icable failure to
appreciate that the physician means exactly what he says.

If, for example, specific instructions are given to feed, or nurse, the
child every two hours (and by "specific instructions" it is meant, that
the physician takes time to explain in detail the instructions he
gives--that the instructions are not incidental to the call, but part
of the call;--that the advice is given not as a choice of what is
desirable, but as an absolute rule to follow; and carefully explains why
it is imperative to do as he says; and is satisfied the mother
understands what he means) it would seem that there could be no possible
reason why the directions should not be faithfully carried out. Yet such
is not the case in many instances, and the excuses given by mothers for
failure are so trivial and annoying that they show a failure to
appreciate that they are dealing with a serious problem--a problem
affecting human life. They fail to understand that fatal consequences
may follow their negligence. They treat the baby problem exactly as they
would a household incident, and as they do not consider it important
whether the breakfast dishes are washed at 9 A. M. or at twelve noon,
neither do they consider it important whether the baby is fed at 9 A. M.
or an hour later. When mothers learn that the attention they must give
their babies is essentially different from the attention they give
ordinary household duties, the problem of raising children with success
and comfort will be greatly simplified.

If the instructions are to feed the baby at certain intervals, do so at
all hazards. To offer the foolish excuse that the baby was asleep when
feeding time came, is no excuse at all; as a matter of fact the baby
should be asleep at each feeding time, if it is healthy. Wake it and
feed it, for, as will be shown later, it is the constant regularity that
counts. It will be more difficult to institute regular feeding intervals
during the first month, because a healthy baby is very difficult to wake
up, even to be fed, during the first few weeks of life. It is absolutely
essential, however, that it should be wakened: otherwise the tendency to
overfill the stomach at the next feeding will lead to indigestion and
colic.

WHY IS REGULARITY OF FEEDING IMPORTANT?--Because a baby's stomach holds
a very small quantity, and experience has taught us that a baby will
thrive better on small quantities given frequently, rather than large
quantities