one of the
greatest joys connected with the adored experience was the
make-believe bath and the dressing of the make-believe baby; so now,
when we are the happy possessors of real live dolls, we should go
about the task with the same lightheartedness of a score of years ago
when we hugged, kissed, bathed, and dressed our dolls. There is one
big advantage now, the doll won't break; but, we sigh as we stop to
think, we can't stick pins into it as we all did into the sawdust
bodies of our dolls those years and years ago.

THE FIRST WEEK

In the chapter on "Baby's Early Care," this subject was fully
discussed and we only wish to repeat, in passing, that before baby's
bath or toilet is undertaken the hands of the mother, nurse, or
caretaker must be scrupulously clean. And while the first day's bath
usually consists of sweet oil, albolene, or benzoated lard, if the new
baby happens to come during the very warm days of July or August and
the oil seems to irritate the soft downy skin, as it often does during
those hot days, a simple sponge bath may be substituted. The cord
dressing remains as the doctor left it, and if there be any
interference, let it be subject to his orders.

The cord usually drops off, and the abdomen is entirely healed by the
seventh to the tenth day, after which time baby is daily sponged for
another week. And now we will describe in detail the simplest, easiest
manner of administering an oil bath or a sponge bath.

GIVING THE BATH

A large pillow or a folded soft comfort is placed on a table in a warm
room--temperature not below 75 F. On baby's tray near by, and within
reaching distance, are the boracic acid solution in a small cup, a
medicine dropper, the warm saucer of oil, the toothpick applicators
(made by twisting cotton about one end, making sure the sharp end of
the pick is well protected), a glass jar of small cotton balls made
from sterile absorbent cotton, the castile soap, talcum powder, needle
and thread. A vessel of warm water, several old, soft, warmed towels
and the clean garments required, complete the layout.

Into the warm, soft blanket on the pillow or comfort we place the
partially undressed baby, for the binder, diaper, and socks are not
removed until the head-and-face toilet is completed.

The top of the head, behind the ears, the folds of the neck, and the
armpits are now gently but thoroughly rubbed with oil, which is then
all rubbed off with a soft linen towel. The e