Women may have been birthing babies since the beginning of time, but we continue to learn more about how our bodies work and how science can improve the way we care for tiny human beings. And let’s not forget that there have been some very real developments in the world, like cars that require safety seats, that have irrevocably altered child-rearing.
There’s nothing that illustrates that point quite like taking a look back at how we used to advise moms to care for wee ones, and this list of instructions from 1968 does a great job of showing how different things are today.
The advice here was for the care of your newborn while still in the hospital after birth.
Yeah, most of this is pretty insane, but I really wish someone would have at least considered my nipples.
I am not a fan of them not being able to see their babies whenever they want. However, again, I could have done with more sleep and actual recovery time.
Also, real question… how long did it take these women’s milk to come in on this schedule?!?
I assume, unlike many others did not, that the baby was not starving the rest of the time, but simply being bottle fed, since they mention bottles and formula.
Image Credit: Facebook
The list of foods you’re not allowed to eat is very curious. Like…were that many people scarfing green coconut cake on the regular?
And don’t even get me started on the smoking.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Overall, obviously this advice never killed any of us born during that timeframe, and seriously, hospitals could be a lot more mom-focused now, instead of wringing out new mothers to the point that they can hardly function by the time they’re sent home.
But I suppose that’s a soapbox for another day…