STERILIZED OR PASTEURIZED MILK.
(_See Milk, Chapter V._)
Put the amount of milk required for a meal into pint or half pint bottles, allowing for the number of times the child is to be fed in 24 hours. Use cotton batting as a stopper. Place a wire frame, or invert a perforated tin pie plate, in the bottom of a saucepan; stand the bottles on this, pour around them enough water to come well above the milk, cover the saucepan or kettle, and when the water boils lift the saucepan from the fire and allow the bottles to remain in the hot water for 1 hour. Keep in the ice box or stand them in cold water until needed. If milk is to be used during a long journey it will be necessary to repeat the above operation three times, letting the milk cool between each time.
Unless the milk is perfectly fresh, and has been handled with great care, it is safer to sterilize or pasteurize it. The former, if any doubt is entertained as to the quality of the milk, the latter in every case.
TEMPERATURE OF FOOD.
Food should be "milk warm," or about 99 Fah., when given to a baby.
Hot food is very injurious.
NURSING BOTTLES AND FEEDING.
Have two plain bottles with rubber tops, _without tubes_. Bottles with ounces and tablespoonfuls marked on them can be purchased, and are a great convenience in measuring the amount of food required.
After using the bottle, empty the remaining milk; rinse in cold water, then in _scalding water_.
If particles of milk adhere to the bottle use coa.r.s.e salt or raw potato cut in small pieces. If the gla.s.s looks cloudy, add a little ammonia to the water. Turn the rubber tops inside out and scrub with a stiff brush; boil them every alternate day for 10 minutes.
_Absolute cleanliness is a necessity_ in the care of a baby"s food, bottles and rubber tops.
The bottle should be held, while the baby is feeding, in such a position that the top is full of milk. If air is sucked in with the milk stomach-ache will likely result.
Starchy food should not be given to a child until it is able to masticate. (See digestion of starch, Chap. VIII.)
Arrowroot, cornstarch, rice, etc., _must not be given to infants_.
FLOUR BALL.
Put a bowlful of flour into a strong cloth, tie it up like a pudding, and place it in a kettle of boiling water. Boil for 10 or 12 hours.
When boiled turn it out of the cloth and cut away the soft outside coating. When cool, grate the hard inside portion and use a teaspoonful at each feeding, for a baby 8 months old, increasing the amount for an older child. This may be prepared in the same manner as cornstarch or flour. The long boiling converts the starch into dextrine, which is more easily digested than starch. This is especially valuable in cases of diarrhoea, and may be used instead of barley gruel as a food.
OATMEAL GRUEL.
Pound a cupful of oatmeal in a pestle or on a bread board. Put in a bowl and pour over it 1 pint of cold water. Stir it up, then let the mixture settle for a few minutes. Pour off the milky fluid, repeat this process. Boil this water for an hour, adding a pinch of salt, and use it to dilute the milk instead of water.
A thicker gruel may be made from oatmeal by allowing 1 tablespoonful to a cup of boiling water. Let it boil 1 hour, then strain through a wire strainer.
FARINA GRUEL.
1 tbsp. farina.
2 cups boiling water.
A spk. of salt.
Cook for 20 minutes; use as directed for oatmeal.
BEEF JUICE.
(_See page 145._)
_Beef juice_ is sometimes ordered for delicate babies. For a child 9 months old, 1 or 2 tablespoonfuls may be given once a day.
ALb.u.mINIZED FOOD.
When milk cannot be taken, alb.u.minized food proves an excellent subst.i.tute.
Shake the white of 1 egg with 1/2 a pint of water (filtered or boiled and cooled) in a gla.s.s jar until they are thoroughly mixed. Add a few grains of salt.
Children do not require a great variety in their food. Give one article of diet at a time and see how it agrees before trying another.
After a child is a year old the various cereals may be given as porridge instead of gruel, with the addition of a little sugar.
Remember, all cereals should be thoroughly cooked (see page 83).
BISCUITS.
Gluten, soda, oatmeal or Graham biscuits may be soaked in milk or given alone. Do not give the fancy or sweet biscuits to young children.
EGGS.
A properly boiled egg (see page 69) may be given every alternate day to a child 1 year old.
JUNKET.
Junket is much better for young children than custards or puddings, and sometimes agrees well with babies.
Take 1 pint of milk, heat it to 98 Fah., or milk warm. Add 1 teaspoonful of rennet and 1 teaspoonful of sugar. Stir all together and let it stand in a warm place until it becomes as thick as jelly.
Remove at once to a cool place or whey will appear.
BAKED POTATOES.
Potatoes should not be given to a child under 2 years old in any other form than baked. The potash salts are the most valuable const.i.tuent, and are lost when they are peeled and boiled. They should be dry and mealy. A little salt, b.u.t.ter or cream should be added.
MACARONI.
(_See page 85._)