Top 7 myths around baby care

We are often flooded with several grandma anecdotes regarding a newborn’s care as soon as their arrival is announced. Well, few have stood the test of time, but many are illogical and do not hold true in today’s world

In this article, we will be busting the top 7 myths around baby care that are doing rounds from generations in every household (mostly Indian) concerning the care and well-being of an infant.

So let’s start our journey of lies and myths😉

Myth No 1: Massage the baby’s body vigorously and make sure that all the oil is absorbed by their body. This will help them to develop strong bones.

Fact: No scientific study has yet claimed that massage helps in a baby’s growth or strong bone. Yet, according to personal experience of many mothers it usually soothes and helps them in getting a sound sleep.

Our take: Massage is important for a cheerful and calm baby but should be done with gentle strokes only. Too much oil rubbing can peel off their delicate skin and infect it. Make sure that little one enjoys their massage time with light oil and stop if they are not in a mood. Don’t overdo it, once a day is enough.

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Myth No 2 : Babies should wear bangles with black beads or threads to ward off evil spirits.

Fact: The black threads or bangles can attract lots of dust or grime through oil massaging and many other factors . This may cause an infection or rash on the delicate skin of baby. In the worst case, they can inadvertently swallow any loose beads on bangles as well.

Our take: Nobody can stop the doting parents from believing that there is always a negative gaze lurking on our little ones. Maybe it is true, so why to take a risk with our dear ones? Just put a little black dot on the side of baby’s forehead and complete the custom.

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Myth No 3 : Putting powder on baby’s skin works as a wonder .It keeps their skin soft,nourished and oil-free. One added benefit is of scent that lingers on for a long time.

Fact: In some cases, babies will develop severe lung damage or respiratory problems if they inhale the powder.

Our take: Babies anyway smell good, so who needs that artificial smell of the powder. If you are applying it just to avoid diaper rash, then diaper rash creams will be your best bet.

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Myth No 4 :  Honey should be the first food of a newborn.It can even help them in case of coughing too.

Fact: Babies under one year have an immature digestive system and honey is not typically pasteurized. In rare cases,babies will develop a rare form of food poisoning(botulism) after consuming it.

Our take: We can wait till one year before introducing honey to our babies. Mother’s milk is best (at least till 6 months) for babies, even for common cold. If baby has developed cough or severe cold,please consult a pediatrician.

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Myth No 5 : Applying thick coat of oil on baby’s head will help close the fontanels.In layman’s term it is the soft spot on top of their head.

Fact: Closing of fontanel has nothing to do with the head massage. It closes on its own,generally within 18 months of life. In fact, don’t be in a hurry to harden it too early as it can restrict the baby’s growth.

r take: Gently rub a light oil on the baby’s scalp to loosen the flaky skin. Then wash it after a couple of hours with a mild shampoo. Try to keep their hair as clean as possible to keep them away from any infections. You can use a Baby Wash which can work from head to toe and is a great option for sensitive skin as well.

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Myth No 6 : Baby walkers can help a child to walk early.

Fact: Walkers can delay the babies to reach their walking milestone . With walkers,they tend to use their toes and not their feet. Additionally, babies can accidentally crash in them due to it’s swift movement.

Our take: Let the babies spend more time on the floor. It will help them to effectively use their hand and knees along with balancing. Eventually,they will be able to walk much early.

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The weirdest one has found the last spot on our list of myths.😁

Myth No 7: Always start feeding your baby from the right breast and end the session with the left one. Why?? Because right one provides them food and left one quench their thirst.

Fact: Each side of the breast has fore-milk and hind-milk . Fore- milk is available at the start of the feed and hind-milk comes at the end. It doesn’t matter whether you start feeding from the left or the right breast.

Our take: Empty one side of the breast before moving on to the next. This way baby will have right proportion of fore-milk and hind-milk.

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Our Final Take:

Elders are always a great source of wisdom and knowledge,but when in doubt,do your own research.

–Isha Sharma

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Comment your thoughts on how many of these or other ancient myths have you come across as a parent? Will you still follow them or change the tradition for future generations?