I found old book published in 1851 and was intrigued by the title:
LADIES' INDISPENSABLE ASSISTANT ~
BEING A COMPANION FOR THE SISTER, MOTHER, AND WIFE
It contains all kinds of interesting 'cures' and 'advice',
and after composing myself, I just had to share this part of the book with you!
SAFE DIRECTIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF CHILDREN :
"It is of the greatest importance that mothers should understand the management of their offspring. The newly-born child should be kept warm and not exposed to sudden changes of temperature or currents of air. It should not be handled but kept as quiet as possible.
It should receive its food at regular hours, three or four times a day, and it should not be permitted to take so much as to cause vomiting. The stomach of a new- born infant is very small, not larger than a common-sized thimble, so that there is great danger of giving it too much food.
Wash it every morning in warm water, and never, as some have done, plunge it in cold water."
Yes...indeed, some really wonderful advice right there...
Don't you just love the way they refer to the child as 'it'!?