The act of nursing is sometimes painful to the mother, especially
before the habit is fully established. The discomfort is greatly
increased if the skin that covers the nipples is tender and delicate.
The suction pulls it off leaving them in a state in which the
necessary pressure of the child's lips cause intense agony. This can
be prevented in a great measure, says Elizabeth Robinson Scovil, in
_Ladies' Home Journal_, if not entirely, by bathing the nipples
twice a day for six weeks before the confinement with powdered alum
dissolved in alcohol; or salt dissolved in brandy. If there is any
symptom of the skin cracking when the child begins; to nurse, they
should be painted with a mixture of tannin and glycerine. This must
be washed off before the baby touches them and renewed when it leaves
them. If they are very painful, the doctor will probably order morphia
added to the mixture. A rubber nipple shield to be put on at the time
of nursing, is a great relief. If the nipples are retracted or drawn
inward, they can be drawn out painlessly by filling a pint bottle with
boiling water, emptying it and quickly applying the mouth over the
nipple. As the air in the bottle cools, it condenses, leaving a vacuum
and the nipple is pushed out by the air behind it.
When the milk accumulates or "cakes" in the breast in hard patches,
they should be rubbed very gently, from the base upwards, with warm
camphorated oil. The rubbing should be the lightest, most delicate
stroking, avoiding pressure. If lumps appear at the base of the breast
and it is red swollen and painful, cloths wrung out of cold water
should be applied and the doctor sent for. While the breast is full
and hard all over, not much apprehension need be felt. It is when
lumps appear that the physician should be notified, that he may, if
possible, prevent the formation of abscesses.
While a woman is nursing she should eat plenty of nourishing
food--milk, oatmeal, cracked wheat, and good juicy, fresh meat,
boiled, roasted, or broiled, but not fried. Between each meal, before
going to bed, and once during the night, she should take a cup of
cocoa, gruel made with milk; good beef tea, mutton broth, or any warm,
nutritive drink. Tea and coffee are to be avoided. It is important
to keep the digestion in order and the bowels should be carefully
regulated as a means to this end. If necessary, any of the laxative
mineral waters can be used for this purpose, or a teaspoonful of
compound licorice powder taken at night. Powerful cathartic medicines
should be avoided because of their effect upon the baby. The child
should be weaned at nine months old, unless this time comes in very
hot weather, or the infant is so delicate that a change of food would
be injurious. If the mother is not strong her nurseling will sometimes
thrive better upon artificial food than on its natural nourishment. By
gradually lengthening the interval between the nursing and feeding the
child, when it is hungry, the weaning can be accomplished without much
trouble.
A young mother should wear warm underclothing, thick stockings and
a flannel jacket over her night dress, unless she is in the habit of
wearing an under vest. If the body is not protected by warm clothing
there is an undue demand upon the nervous energy to keep up the vital
heat, and nerve force is wasted by the attempt to compel the system to
do what ought to be done for it by outside means.
[Illustration]
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