Baby's Bath and Toilet : Part 4

The Mother and Her Child
by William S. Sadler, M.D., Lena K. Sadler, M.D.

(Page 23 of 43)

This Vaseline or cold cream should be applied repeatedly, several nights in succession, followed by the morning's gentle rubbing and daily washing of the head. Often the washing with water must be entirely avoided; only sweet oil or Vaseline being used in those cases where the crusting seems to be persistent.

The Eyes, Ears and Nose

At birth the eyes are particularly cared for. First, the mucus is gently swabbed off the closed lids from the nose side outward, and then follows the application of one drop of twenty percent argyrols or two percent silver nitrate, either of which thoroughly disinfects the eye and prevents the growth or development of any bacteria that may have gotten into the child's eye during the descent of the head through the birth canal. The neglect of this procedure may sometimes result in lifelong blindness.

Under no circumstances should "a mere cold in the eyes" be neglected; it may result in blindness. Call your physician at once, and if he is not at hand, wash out the eye thoroughly every hour with warmed ten percent boric acid solution, by means of a medicine dropper, using a separate piece of cotton for each eye, for if the slightest bit of discharge be carried from one eye to the other an inflammation will quickly appear.

From birth, especially during the first week, baby's eyes are very sensitive to light; hence they must be carefully protected. Babies should be so placed during their outings, sleep, or naps, that they do not directly gaze at either the sunlight or sky. The lining of the hood of the carriage should be green, instead of white, as much eye strain is therefore prevented.

The daily care of the normal, well eye has been already described, and while it need not be reiterated, we may say, in passing, that if the eyelid be at all inclined to be sticky or adherent, never use force, but instead, gently swab with boric acid. As a preventive of this condition, a little Vaseline from the tube may be rubbed on the edges of the lids at night.

In the toilet of the ears, never attempt to introduce anything beyond the external ear, which may be carefully cleansed with a soft cloth. It is often found necessary to apply oil to the creases behind the ears before the daily bath. There should be no irritation, redness, or roughness present, all such conditions being readily prevented by the use of oil or Vaseline before the bath.

With the sharp point removed, make a cotton applicator out of a toothpick, and gently (with no force, whatever) introduce Vaseline or oil into the nose. This should be a part of baby's daily toilet. Any stoppage of mucus in the nose should be reported at once to baby's physician. Young babies often have adenoids.

Care of the Mouth

Leave the well mouth alone until the teeth appear, and then keep the teeth very clean (allowing no particles of milk to accumulate at their bases) with a soft bit of cotton and gentle rubbing. When a child attains the age of two, he should have his own toothbrush; previous to this time all food particles should be removed from between the teeth with waxed silk floss. All decay should be promptly attended to by a competent dentist.

Thrush and ulcers are often caused, not prevented, by the frequent wiping out of baby's tender mouth. The treatment of thrush and other mouth infections will be considered in a later chapter, "The Common Disorders of Infancy."

Care of the Buttocks

Often, because of irritating bowel movements, the buttocks become reddened, chafed, and sometimes raw in places. Some poor little babies are sometimes roughly rubbed - scoured on the buttocks - much like the kitchen sink, many times a day, and it is not surprising that they become reddened, chafed, and very much inflamed.

The buttocks require a gentle swabbing and thoroughgoing "patting dry" after each soiling or wetting of the diaper, but no soap is required in this region but once a day, and even then it should be used sparingly.

When the buttocks are inflamed, after a good cleansing with water and a thorough drying, Vaseline or zinc ointment should be applied on a piece of sterile cotton, and this application should be repeated after each changing of the diaper. Wet diapers should be removed at once, for the acidity of the urine causes more chafing. A dusting powder composed of starch two parts, and boric acid one part, may be dusted on after a cleansing with oil.

Great care should be exercised in the thorough daily rinsing of the diapers as well as in the tri-weekly boil in the laundry. White soap only should be used in their cleansings; no washing sodas or other powders should be used.

Other Special Care

Under the arms and in the creases of the neck the skin sometimes becomes irritated because of neglect. To prevent such chafing the following program should be carefully carried out:

1. Not too much soap - and no strong soap. 2. Careful rinsing of the skin area. 3. Avoid harsh rubbing, but thoroughly dry. 4. The use of talcum powder in all folds of the skin.

With a fine camel's hair brush the hair should receive its brushing after the cleansing of the scalp. Combs are for just one purpose and that is to part the hair. The brush should be used to do all the smoothing.

While the frequent trimming of the hair has no marked effect upon its growth, yet the comfort the little girls enjoy, especially during the warm-weather months, should not be denied them.

And certainly the boy should become a boy when he puts on trousers and not be made the laughing stock of his mirthful companions just because his "beautiful long curls are much admired by the mother and his aunts."

The finger nails should be trimmed round with the scissors, while all hangnails are properly cared for every day. Toe nails should be cut straight across and the corners never rounded off. Many ingrown nails may be therefore avoided.

About the Author

Dr. William S. Sadler M.D. was a well-known American psychiatrist and college teacher in the school of medicine at the University of Chicago. For over sixty years he practiced his profession in Chicago, thirty-three years being associated in practice with his wife, Dr Lena Kellogg Sadler. The doctors were pioneers in the research on the mysterious Urantia Papers.