Mother's Remedies Part 152

Lime-water 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz.

Boiled water 17 oz. 16 oz. 15 oz. 14 oz. 13 oz.

----- ----- ----- ----- ----- 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz.

*The milk sugar takes no s.p.a.ce as it is always dissolved in the boiled water.

How can we strengthen this food? By gradually increasing the milk (top milk) and decreasing the amount of water.

SECOND SERIES--Of five formulas for the early months from the seven per cent milk. This is weaker in fat (cream), etc., about one-third:

Formulas. 1 2 3 4 5 7 per cent, milk 2 oz. 3 oz. 4 oz. 5 oz. 6 oz.

Milk Sugar 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz.

Lime-water 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz.

Boiled water 17 oz. 16 oz. 15 oz. 14 oz. 13 oz.

----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Food 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz.

How can I decide which series of formulas to use? A strong child with good digestion can be given from the first series, ten per cent milk.

A smaller, weaker child, and whose digestion is not so good, or with one who has tried the first series and did not do well, should use the second series of formulas.

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What is the reason the food is made so weak at first? The infant's stomach is made to digest mother's milk, not cows' milk, so we must begin with weak cows' milk, and the infant's stomach can thus be trained to digest it. Strong milk would be very liable to seriously upset the child's digestion.

How rapidly can I increase the food in strength, that is, go from formula 1 to 2, 3, 4, and 5, of either series? This can not be told, absolutely.

It depends upon the infant, how it bears the food. Usually you can begin on formula one on the second day, formula two on the fourth day; three, after seven or ten days, but after that make the increase slower. If the infant is large, strong and of good digestion, he may be able to take of formula five by the time he is three or four weeks old. A weak child, or one with feeble digestion must go much slower, and such an one may not reach formula five until it is three or four months old. Mothers should remember it is safer to increase the strength of the food very gradually; some infants should have an increase of only one-half ounce instead of one ounce; thus: three to three and one-half ounces, etc. Two or three days should be allowed at least between each increase of food.

May I not go by a general rule in increasing the food? Yes, increase the food when the infant is not satisfied, but is digesting well.

How does an infant show this? He drains the bottle hungrily and cries when it is taken away. He may begin to fret a half hour or so before the time for the next feeding. He often sucks his fingers immediately after feeding.

If I wish to prepare more than 20 ounces of food, what proportions shall I use? To make 25 ounces, add one-fourth more of each ingredient. To make 30 ounces, add one-half more of each ingredient. To make 35 ounces, add three-fourths more of each ingredient. To make 40 ounces, double each ingredient.

For example, 25 ounces of food would call for--2-1/2 ounces of milk; 1-1/4 ounces of milk sugar; 1-1/4 ounces of lime-water; 21-1/4 ounces of boiled water.

For 30 ounces of food, proportions would be--Milk, 3 ounces; milk sugar, 1-1/2 ounces; lime-water, 1-1/2 ounces; boiled water, 25-1/2 ounces.

How much more should be made at one time? Five ounces may be made, but the first few days only two or three ounces of the additional should be given; four ounces the next two days, and after two days more may give the five ounces additional that has been made; that is, twenty-five ounces in all.

How much increase can be given at each feeding? Not more than one-quarter of an ounce.

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FOOD FOR HEALTHY INFANTS DURING THE LATER MONTHS.

How long shall I continue this proportion, that is, the fat three times the proteids (curd)--skim-milk? Usually for three or four months.

What changes shall I then make in the food? After you are using formula five of the first series; that is, six ounces of the ten per cent milk in twenty ounces of milk, increase the fat slowly, for the proportion of fat (three per cent), is near the limit for healthy children.

How then shall I strengthen the milk? By raising the percentage of proteids (curds, skim-milk).

How can I do this? Use the formulas derived from the seven per cent milk and discontinue the ten per cent milk.

THIRD SERIES.--Five formulas for seven per cent milk for the later months-- Formulas. 1 2 3 4 5 7 per cent milk 7 oz. 8 oz. 9 oz. 10 oz. 11 oz.

*Milk Sugar 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 3/4 oz. 1/2 oz.

Lime-water 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz.

Boiled water 12 oz. 11 oz. 10 oz. 4 oz. 3 oz.

Barley Gruel 0 oz. 0 oz. 0 oz. 5 oz. 5 oz.

----- ----- ----- ----- ----- 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz.

*(As the milk sugar is dissolved in the boiled water the quant.i.ty is twenty ounces instead of twenty-one.) Oatmeal gruel can be subst.i.tuted for barley gruel if there is constipation. To increase the food to twenty-five, thirty, or thirty-five ounces increase the milk ingredients by 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and for forty ounces using two times as much.

How shall I increase the food during this period? Beginning with formula one of this series, which should usually follow five of the first or second series, you can usually make the increase in ten days to No. 2; in two weeks you can use No. 3; but proceed more slowly to four or five when you have reached them. The same formula may be continued sometimes for three or four months with no other change, except an increase in the quant.i.ty of the food, that is from twenty ounces to twenty-five, etc.

Is it necessary or important to reduce the proportion of fat as it is at first, reduced in pa.s.sing from formula five of the first series to formula one of the third series? It is not necessary.

How much is this reduction? From 3 to 2.50 per cent.

How much increase of fat is there from the fifth formula of the second series to the first formula of the third series? From 2.00 to 2.50 per cent.

Can the first decrease be avoided? Yes, by taking off at first the upper thirteen ounces as top-milk, and using in a twenty-ounce mixture seven ounces of this in place of formula No. 1, and also by using for the next increase the upper fifteen ounces as top-milk--taking of this eight ounces in a twenty-ounce mixture in place of formula No. 2. Then follow three of this third series. This is only done when you think the formulas two and three of the third series do not give enough fat.

[584 MOTHERS' REMEDIES.]

Can I add any other food about the sixth or seventh months? Yes, foods in the form of gruel, and have this take the place of part of the boiled water and part of the sugar. Oatmeal and barley gruels can be added.

Can I make further changes at ten or eleven months? The proteids (skim-milk) may be further increased, sugar and lime-water reduced until plain milk is given.

How can I do this? Give at first one feeding of plain milk and barley gruel daily; later two feedings, then three feedings, etc. For example, suppose one infant was being fed with modified milk as formula 4 or 5, series 3, six feedings daily. The plain milk diluted with boiling water would take the place of one such feeding at first, then two, three, four, etc., feedings. Such changes to be made at intervals of two weeks.

Proportions of milk and barley gruel should be, at first, about five and one-half ounces milk, two and one-half ounces barley gruel; later six ounces milk, three ounces barley gruel and then seven ounces milk, two ounces barley gruel until plain milk is alone used, and this can usually be reached at twelve to thirteen months. For five months' infants a pinch of soda may be added to each feeding when the lime-water is omitted. It is not generally necessary, however.

Do some infants dislike the milk after the milk sugar has been omitted?

Yes; for such 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoonful of granulated sugar may be added for a time to each feeding and gradually reduced.

RULES FOR USING THESE FORMULAS.

They are only for healthy infants. Begin always with a weak formula, especially with an infant previously nursed at the breast, with one just weaned and with infants who have poor digestive powers, or whose digestive powers are unknown. Should the first formula tried be too weak the food can be strengthened every three or four days until the right formula is found. If the food is made too strong at first an attack of indigestion is liable to follow.

How shall I increase the strength of the food? This should be done very gradually. Do not advance more than one formula in the given series. It is frequently better to make the increase in half steps. Say when it is from three to four, give three and one-half, and then four.

How rapidly can I increase the quant.i.ty of food? This should not be more than one-fourth ounce in each feeding, one to one and one-half to two ounces daily.

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When should the amount of food be increased? An increase may be necessary every few days in the early weeks, but the same formula is often continued for two or three months during the later months.