Augustana Hospital School of Nursing - Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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I rurfssfs sssaf bottle feeding, beamed a smile at each one at the table, except me. His mother left the table halfflaughing, halffcrying, saying she could not stand this after the four months of struggling for it, brother Teddy of four years looked frankly surprised, the father said, Nurse, I am sure this accomplishment' is going to mean a great help to us. Each time I dressed the baby, I taught him to help me, by putting his hands into his sleeves and by holding things for me. He did it well, but never once stopped crying. Tonight as I undressed him he was unusually quiet. All at once he put his arms around my shoulders and snuggled his little baby face close to me, took a little bite on my neck where my collar had parted from the neckfband the was teethingj. The mother, standing by, said, Nurse, can't you see he loves you. Don't be afraid to take him into your arms. Mothers do understand their babies. I talked to the doctor once more before leaving, and this time to report the accomplishment. He assured me of his appreciation and asked, Have you told the mother the secret? Homeward bound, on my mile back to' the trolley, my head awhirl with the thot of how I could finally hold that sweet baby, properly fed, in my arms, I prayed, 'lDear God, if there is a secret, please tell it to this mother. By A Privatefduty Nurse. - A e . lllli -Q.':iX l Pace sixty-six

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,i..lt.- iTH4IIE7Q5!Q 5355! lowed to find that he took refuge in the arms of a dear little old Norwegian lady, who was the housefkeeper here. The rest of the day was spent in trying to learn much about baby. He took the half of his bottle feeding each time for the rest of the day, only under one conf sideration, that I would leave him and keep far from him. After giving his bath, I felt very much as if I had had ai shower bath myself, and decided as long as he could kick like that, he could do much besides, perhaps even eat solid food. Eavesdropping once more, and unintentionally, on the way to the dining room to have dinner with the family, this I heard, Mother, I wonder if this nurse is a disciplinarian. I have made up my mind long ere this that nurses pinch spoiled youngsters when they put them to bed, hear him cry, will you? Father, I think this nurse knows her business. I have asked her what foods baby should have at thirteen months of age, she seemed to know without a doubt. I like the length of her uniform, the long sleeves and high neck of it, her kind voice, straightfforward glance, also that knot of gold on the back of her head, sensible to say the least. I just feel she'll make our baby eat. Do you really like the knot on the back of her head, and think she is sensible, mother? Well! Well! My coming into their presence at this time silenced them. At the dinner table the mother said to me, XVe are leaving the baby to you entirely, please let us know what we can do to help you, but don't expect him to love you. He doesn't take to people, especially nurses I have found. Later, upon longfdistance telephone conversation with the child specialist in the nearby city, I found that serious symptoms of malnutrition had already appeared in the child, and that the lack of proper nourishment at this time, was looked upon with great concern. Sunday, baby was every bit as much afraid of me as before. Neither of his morning feedings at six or ten were satisfactory. Each bottle was only half taken, and no success with solid food, for I found that he was as much afraid of a spoon as he was of me, At the two o'clock feeding I prepared a tray with his share of the family dinner, fone baked potato, one tablespoon boiled carrot, and a dish of apple' saucej. And with a promise from his parents that they would not interfere, I took tray in one hand, baby on the other arm, and went to his room, putting him onto his back in his bed, I held him down the best I could with my left hand and man' ipulated the spoon with my other. With an occasional look of horror at the tray he screamed and fought every bit of the food. I was sure, however, that he tasted of each, for I ascertained that he swallowed in sympathy with my pantomine of chewing and swallowing for his benefit. It was a great surprise to me to ind that instead of crying for sympathy when he first saw his people after this ordeal, he only said, 'LDa, making a fhappy-tofhavefit over withj smile for all around him, except me. At five in the afternoon I put him in his higlvchair at the table to eat his cereal and prune pulp, which he did very nicely, and held out his spoon afterward saying, LLMo, meaning more, a word he had previously learned in regard to his Page .vzxly

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