PROBLEMS IN NURSING.
=Diet During Nursing.=--Many mothers believe that it is necessary to eat
only certain articles of diet while nursing their baby, for fear the
child may be given the colic. While this may be true in certain cases,
yet it is the exception. As a rule, mothers may eat nearly everything
digestible without fear of affecting the baby.
=Exceptions.=--Sometimes raw fruits or acid substances may change the milk
in some way so that it will disagree with the baby, but as I have said,
this is not the rule. Occasionally, however, when such articles of diet
as onions, cauliflower, and cabbage have been eaten, these will impart
such an odor and taste to the milk that the child will refuse to nurse.
=Must Be Guided By Experience.=--The only precaution the mother need take
is that if she finds some article of diet disagrees with her, or if she
knows a certain article always causes pain or discomfort in the child,
then these should be avoided.
It is true that certain medicines, especially purgatives, may be taken
by the mother which will affect the child very quickly. Here the same
rule should be the guide as should always govern one, namely, no article
of diet should be used which is known to disturb the digestion.
=Insufficient Supply of Milk.=--When a mother knows that the chances of
her child's life are greatly increased if it has its natural food, she
will certainly make unusual efforts to supply all the food necessary.
Mothers are too likely to think that an increase in the quantity of the
milk answers every purpose; but this is of no use unless the quality is
increased as well. The free use of soups and some malt extracts may
increase the quantity, but this does the child no good. It too much
resembles the example of the milk-man who uses the well-pump to increase
his supply of milk.
=How Increased.=--However, the supply of milk can easily be increased in
quantity and correspondingly improved in quality if the mother will
drink freely of cow's milk, and use other substantial foods at the same
time. If the milk is constipating, or rests heavy on the stomach, then a
little lime water may be added to it in the proportion of one or two
tablespoonfuls to a glass of milk. Regular exercise in the open air is
also necessary in order that the general health may be kept in the best
possible condition.
=Anger May Poison Milk.=--It is a fact that if the child nurses after the
mother has had a severe fright, or has become violently angry, the milk
will sometimes act as an intense poison. In such cases the mother had
better empty the breasts with a breast-pump, and not nurse the child for
ten or twelve hours afterward, substituting some artificially prepared
food.
=Extra Supply of Milk.=--Sometimes the secretion of milk is so great that
even a strong child cannot take it all. This produces a distention of
the breasts, causing what is known as "caked breasts," or "milk cake."
This should be promptly attended to, as there is great danger of an
abscess forming.
=To Prevent Caked Breasts.=--The way to relieve this condition is to
gently but firmly rub the breasts with warm sweet-oil, continuing this
for fifteen or twenty minutes at a time. An occasional use of the
breast-pump is necessary also.
=How to Diminish Supply.=--When weaning-time comes, the question arises
how the secretion of milk may be diminished. This is best done by having
the mother take as little liquid as possible, whether of water, tea,
milk, soup, or anything of this kind. She should also take a gentle
laxative each day, as a little Hunyadi Water, or laxative mineral water
of any kind.
Then support the breasts by passing a broad band beneath them, and
carrying it over the shoulders, compressing the breasts slightly, but
not too greatly.
The breast-pump should be used as soon as any distention becomes
painful, and the breasts should be diligently rubbed with warm
sweet-oil. =If you do not understand your ailments write to Mrs. Pinkham,
Lynn, Mass. Her advice is free and always helpful. Such letters are
strictly confidential and answered with the help of women only.=