Mothers and King baby : infant survival and welfare in an imperial world : Australia 1880-1950

This book is about infant mortality decline, the rise of the infant welfare movement, outcomes in terms of changing priorities in child health and what happened to mothers and babies. Infant welfare raised public awareness but did not contribute as powerfully to improved infant survival - and so longer life - as protagonists claimed. This work shows what it meant for reformers, babies and mothers when the call was 'population is power: the nation that has the babies has the future'. Front Matter....Pages i-xix Introduction....Pages 1-7 A White Health Transition....Pages 8-36 The Major Threat to Babies....Pages 37-62 ‘Long Live King Baby’....Pages 63-86 Prophets, Lady Doctors and Prescriptions....Pages 87-110 Storm in a Feeding Bottle....Pages 111-134 Movement or Movements?....Pages 135-161 Mothers’ Practices....Pages 162-191 The Newborn and Neonatal Paediatrics....Pages 192-217 The Pre-schooler and Child Development....Pages 218-243 Conclusion....Pages 244-247 Back Matter....Pages 248-330