heres food for thought...?

Question

Has anyone else noticed the contradictions that plague motherhood.

A generation ago mothers were told to lay babies on stomach - now this is considered dangerous and a cause of cot death.

Mothers were told to breast feed on a 4 hr schedule and to limit bf to 5 minutes on each side. Now mothers are told to feed on demand on one side until empty, and then offer the other.

Mothers were told to give solids @ 4 months, and are now told not before 6 months.

Mothers were encouraged to use formula - now it seems the worst thing you could possible do is supplement.

Is it just me that finds the contradictions in advice dumbfounding - It makes me wonder what will happen in another generation and what advice will be given to our children. No doubt the advice we've felt compelled to follow will be found to be inadequate or dangerous etc

Possible a good reason to ignor advice and bring up our babies how we mums think best ay?

Answer 1

I decided long ago to live a life of moderation, taking all things in moderation to include advice. I raised my babies using the best of my common sense. I nursed them on demand, according to their stomach clocks and not the one on the wall. I nursed them alternating sides until they needed both to get full, as that did seem to be the most sensible solution. They slept propped on their sides until they could roll over on their own, which again sounded most sensible to me. I never worried about things which required calendar or clock guidance, since it seemed to me that humans did not grow that way. I think a little of what you like is good for you, and a lot of even what is good is not the best way to go. Carrots are a fine healthy food, but too many will turn you yellow. They aren't the most popular veg in the garden, so if they go down better with a pinch of sugar in the cooking or dipped into onion dip, that's fine by me. I think it's more a matter of finding one's balance, than worrying about trying to tip the scale one direction or another. I got tired of feeling like I was raising some experimental crop, and decided just to raise a little human instead. When the time comes that my children have children, that's the advice I plan to give them.

Answer 2

I have always raised mt children the was that I thought best. They are mine of course, arent they? The only exception is that I never laid my child on his tummy to sleep (mostly because of my fears of him/her suffocating) but I also never laid them on their back either. (because of my fears of them spitting up and choking) my babies were side-sleepers. I gave them solids when I felt they were ready, I breastfed some exclusively, some were on fomula at 3 weeks. I think all the rules about parenting only make for a stressed out mom and a stressed out baby. Do what you feel comfortable with. Children are durable. They are not going to get screwed up, or not get into Harvard if you (god forbid) feed them solids at 3 months. I do think that all this advice that is given to us will change again.... so live by how you feel, and your baby's needs, and you wont go wrong.

Answer 3

Its like one month we are told coffee is bad for us next month its bad and tea is good next month tea is bad but green tea is good. Everytime there is a research done there are new findings. Like don't put your baby on his stomach, well I think they say that cause there are so many super stupid people out there that would put the child on his stomach on a super soft mattress and the risk of suffocation would be there however if there were no pillows near by and it was a firm surface it shouldnt matter but then we are living in a world where they print THIS IS NOT A TOY on plastic bags!!!

Answer 4

I think you have to what's right for you and your babies. I also think a mom's advice is great, they did raise you and your fine right??
I read a lot w/ my first child and wanted to do everything by the book, but w/ my second I called my doctor and Mother.
P.S I slept both my children on their stomachs and they still do and they are fine. I even sleep on my stomach

Answer 5

As with all things, research methods have advance, improving the information available. My babies sleep on their back, breastfeed on demand, don't get solids until closer to 8 months, have never (and will never) have formula. I believe that's what's best for my baby.

Answer 6

We know our children better than any doctor. We know what is best for them and what they can and cannot handle at any given age. Thats why we are parents :)

Answer 7

Aye.