.

When should the nurse be called? Long enough before the expected time to
get everything ready.

What is lightening? It is caused by the womb sinking down lower in the
pelvis the last month, and this lightens the pressure upon the diaphragm
and lungs.

What are false pains? They occur during the last few weeks of pregnancy at
irregular intervals and are usually in the abdomen.

What is the bag of waters? It is a sac containing the fluid in which the
child floats while in the womb. The amount of fluid varies from a pint to
a gallon or more. When it ruptures there is a sudden flow of liquid, more
or less continuous flow. It may occur at the very beginning of labor and
is one of the signs of labor.

What are the other signs of approaching labor? A profuse discharge of
mucus from the vagina, and this may be tinged with blood. The "show" pains
begin generally in the back and are quite regular, one every twenty
minutes or half hour. (Dilatation of the womb).

How should the baby be first washed? See Obstetrics.

What clothing should be put on? See Obstetrics chapter.

Care of the eyes.--Wipe the eyelids with clean gauze and water. If there
has been much discharge from the vagina during pregnancy, the child's eyes
should be washed cleanly and also one or two drops of the one per cent
solution of silver nitrate should be put into each eye as a preventive.
(See Obstetrics).

How often should the baby's bowels move? Two or three times daily for the
first week, and then once or twice a day.

What is the appearance of the stool? It is soft, yellow and smooth and
should not contain any lumps.

How about the urine? It should pass from six to ten times a day, and it
should be colorless.

What is the average weight of a healthy baby? Seven to seven and one-half
pounds.

Does it lose any weight during the first week? Yes, generally a few
ounces, then it begins to gain at the rate of four to six ounces each
week.

Should the newly-born babe have its eyes exposed to the light? The eyes
are very sensitive, and the sun or artificial light should not be allowed
to shine on them. The first day the baby is deaf, but his hearing develops
and becomes very acute so that he is very much disturbed by sudden, sharp
noises.

[548 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

What is the "soft" spot on a baby's head? This is called the "fontanelle."
Do not touch this spot. This closes in time. At six months of age the
fontanelle is somewhat larger than