiling water, filtering,
if necessary, then add to the boiled water and sugar the milk, cream, and
lime-water, mixing all in the pitcher; a sufficient quantity for
twenty-four hours is always prepared at one time. Divide this in equal
quantities into the number of feedings for the twenty-four hours and cork
the bottles with the cotton cork and cool the bottles rapidly, after
having been pasteurized by standing first in tepid and then in cold water,
and then place in an ice chest at 50 degrees F.
[592 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]