Fourth Month.—­If the mother is nursing her baby, it is a good plan now to teach him how to use the bottle.  Some doctors advise one bottle feeding each day from the start, for, should the mother’s milk suddenly fail, or should she be obliged to stop nursing for any reason, there will be no struggle, which would be very hard for the baby if it happened in hot weather.  Also the gradual accustoming of the digestive organs to the cow’s milk before weaning must be commenced and does away in some degree, at least, with the danger from indigestion from the cow’s milk given regularly.

Fifth Month.—­Night feeding should now be discontinued; he should be taught to sleep from ten p. m. to seven a. m.  There may be a few nights of crying and a struggle when the night feeding is first stopped, but he will soon learn to sleep without waking for his meal.  He should be fed every three hours until ten p. m., and if bottle fed he should be given five to six and one-half ounces at each meal, making six meals in twenty-four hours.

Sixth Month.—­The baby sleeps about two-thirds of the time.  He shows signs of increasing intelligence.  The baby should now accustom itself to taking either condensed milk or only the best prepared foods once or twice daily.  The mother may become ill or unable to nurse for some reason, or wish to take a journey, etc., and baby is then prepared for emergencies.

When the baby is seven months old he will need more exercise than a clothes basket will afford.  An exercise pen should be made.

Teeth.—­As soon as the teeth come they should be kept clean, otherwise they will decay, milk is likely to remain in the mouth, turn sour and gradually destroy the enamel of the teeth.

With a soft linen cloth or a piece of absorbent cotton dipped in a solution of boric acid wash out the mouth and teeth, twice a day at least, carefully.  A soft brush may be used later when baby has eight or ten teeth, and a little finely prepared chalk may be put on the brush, if there are any specks on the teeth.  The baby should have three meals in twenty-four hours of six or seven ounces at each meal, if bottle-fed.

[564 Mothers’ remedies]

Eighth Month.—­Baby should be allowed to creep on the floor a little or in his pen.  It is good exercise and it will benefit him, but he should not be urged to do it.  Many mothers give baby potato, etc., at this period; this is bad, as potato is hard to digest on account of having so much starch.  Bread and cakes are also prohibited; convulsions are often caused by such food.  Milk gruel and broths are enough for the baby and he will thrive using them.  Baby should feed every three hours up to ten p. m., six and one-half to seven and one-half ounces at each meal.

Mosquito Bites.—­If baby is bitten by mosquitoes wash the spot off with a little camphor water, soda water, or a wet compress of witch-hazel should be kept on the bite or boracic acid or soda solution.  Keep the baby from scratching the part by fixing his hands; scratching will further poison the part.