Tidbit Tuesdays: What to Feed the Baby?

Today I thought it would be fun to look at some of various mixtures and techniques people had for feeding babies off the breast back in the day.

(Examples provided are brief excerpts, click on the links or embedded text for more information. Note: please do NOT feed your infant these recipes, I am linking them for historical interest only. Follow your pediatrician’s advice if you are concerned with what to feed your baby.)

“Practical Care and Feeding of Children” by Mary Amelia Duns, 1904.

“The Care and Feeding of Children: A Catechism for the Use of Mothers and Children’s Nurses” by L. Emmett Holt, 1884-1909

“Ladies’ New Book of Cookery : A Practical System for Families in Town and Country with Directions for Carving and Arranging the Table for Parties, etc. Also, Preparations of Food for Invalids and For Children” by Sarah Josepha Hale, 1852.

 Infant Care Bulletin, US Government Department of Labor Children’s Bureau 1921

For further reading on the history of feeding infants and small children:

Food Timeline FAQs: baby food
Wet Nurse
Baby Formula: History
Breastfeeding and Human Lactation edited by Jan Riordan and Karen Wambach

LINKS OF THE WEEK

Preventing Tooth Decay in Kids: Fluoride and the Role of Non-Dentist Health Care Providers

Midwives and Maternity Care in the Roman World. I found that article, when I noticed the interesting birthing stool from this article.

Graffiti from Pompeii. (NSFW) Well, probably not much of this was written by children but, since a lot of people today associate youth and vandalism… well, I’m just looking for any excuse to throw this link in here.

Interviewers’ Gestures Mislead Child-Witnesses

(I apologize for the light content of this week’s Tidbit Tuesdays, I may be very busy in the coming weeks.)