what current practices will be outdated when we are G-ma's???

YankeePeach08

With all of the talk about g-ma's and older generations suggestion belly sleeping, early solids and giving water it's made me think what are we doing currently that our kids will freak out about when they have kids. Also, what baby gear do we use will be majorly side-eyes in the future?

any thoughts?

We use the Bumbo occasionally b/c we have it but something has always bothered me about it, babies just don't look that comfortable in it. I think there are already other products that are replacing them but I feel like in 20 years people will be like WTF were we doing with those!

SmittyPants

Dear God, I hope it's vaccinating. Maybe the next generation will remember friends coming down with measles and vaccinate their damn kids.

I also think there will be an attachment parenting backlash. Not because I disagree, or because the practices are harmful or anything, I just think parenting styles are like pendulums and swing from one thing to another with each generation.

ProudMommy030614

In the 8 years between my 2nd and 3rd kids so much has changed. Like solids were started at 4 months with my older kids now it's 6 months. The car seat laws, all of the baby crap safety restrictions. And the added vaccines, I feel like a ftm learning all of this again.

fish8412

Everything!

Khope87

I think breast feeding will remain the same for a while.... You don't need any extras, only breast milk (but until when (4/6/more months) will change all the time!) *this is only for people with ok supply, obviously use formula if needed or wanted*

I think you're right with the bumbo - I think that will be frowned on at some point soon. I wonder if tummy time will be ruled unnecessary for the average baby too. We've talked about this on here before and everyone has their ideas on if they think it's necessary or not. I do it with LO, but only because I feel I have to. She hates it and always screams and is sick every time

I do think it's things people discuss if they need it or not that are likely to change. I would love to know what the sleep recommendations will be!!

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clo1982

I don't know exactly what it will be but I would be willing to bet our children and their significant other's will be posting on some super high tech forum about the crazy stuff we are suggesting as grandparents and saying 'how the heck did we survive?!'

pepperedmoth

I love this thread!

@snow527 room-sharing is already recommended.

Lessi. I do think the pendulum is likely to swing back from AP, but we'll see.

I'm guessing there will be stronger recommendations against all the baby "containers." They're not recommended now anyway, they're just not strongly discouraged either.

I dearly wish the anti-vaxxers would disappear, but I doubt they will. Creationists haven't disappeared....nor have Holocaust deniers or 9/11 truthers or climate change denialists..... neither will anti-vaxxers.

Y'all know my opinion on Tummy Time. ;-)

I think our thinking about germs/environmental exposures in general is on the cusp of changing a LOT of parenting recommendations. Antibiotics are going to be less commonly used. Sterilization will be frowned on. The food recs, especially on when to introduce common allergens, will likely change---I'm guessing back to earlier, but idk. Baths will be recommended less frequently. Etc.

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pepperedmoth

Got it. Yeah, there's a big difference between AAP recs and common practice!

LittlePigeon

I *hope* that maternity leave and parental time off will have changed and people will think it was horrible that mothers had only 6 unpaid weeks. I also think there will be more varied birthing practices and options.

Totally agree on the bumbo and changes in parentih styles too.

pepperedmoth

@WisconsinCheese12‌ things like the bumbo, the sit-me-up, exersaucers, bouncy chairs, etc.

Khope87

snow527 said:

It's recommended by the AAP but it seems like the general consensus among people is still trying to get babies to sleep in their crib ASAP. I meant that someday it will be the norm for babies to sleep with their parents. @pepperedmoth‌

I have JUST been speaking about this with DH!! I was saying how it's really odd lots of people on the board have moved the babies into their own rooms ASAP. Here (uk) most stay in the rooms for at least 6months, lots to a year or beyond. Bed sharing is not all that common though.... Most have bedside cribs.

Ahutch428

@mndynitetragdy‌ I teach at a technology magnet, and it's like "print" and "paper" are dirty words. The kids have chrome books, and email/share most of their assignments. It definitely has it's pros and cons.

I think maternity leave will drastically change (longer, paid maternity), I think infant carriers will be thing of the past, and I think tummy time will also be a thing of the past. It will be interesting to see!

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ProudMommy030614

We room share until about 2 years old, I hope my kids do the same. My older family members think that we are "ruining our marriage" and also hurting the baby by putting him in the crib since day1. Yikes I hope I never sound like them!

LittlePigeon

FFwifey said:

LittlePigeon said:

I *hope* that maternity leave and parental time off will have changed and people will think it was horrible that mothers had only 6 unpaid weeks.

Most of the developed world does think this already and gets a lot more time off (thinking Europe and Canada). I think it's very sad for both the parent and child that you only get 6 weeks and it's about time the American government got with the times! I really don't mean this offensively to anyone bc obviously I would think most of you ladies would agree! NOT trying to America bash AT ALL, just think it's very strange that it's all you get when so many countries have extended maternity leave since our parents had children. I hope by the time you ladies have your next child you can enjoy a year off!

I am a US mom and totally agree that it is insane. It offends me that it is this way here! I think with some of the changes that have happened recently here (breast pump coverage, pumping laws, child health coverage, etc) something will eventually have to change. I hope I am procreating when it happens!

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lazyreader

common ladies. we can do better than this!

vibrating anything will be nixed because it creates bubbles in their brains causing major headaches when they are older.

caffeine will be recommended during 3rd tri so babies get used to it sooner so new moms can go to town on their coffee consumption for that 4am feed they can't fall asleep after.

jogging strollers are going to be wireless - you just clasp on the bracelet and the baby hovers beside you in an egg shaped device with a window in the front.

teachermommy9967

I too think tummy time will be deemed unnecessary and Bumbos deemed unsafe (I have one but haven't used it....only used it a few times with DDs as a highchair when we travelled)

I also hope that this anti-vaccination movement will be gone and people will realize the importance of vaccinating their children.

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jennybean80

Someone will come up with an artificial womb for the 'fourth trimester' that the Happiest Baby talks about, and people will all think we were nuts for interacting with our babies at all for the first 3 months of life. Or something less crazy - like everyone will vaccinate their damn kids. 

ProudMommy030614

LW78 said:

I agree, too many new rules. All of my kids had bumpers and survived, but I am not confident enough to try it out with the new rules and this kid. 

This!

pepperedmoth

Bumpers are currently not recommended, at all, period, by the AAP, breathable or no. This is a magazine article but it cites its sources:

https://m.parenting.com/entry/view/id/114

Pinecone21

Vaccines themselves will be obsolete. We will have nanobots that can attack the specific germs that our LOs catch. Our grandchildren won't believe how barbaric we were to subject our babies to shots for diseases they might never come in contact with.

sopranoali

I think it will be old fashioned to "just" conceive a baby. Gender selection, trait selection, desirable cognitive levels I think will be decided upon, and then implanted...to make countries super competitive. Cynical thought but it's gonna happen.

dancer7889

I hope bf becomes normalized in public. People have no problem with me bf but I get major side eye for doing It in public. But I see this taking this a long time to change.

I agree/hope the Anti-vaccine crowd disappears.

I see car seat regulations to continue to change.

I also hope child birth becomes a more natural, non scary process/idea. More doulas and birth centers available. Eating/drinking during childbirth. Less wires and ivs.

Aturl

On the whole bumper thing... Don't pretty much all bassinets have cloth sides that very closely resemble what bumpers do in a crib? I'm just curious if they are deemed unsafe somehow as well then.

I hope breastfeeding will indeed become more acceptable in public.

I agree that science will probably overrule the "old fashioned" way of concieving a baby and all of the genetic surprises that entails.