| Causes of Crying | Nature of Cry; Treatment |
| Painless, spontaneous exercise | Vigorous, red-faced. Usually at feeding, bathing, dressing; 3-20 minutes. Necessary |
| Physical discomfort. | Fretful or sharp; continued |
| Clothing wet; pins in clothes | Remove cause |
| Clothing wrinkled, tight, oppressive | Practice better hygiene |
| Clothing rough, hot | Rub the back, with downward strokes |
| Bed rough, covers tight | |
| Tired of one position | |
| Air oppressive, stale, too warm, dry | |
| Cold feet, thirst, overfeeding | |
| Sleepiness, overtired, hunger | |
| Teething, constipation | |
| Colic, gas, indigestion | Sharp, intermittent; feet drawn up |
| Illness | Moan, wail, feeble, intermittent |
| Psychological: | Lusty, continued |
| Desire for attention, especially at night | Stops when desire is granted |
| Desire for things forbidden | Will soon stop if ignored |
A pernicious habit of self-indulgence and tyranny is cultivated if the baby learns that he can get his desires by crying. If indulged, even at a few weeks of age, he develops temper, self-indulgence, and disrespect for authority. If no attention is paid to such crying, or desires cried for are denied, he soon learns self-control, self-reliance, respect for law and authority.
Exercises for the Baby.
Infant Mortality.[12] Chief causes presented in the order of their frequency.
| Immediate Causes as Given in Mortality Statistics | Underlying Causes |
| 1. Diarrhea and indigestion | Ignorance; poor hygiene |
| Low Vitality | |
| Bottle feeding | |
| Unclean milk and preparation | |
| Solid food too early | |
| Irregular feeding | |
| 2. Pneumonia, croup, colds | Ignorance; poor hygiene |
| Congenital debility | |
| Indoor living | |
| Overheated, overdry rooms | |
| Tobacco smoke in rooms | |
| Overclothing; overfeeding | |
| Playing on floor | |
| Sitting on unprotected ground | |
| Adenoids, enlarged tonsils | |
| 3. Congenital debility (weakness at birth) | Ignorance; inadequate prenatal hygiene |
| Weak heredity | |
| Poor health of parents | |
| Use of alcohol by parents | |
| Syphilis | |
| Self-indulgence of parents | |
| Lack of continence during pregnancy | |
| Poor nutrition of mother | |
| Overwork of mother | |
| Too short interval between births (less than two years) | |
| 4. Contagious diseases: whooping cough, diphtheria, measles | Ignorance; poor hygiene |
| Lack of resistance | |
| Indoor living | |
| Infections in crowds, streetcars, stores, dusty streets | |
| Infection of colds from family or visitors; kissing | |
| Adenoids, enlarged tonsils |
| Defects Easily Acquired in Infancy[13] | Causes |
| Spinal curvature | Careless lifting, holding, or laying down |
| Sitting up too early or too long | |
| Bow legs | Diapers too thick |
| Standing too early | |
| Inadequate feeding | |
| Narrow pelvis | Diapers too tight |
| Binders too tight | |
| Misshapen ribs and chest | Clothes too tight |
| Rickets | |
| Rupture | Binder too tight |
| Binder worn too long | |
| Rough handling | |
| Internal displacements | Careless lifting or holding |
| Jogging, tossing | |
| Too long sitting | |
| Enlargement of stomach | Overfeeding |
| Tender or deformed feet | Feet kept too warm, perspiring |
| Shoes tight, rough, non-porous | |
| Shoes worn too early | |
| Use of “baby walker” | |
| Walking too early | |
| Nervousness | Irregularity |
| Indoor living | |
| Wrong feeding | |
| Lack of training in self-control | |
| Nervousness of attendant | |
| Disturbance of sleep | |
| Need of circumcision | |
| Excitement; tickling, tossing, rocking |
Frequent among preventable illnesses of infancy are colds, constipation, colic, rickets, scurvy, marasmus.
| Bad Habits to be Guarded Against | Remedies |
| Putting fingers in mouth | Give suitable toys |
| Thumb sucking (produces ugly mouth, self-indulgence; may cause infections, adenoids) | Put aloes or golden seal on fingers |
| Put on sleeveless sack dress | |
| Put on aluminum mitts | |
| Screaming, tantrums | Leave alone |
| Deny object desired | |
| Masturbation | Medical examination |
| Circumcision | |
| Local cleanliness | |
| Toys; occupation |
To state the underlying causes of infant mortality and defects is at the same time to emphasize their preventability and to indicate the method of prevention. The pathos is less in the high rate of death and illness than in their needlessness,—if only young women and young men were provided with even a meager preparation for this responsibility! The following are representative judgments expressed repeatedly by physicians everywhere.
“The problem of infant mortality is not one of sanitation alone or housing or indeed of poverty as such, but is mainly a question of motherhood.”
—Doctor G. Newman (English).
“The parents in their homes are largely responsible for the high infant mortality.”
—Doctor Ira S. Wile (American).
It is advisable to have the baby examined by the physician once a week during the first three months and at least once a month thereafter during the first year. If the daily régime is followed carefully, with judgment, the baby will probably gain normally in weight, be rosy and happy, free from any illness. The first year is the critical year, the time for every precaution both to prevent defects and promote vigor.
Table of Feeding, Sleep, and Weight[14]
| Average Weight of Baby in Pounds | Age of Baby | No. of Feedings | Ounces at Each Feeding | Total Ounces in 24 Hours | Intervals in Hours | Hours | Sleep |
| 7½ | Birth and 2d day | 4 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 22 hours | |
| 7 | 3d day | 6 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 6, 9, A.M., 12 noon; 3, 6, 10 P.M. | ” |
| 4th ” | 6 | 1½ | 9 | 3 | ” | ” | |
| 5th ” | 6 | 2 | 12 | 3 | ” | ” | |
| 7¼ | 7th ” | 6 | 2½ | 15 | 3 | ” | ” |
| 7½ | 10th ” | 6 | 3 | 18 | 3 | ” | ” |
| Begin 3d week | 6 | 3½ | 21 | 3 | ” | ” | |
| ” 4th ” | 6 | 4 | 24 | 3 | ” | 21 ” | |
| 8¾ | ” 2d month | 6 | 4¼ | 25½ | 3 | ” | 20 ” |
| 10½ | ” 3d ” | 6 | 4½ | 27 | 3 | ” | 19 ” |
| 14¼ | ” 4th ” | 6 | 5 | 30 | 3 | ” | 18 ” |
| 13¾ | ” 5th ” | 5 | 6½ | 32½ | 4 | 6, 10, A.M.; 2, 6, 10 P.M. | 16 ” |
| 15 | ” 6th ” | 5 | 7 | 35 | 4 | ” | ” |
| 16 | ” 7th ” | 5 | 7½ | 37½ | 4 | ” | ” |
| 16¾ | ” 8th ” | 5 | 8 | 40 | 4 | ” | 15 ” |
| 17½ | ” 9th ” | 5 | 8¼ | 41¼ | 4 | ” | ” |
| 18 | End 9th ” | 5 | 8½ | 42½ | 4 | ” | ” |
| 21 | ” 12th ” | 5 | 4 | ” | ” |
FOOTNOTES:
[7] A “sponge bath” is given with a wash cloth; sponges are never to be used, because unsanitary.
[11] “The Body in Health” (O’Shea and Kellogg).
[14] From “Feeding and Care of Baby.”—F. Truby King, M. B.