[536 Mothers’ remedies]

To a fully developed child the first bath may be given at once.  Have everything ready before beginning, a foot tub, warm soft towels, warm water, castile soap, olive oil or vaselin, small squares of muslin or linen, dusting powder, a dressing for the navel and clothing, the latter consisting of a diaper, a flannel band, a shirt, long woolen stockings, a loose long sleeved flannel petticoat and a simple soft white outside garment, the two last, long enough to more than cover the feet.  The infant should be wrapped in flannel and only the part which is being bathed at the moment should be exposed.  The eyes are first bathed separately and with different cloths, and afterward the face, no soap being used; the head is then washed with warm water; very little soap should be used with infants as it is more or less irritating, and it is likely to injure the fine texture of the skin.  Next, one should carefully clean the parts behind the ears and the crevices of the neck, arm-pits and joints and those between the buttocks and the thighs, and it is well to notice if all the natural openings are perfect; finally the baby is put down into the tub of warm water at about 96 degrees F., and washed off, with the head and back firmly supported with the left arm and hand during the bath.  The baby is lifted out in a minute of two, held face downward for a moment and rinsed off with clean warm water.  It is then wrapped in a warm towel and flannel and dried by patting, not rubbing.  It is best to do all this on a table, instead of on the lap, and it should be large enough to hold a bath tub, every thing necessary for the bath and a pillow upon which to place the baby.  Everything then can be done without stooping and with greater comfort to the child.  Powder should not be used except where there are signs of chafing, when stearate of zinc is the best to use.

The navel is then dressed.  A hole is cut in the center of a square of sterilized lint or linen which is slipped over the cord and folded about it; the cord is then laid toward the left side, and over it is put a small sterilized cotton pad which is held in place by the flannel bandage and just tight enough to hold.  The binder may be kept on by sewing it smoothly with half a dozen large stitches, thus doing away with any danger of being injured from the pins.  A binder should only be tight enough to hold the dressing for the navel.  After the cord drops off the looser knitted band should be used.  The infant is not bathed in the tub again until after the cord has been dried up and ready to drop off, which usually occurs on the fifth or sixth day, although it may not drop off for nine days.  The cord should not be redressed in the meantime. (See Baby Department for further directions).

THE MOTHER.