itions for the
welfare of both mother and child. For her own sake however the mother
might well suggest that the delivery will be painless and easy.

The only direct means of autosuggestion applicable to the child for
some months after birth is that of the caress, though it must be
remembered that the mental states of mother and nurse are already
stamping themselves on the little mind, forming it inevitably for
better or worse. Should any specific trouble arise, the method of
Mlle. Kauffmant should be applied by the mother. Taking the child on
her knee she should gently caress the affected part, thinking the while
of its reinstatement in perfect health. It seems generally advisable
to express these thoughts in words. Obviously, the words themselves
will mean nothing to an infant of two or three months, but they will
hold the mother's thought in the right channel, and this thought, by
the tone of her voice, the touch of her hand, will be communicated to
the child. Whether telepathy plays any part in this process we need
not inquire, but the baby is psychically as well as physically so
dependent on the mother that her mental states are communicated by
means quite ineffective with adults. Love in itself exerts a
suggestive power of the highest order.

When the child shows signs of understanding what is said to it, before
it begins itself to speak, the following method should be applied.
After the little one has fallen asleep at night the mother enters the
room, taking care not to awaken it, and stands about a yard from the
head of the cot. She proceeds then to formulate in a whisper such
suggestions as seem necessary. If the child is ailing the suggestion
might take the form of the phrase "You are getting better" repeated
twenty times. If it is in health the general formula will suffice.
Particular suggestions may also be formulated bearing on the child's
health, character, intellectual development, etc. These of course
should be in accordance with the instructions given in the chapter
devoted to particular suggestions. On withdrawing, the mother should
again be careful not to awaken the little one. Should it show signs of
waking, the whispered command "sleep," repeated several times, will
lull it again to rest. Baudouin recommends that during these
suggestions the mother should lay her hand on the child's forehead.
The above, however, is the method preferred by Coue.

This nightly practice is the most eff