NURSING OF CHILDREN

NURSING OF CHILDREN. See LACTATIO.

The following observations and directions are said to
be the result of long experience †. The child should
be laid (the first month) upon a thin mattress, rather
longer than itself, which the nurse will keep upon her
lap, that the child may always lie straight, and only sit
up as the nurse flants the mattress. To set a child quite
upright before the end of the first month, hurts the
eyes, by making the white part of the eye appear be-
low the upper eyelid. Afterwards the nurse will begin
to set it up and dance it by degrees. The child must
be kept as dry as possible.

The clothing should be very light, and not much
longer than the child, that the legs may be got at with
ease, in order to have them often rubbed in the day with
a warm hand or flannel, and in particular the inside of
them.

Rubbing a child all over takes off scurf, and makes
the blood circulate. The one breast should be rubbed
with the hands one way, and the other the other way,
night and morning at least.

The ankle bones and inside of the knees should be

rubbed twice a day; this will strengthen those parts,
and make the child stretch its knees and keep them
flat, which is the foundation of an erect and graceful
person.

A nurse ought to keep a child as little in her arms
as possible, lest the legs should be cramped, and the
toes turned inwards. Let her always keep the child's
legs loose. The oftener the posture is changed, the
better.

Tossing a child about, and exercising it in the open
air in fine weather, is of the greatest service. In cities,
children are not to be kept in hot rooms, but to have
as much air as possible.

Want of exercise is the cause of large heads, weak
and knotted joints, a contracted breast, which occa-
sions coughs and stuffed lungs, an ill shaped person,
and waddling gait, besides a numerous train of other ills.

The child's flesh is to be kept perfectly clean, by
constantly washing its limbs and likewise its neck and
ears; beginning with warm water, till by degrees it
will not only bear, but like to be washed with cold
water.

Rising early in the morning is good for all children,
provided they awake of themselves, which they gene-
rally do: but they are never to be waked out of their
sleep, and as soon as possible to be brought to regular
sleep in the day.

When laid in bed or cradle, their legs are always to
be laid straight.

Children, till they are two or three years old, must
never be suffered to walk long enough at a time to be
weary.

Girls might be trained to the proper management of
children, if a premium were given in free schools, work-
houses, &c. to those that brought up the finest child to
one year old.

If the mother cannot suckle the child, get a whole-
some cheerful woman, with young milk, who has been
used to tend young children. After the first six months,
small broths, and innocent foods of any kind, may do
as well as living wholly upon milk.

A principal thing to be always attended to is, to give
young children constant exercise, and to keep them in a
proper posture.

With regard to the child's dress in the day, let it be
a shirt; a petticoat of fine flannel, two or three inches
longer than the child's feet, with a dimity top (com-
monly called a bodice coat), to tie behind; over that a
furcingle made of fine buckram, two inches broad, co-
vered over with satin or fine ticken, with a ribbon fast-
ened to it to tie it on, which answers every purpose of
stays, and has none of their inconveniences. Over this
put a robe, or a slip and frock, or whatever you like
best; provided it is fastened behind, and not much
longer than the child's feet, that their motions may be
strictly observed.

Nuisance
||
Nutrition.

Two caps are to be put on the head, till the child has got most of its teeth.

The child's dress for the night may be a shirt, a blanket to tie on, and a thin gown to tie over the blanket.