FREQUENCY OF NURSING. 11 FREQUENCY OF NURSING. BY ANDREW COMBE, M. D. The mother's milk being the natural and best food for the infant, the next point is, to determine at what intervals the infant may be admitted to the breast. Here it is indispensable to warn the mother against excess; for if the stomach of the child be too frequently replenished, or too much distended, digestion necessarily becomes enfeebled, and gripes and flatulence arise and torment the child. The usual practice with many mothers, and especially the inexperienced, is, to offer the breast whenever the child cries, or shows the least appearance of uneasiness or pain, no matter from what cause, as if hunger were the only sensation which the young being could experience. The real character of this unwise conduct may be judged of by analogy. When a boy brings on a fit of colic by over-eating, and cries lustily from the consequent pain, we should consider it a strange mode of relief to put a spoon into his mouth, and insist on his eating more; and yet the common way of quieting an over-fed infant, by again offering it the breast, is not a whit more rational, or less destructive. The infant cannot possibly discriminate between good and bad, and, in the impatience of its suffering, it will often snatch at any thing, however much it may thereby add to its troubles. It is a great mistake to treat crying as an infallible sign of an empty stomach. New as the infant is to the surrounding world, it shrinks instinctively from every strong sensation, whether of heat or of cold, of pressure or of hardness, of hunger or of repletion. Its only way of expressing all disagreeable feelings, is by crying. If it is hungry, it cries; if it is over-fed, it cries; if it suffers from the prick of a pin, it cries; if it lies too long in the same position, so as to cause undue pressure on any one part, it cries; if it is exposed to cold, or any part of its dress is too tight, or if it is held in an awkward position, or is exposed to too bright a light or too loud a sound, it can indicate its discomfort only by crying; and yet the only remedy used against so many different evils, is, not to find out and remove the true cause of offence, but to offer it the breast! No doubt, silence is sometimes obtained by the apoplectic oppression of a stomach thus distended; but no wise person will contend that such quiet is really beneficial, or is such as any mother ought to content herself with procuring. It is, indeed, no less a mistake to be over-anxious always to put 12 FREQUENCY OF NURSING. an immediate stop to crying. To a considerable extent, crying is an intentional provision of nature, and is called into play by every new sensation of any force. It is only when often repeated, long continued, and evidently caused by suffering, that it is detrimental. As a passing and occasional occurrence, it serves to exercise and develop the lungs, to promote equality of circulation, and to excite due intestinal action; and it stands in place of that bodily activity which is afterward essential to the maintenance of health. In general, the two kinds of crying are easily distinguished, and very few mothers will long confound and treat them as the same. During the first weeks of existence, the infant does nothing but digest, grow, and sleep; and it, therefore, requires to be fed more frequently than at a later period. On an average, about three hours may be allowed to elapse between its repasts; and as it becomes older, the interval may be gradually extended. If the breast be not habitually offered as the readiest means of silencing the child, there will rarely be any active desire for it at a shorter interval than two and a half or three hours. But if it be demanded in an unequivocal manner, the mother will be quite safe in yielding to the child's entreaties, only taking care that it does not gorge its stomach. In this respect, the conduct of the lower animals may be followed with great propriety. They rather repel, than encourage, the first entreaties of their young, and yield to them only when appetite is clearly and actively indicated. The result is, that among them indigestion and bowel complaints are as rare as they are common among mankind. During the night, as well as during the day, the infant requires the breast, but not so frequently. At first, it may be put to it perhaps three times in the course of the night; but afterward twice, namely, late at night and early in the morning, will be sufficient. It is a common complaint among nurses, that the child cannot sleep unless' frequently fed; and there is no doubt that, when the stomach is well filled, sleep will generally ensue. But in the latter case, it will be the unhealthy sleep of oppression, which is far from being refreshing. If, in attempting to remedy this evil, we succeed in persuading the nurse to refuse giving the breast so often, we are often assured that the infant was, in consequence, very restless, cried a great deal, and perhaps did not sleep at all, and that the old plan must be resumed. The change is expected to work like a charm, and the system to adapt itself to it in a single night; whereas, at no period of life, and least of all in infancy, can any considerable change in the mode of living be at once productive FREQUENCY OF NURSING. 13 of its proper effect, and free from every inconvenience.* After a reasonable trial, however, the nights will become more tranquil, and the sleep more healthful and refreshing. There are great differences of constitution in children as well as in adults, and some require and digest double the quantity of milk which suffices for others. The quality of the milk also varies with the health of the mother, and, according as it is more or less nutritious, the demand for quantity may vary. Hence it is truly important for the mother to be able to read aright the significant language of the infant, and, while she avoids gorging it with food, never to refuse it the breast when its call is clearly expressed, and its health is benefited by gratifying it. But if she mistake the mere expression of uneasiness for appetite, and give suck when freedom from pain is required, the consequences will be-on the part of the infant, an increase of uneasiness and indigestion, and on that of the mother, probably, irritation of the breast, or inflammation, as an effect of which either the secretion of the milk will cease, or, from want of due elaboration, its nature will be changed, and rendered so watery as to afford insufficient support. When the infant rouses himself, and seems rejoiced at the sight of his mother, it is almost a sure sign that he is hungry. But if he continues unmoved, careless, vomits frequently, seems plagued by colicky pains, or a tendency to bowel complaints, and especially if the skin is hot and the evacuations green and unhealthy, it is clear that he is getting the breast too often, and that immediate attention should be paid to the requisite alteration of his diet. EXAMPLE. Mothers, whatever you may wish your children to become, strive to exhibit it in your own lives and conversation. Do not send them into an unexplored country without a guide. Put yourselves at their head. Lead the way, like Moses, through the wilderness, to Pisgah. The most certain mode for you to fix habits, is the silent ministry of example. Thus impressed on the young mind, amid the genial atmosphere of a happy fireside, they become incorporated with established trains of thought, and with the elements of being. They have their hand upon the soul till, through the grave of death, it goes forth to the judgment. * Many mothers and nurses are perhaps not aware that infants, as well as adults, have the sensation of thirst, as well as of hunger. Milk generally gratifies both of these sensations; but when excited by the heat of the bed and close air of the room during night, or by that of too hot a fire or stove during the day, the child is simply thirsty, and requires water for drink. A sick infant, if left to itself, would seldom take the breast, if it could procure water, or a little toast and water, to quench its feverish thirst. John Bell, M. D. Marianne and Maria. WRITTEN FOR THE MOTHER'S ASSISTANT, BY LOWELL MASON. FOR THREE EQUAL VOICES. Two good little girls, Marianne and Maria, As hap-pi-ly lived as good girls could desire; And tho' they were neither grave,sullen nor mute, They seldom bb or never were heard to dispute. They seldom or never were heard to dispute. Jggg 2. If one wants a thing that the other could get, 3. If one of them happens to have something nice, And not like to some greedy children I've known, 4. If father, or mother, wished any thing done, 5. Whatever occurred, in their work or their play, 15 THE YOUNG LADY'S FRIEND. [Written for the Young Lady's Friend.] THE GRANDMOTHER. A FACT. THE truth of the oft-repeated remark, "Times are strangely altered," was forced upon my mind, a few weeks since, as I sat contrasting an aged grandmother, upon whose tall and once erect form the tread of more than eighty years was distinctly visible, with her youthful granddaughter, whom twenty-two summers had touched lightly. The one reposed her aged limbs in a friendly arm-chair; her countenance animated and joyous, for it was part of her character to be happy and make others so. Her hands were busily engaged in knitting, this being all that age and sickness had left her power to perform; and even this she was sometimes unable to do. The granddaughter sat beside her. Fashion had evidently done its best, or rather worst, in arraying her in a dress which looked strangely when compared with the simple garb of her grandmother. The mineral kingdom had been heavily taxed in cumbering head, neck, and hands; but from the waxen appearance of the latter, one might naturally infer they were of little use, except as a place of deposit for the precious gems which adorned them. As I gazed upon the two, my mind ran back upon the already written history of the one-a history evidently drawing to a close written, not indeed with pen and paper, but upon her children and friends. I could tell of her youth, of her being the daughter of a man of wealth, but of one who knew and taught his children that there was nobility in labor; of her marriage, too, when, surrounded by father, mother, and a long line of brothers, she gave her heart and hand to one well worthy of her. Her path was bright, but she did her part to make it so. She sought wool and flax, and wrought diligently with her hands. Whether her husband was known in the gates from the fineness of his apparel, history does not record. Certain it is, however, that his heart safely trusted in her. Revolving years went by, till, with |