Reasons for avoiding starchy foods during pregnancy.

The Nursing Mother

If the mother supplies enough milk, this is infinitely superior to any artificial combination of so-called infant foods. Unfortunately a large majority of children are not breast-fed, and must depend upon the various commercial infant-foods, or upon the judgment of the untrained nurse, or the mother.

Breast Milk Vs. Artificial Foods

The majority of mothers, if so disposed, could, by studying their own diet, supply the most robust child with ample breast-nourishment until it is ten or twelve months old, after which period the infantile crisis would be passed, and millions of little lives would thereby be.

The lives of babies often depend upon the mother's diet saved. However, the confinement and the trouble to which the mother is subjected by the nursing baby causes the majority of infants to be weaned within a few weeks after birth, and turned over to the hazard of prepared food, soporific drugs, and nurses.

If mothers could realize the love that is daily kindled and strengthened; if they could be made to know how much more their children would love them, and they would love their children; if they could look into the years and see how the link of love between them and their children had been shaped, molded, and fashioned by the simple act of nurturing them from the breast (to say nothing of the lives that would be saved), the artificially-fed baby would be a rarity, and the mother would be queen in the hearts of the nation's children.

The most beautiful thing that ever graced the canvas of art, or shed its love into the cold realism of nature, is a nursing baby pushing from its satisfied lips the mother's breast, and smiling its sweet content into her face.

Child-Love Stimulated By Nursing

It is almost criminal to withdraw the breast from an infant, and to turn it over to the treachery of prepared foods, when, by devoting a little time each day to the study of the science of eating, it is possible for the mother to supply the child with her own milk.

Care Of The Child

The following are general rules for feeding the infant from birth to about one year of age.

These rules cannot be made inflexible because all children differ in temperament, vitality, and as to prenatal influences, but if the mother will observe these instructions with reasonable care, her child can be brought healthfully through the most critical period of its life, and will enter the solid food age with good digestion, a strong body, and an excellent chance to withstand all children's diseases.

Where artificial feeding becomes necessary, then the preparation of the baby-food is of primary importance. Cow's milk is, of course, the logical food, but taken whole, that is, the entire milk, it is too high in proteids, and deficient in sugar; therefore, in order to make a healthful infant-food, it must be modified according to the requirements of the infant body.

The nurse or the mother should prepare a quantity sufficient for only one day's supply at a time, after the following formula:

Cream ......... 2 ounces

Milk........... 2 ounces

Water..........15 ounces

Milk-sugar...... 4 level teaspoonfuls

Lime-water...... 2 teaspoonfuls or \ ounce

This should be thoroughly mixed, placed in the bottle, and set in warm water until it is brought to the temperature of breast-milk. The above formula may be used during the first month of the baby's life.

The quantity and the frequency of feedings should be according to the following table:

Formula for the second and the third months:

Cream ................. 3 1/2 ounces

Milk ................... 1 1/2 ounces

Water ..................14 ounces

Milk-sugar............... 5 teaspoonfuls

Lime-water.............. 2 1/2 teaspoonfuls

Quantity and frequency of feeding should be about as follows:

Formula for period from the fourth to the twelfth month:

Cream............... 6 to 8 ounces

Milk ................ 2 to 3 ounces

Water................10 ounces

Milk-sugar........... 5 to 6 teaspoonfuls

Lime-water........... 2 to 3 teaspoonfuls

Quantity and frequency of feedings should be about as follows:

The above formulas for infant-food are the best that can be made from ordinary cow's milk.

The milk-sugar and the lime-water herein named can be purchased at any first-class drug store.

These tables are not given as exact. The mother should exercise careful vigilance and judgment, especially in reference to the quantity of each feeding, and the frequency. The moment the child shows symptoms of overfeeding, which symptoms are usually evidenced by vomiting or discomfort, the quantity of cream and the amount at each feeding should be reduced. In fact, it is healthful, and often necessary for the child to allow it the opportunity to get hungry. The digestion of many a baby is totally ruined by continuous feeding, which is done out of motherly sympathy, or merely to keep it quiet.

Avoid too frequent feeding.

The mother or the nurse should exercise great care in the cleanliness and the hygienic preparation of children's foods. Milk should be fresh, and of the very best. It should not be left uncovered or exposed. It should be kept continually on ice until ready for use. The cream should be taken from the top of the bottle, or from fresh milk. This insures better quality of butter-fat than is generally supplied in ordinary commercial daily cream.

Importance of cleanliness in preparing child's food.

As the child advances in age, whole milk, cereal gruel, and egg mixture (two whites to one yolk) may be administered according to the child's normal appetite and digestion. The egg may be prepared by whipping the whites and the yolks separately, adding to the yolk a teaspoon-ful of cream and one of sugar, then whipping the beaten whites into this, and serving.