How Baby Grows

Chicago's Lying-in Hospital proudly announced the birth of its bouncingest baby. Delivered last week, after prolonged labor, and published by the hospital's Mothers' Aid organization, it is a new and radically revised edition of a baby record book, Our Baby's First Seven Years, Available in four bindings of varying luxe ($2.98 to $5.98), it has proved its appeal in 26 previous printings (more than 1,500,000 copies), from which profits of $300,000 have been plowed back into maternity research. Going far beyond the skeletal birth, height, weight and teething records of conventional baby books, the volume was designed originally by an obstetrician, has now been revised by eleven medical specialists, includes the memorabilia that mothers love plus space for data that should help the pediatrician and have lasting value to doctors who treat the subject long beyond babyhood.

Prebirth information begins with a detailed form in which the mother can describe her pregnancy, including such complications as toxemia and German measles. There are blanks for a description of labor, which should show whether the child, if handicapped in any way, might have been injured at birth. Blood type and Rh status are recorded for father and mother as well as baby. There is a three-page blank for details of baby's first medical examination after leaving the hospital, to be filled in by the doctor and pasted in the book.

The changes in emphasis of doctors' concern for young patients are illustrated by revisions for the new edition. There is a whole page for data about the eyes, from birth (was silver nitrate used, and if premature, was oxygen administered?) through developmental stages ("eyes move together to follow moving object") to examinations by an ophthalmologist. Need for this was established after it was found that far more children than had been realized were having eye trouble before the age of seven. There is a similar page for bones and postural development. Reflecting current concern about radiation, a section has been added to record use of X rays, in both diagnosis and treatment, with the dosage of radiation used and the site affected.

On the emotional side the trend is toward lessening parental tension. Instead of a rigid schedule, which prescribed the exact numbers of hours of sleep a youngster must have from year to year, there is now a permissive page simply to record how he sleeps. A stern "Development of Character" page, with the injunction, "Children must be taught emotional control," has been dropped entirely.

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