‘Our Babies’

September 27, 1921

Truby King Collection

Dunedin: Otago Witness

Bella King was as much a reason for the Plunket Society’s success as her husband. As Truby’s constant companion and helpmeet, she did a lot of work to support her husband’s crusade to ‘help the mothers and save the babies’. In 1908 they started a newspaper column in the Otago Daily Times called ‘Our Babies’ in which, under the pen-name ‘Hygeia’, they wrote advice for mothers on topics such as babies’ bowel movements, dummies, prams, weaning and breast-feeding. Bella usually wrote the column; Truby maintained editorial control. The column was syndicated, appearing in over 50 newspapers nationwide and exported to Australia, Britain and America. Although Bella died in January 1927, the column continued to appear, possibly written by King himself.