I've been thinking a lot lately about all of the things that have changed since I was born. Mostly because I get conflicting advice ALL the time! So here's what I've figured out:
1. Sleeping positions. I slept on my stomach, as did my sisters. I don't know the percentage of SIDS then and now, but I get the feeling in the next 10 years babies will be on their stomachs again.
2. Eating. This seems to change every few years. When I was a baby I was started on rice cereal at 1 month with an infant feeder. Now that isn't recommended. Now it's 4-6 months. However, right now there is tons of new research being done. Not starting kids on solids until after 6 months. Letting them start off by feeding themselves (usually bread and mashed food with their hands). Also rice cereal is being replaced with other grain cereals. Even Michael's doctor told me to choose what I wanted to do because their is conflicting research.
3. Baby powder. Did you know that baby powder causes resipatory infections and UTI's in babies? I didn't either! The only safe baby powder (it's still now recommended) is the cornstartch kind because it has bigger particles in it that are harder for babies to inhale.
P.S. I always heard that if you are blond, you can use baby powder in your hair and get away with not washing your hair. I wonder what problems that causes.
4. Spanking. I was spanked, I deserved it. Besides it now being considered a form of child abuse if it happens too often, there were studies done that show it linked with substance abuse, anger-management problems, and future abuse.
5. Teeth. I've always had relatively good teeth, even though I despise milk! But now dentists are saying children should see a dentist at 1. They are also saying parents shouldn't kiss their kids on the lips (I ignore this!) because it can spread germs. O ya, don't forget that you need to wipe off your babies gums before they get a tooth.
So are doctors really making advances? Or are they just guessing and hoping for the best?
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Your post made me laugh!
ReplyDelete1. Plain and simple...babies prefer to be on their tummies! And I know our pediatrician is letting moms put their babies to bed on their tummies as soon as they learn to roll over.
2. Eating... this has changed a lot even since I had Summer six years ago. A lot! By the time I had Jenna we just fed her whatever, whenever.
3. Baby powder... I knew about that one.
4. I believe a good swat on the bum occasionally is necessary. I don't do it a lot, but if I catch them in the act of doing something I've told them time and time again not to do...sometimes it's the only way to get their attention!
5. One? For the dentist!? That's insane. Our dentist (who is specifically a pediatric dentist) said 3 is fine. (And even at 3, most kids DO NOT cooperate at the dentist's office to make it worth while.) And I kiss Jenna on the lips at least 10 times a day. :)
I think we're all just fed a bunch of bull, and our gut instincts are usually the better choice. :)