It can be so frustrating when people approach me and offer their advice on how I should do this and how not to do that. I am not saying they have no right to tell me how to take care of the children who are entrusted to me; I am just saying that I wish they would think before they speak.
I spend a lot of time with my niece and nephew, both of whom are still little babies. I spend so much time with them that some people think they are my own kids.
Have you ever been in a situation where someone comes up to you and your precious one and they dish out the latest dose of advice for you, the poor helpless mother of father? They give you advice on how to love your child, how to feed your child, how not to dress your child. They will even tell you not to love them too much. I have been caring for babies for years so I have heard my share of dumb advice about taking care of babies even though I have none of my own.
I have had strangers, friends, and family give me some silly advice on how best to care of the child. One that I have heard only this week was- let the baby cry, it builds their lungs.
A baby's cry is something that should never be ignored. That is a very dangerous thing to do. They cannot talk and tell us what they are feeling so they cry.
A baby's cry is something that should never be ignored. That is a very dangerous thing to do. They cannot talk and tell us what they are feeling so they cry.
Yes, they may cry a lot and sometimes for no reason but that is no grounds to ignore the cry of an infant. They cry when they are wet, hungry, hot, cold, uncomfortable, in pain, lonely, bored, tired, and sad. You can usually tell by their cry what is wrong but most of the times you have to try many different things before you come up with an answer. How can someone ignore a crying child 'to build their lungs' when they might be in danger or in pain?
If letting them cry away was not enough, now we should expose them to germs so that their immune system can be strengthened. Really now, why should I put the life of a human being in jeopardy by exposing them to germs and diseases that may very well kill them.
If you want to make something fireproof, would you throw it in the fire? I did not think so. A baby's immune system is weak and they need to be protected from various pathogens. They can develop an illness from something that will have no effect on adults. This is because over time and with vaccinations our bodies have built up immunity to some illnesses. The misconception must have come about from learning that vaccinations are in fact pathogens. What we need to remember is that the pathogens that are in vaccines are a controlled amount and the dangers from them have been lessened.
I could go on and on listing all the silly advice people give. For example giving babies one teaspoon of whiskey for teething. Whoever thinks that is even remotely sensible must look into that again. One teaspoon? Are you sure its whiskey?
Another one is that picking up a baby when they cry will spoil them. As I said before, babies cry for all types of things and picking them up will definitely not spoil them. They are babies and should be held and loved and reassured not ignored.
I could go on and on discussing some crazy advice that I have heard. When all is said and done, I have to remind myself: They mean well.
What are some strange if not illegal advices that you have heard about taking care of babies?
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