p. 327 | Water for Babies

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 30, 1879

Water for Babies.

A few days ago I was called upon to visit a sick little one in a family residing near my office. The babe I found in apparent good health, but crying and struggling in its mother's arms as though suffering excruciating pain. The mother informed me that the child seemed desirous of nursing continually; and that, to quiet it, she had given it the breast as often as the crying commenced. When this did not soothe the little one, a dose of Mother Somebody's cordial had been administered.

"My good woman," I inquired, "when did you give your child a drink of water?"

"I don't remember," replied the lady; "I seldom let him drink water; does he need it?"

"Need it? Why should he not need it as much as you? This child is suffering from thirst—nothing more."

I called for cold water, gave the infant a few teaspoonfuls, and it was relieved of all its troubles, stopped crying, and sank peacefully to sleep in its mother's arms.

Let this be a reminder to mothers and nurses. Infants who nurse at breast may often suffer as much from want of water as adults who eat more solid food. Often when a child cries it is thirst alone which causes it. Do not, then, dose it with the poisonous soothing sirups or nursing cordials, or press it to the breast, which it will eagerly grasp, thinking to satiate its burning thirst; but, filled to the brim with its natural food, it cries on harder than ever. Use a little discretion. The poor little one cannot tell its wants; if it could it would often cry, "Water! water!"