Worst Parenting Advice?

bumptara

It seems as if the moment baby enters the world, you automatically become a magnet for unsolicited advice. Sure, some of it might be helpful, but you’re likely to receive some wacky suggestions.

Here, Bumpies share the craziest tips they’ve heard.

What is the worst parenting advice you’ve received or heard?


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racheld924

I was told not to take my daughters pacifier away until after she's 2 years old. I also don't remember what was said, but I was given parenting advice by teenagers. They claimed they knew what they were talking about because their friends from school had babies.

DreamForTheSkye

I was told by my friends who don't have children, to start spanking my 3 year old. They think that it's a way to somehow discipline her. Each to their own but I don't believe in that. Yes my little girl is active and she does things that'll get me upset. I put her in time out and talk to her instead of hitting her.

MolassesMomma

"There's this channel on satellite TV just for babies, you should have them watch that while you have some time to yourself to clean and stuff."

My baby was 2 months old at the time.

A) He don't need no stinkin' TV As if I'm going to be cleaning much at 2 months postpartum!

mybabyama15

These are all pretty funny , especially the advice from teenagers and childless people. My SIL tries to give us advice on how to raise our 4 month old daughter but we just shrug it off. She has no kids and is t much of a kids person anyway

matybethcm

Someone told me to water down a bottle for a mid-night feeding so that after awhile my daughter would find that feeding not worth waking up for.

mybabyama15

@matybethcm that has too be one of the stupidest advice I have ever heard

matybethcm

@mybabyama15 Agreed!

yelldd

Omg that's terrible advice!

tcmoses

Very terrible .. And a health risk

SMac2013

My MIL said "don't hold him while he naps or he will want to be held all the time." She said she only held her kids when they needed fed. I wanted to say well that explains why they act the way they do! Haha

icedcakes

Almost everyone in my family has told me to givemail my baby water or honey with the excuse that saying they did it and their children are alive today

kallierayanne

My MIL tried to get me to give my baby 8 Oz of water or 8 oz of undiluted apple juice to help with her acid reflux. She was like a month old.

pacellaml

My Aunt told me to start my son on rice cereal at 6 weeks so he would sleep better through the night. "Just cut the top of a bottle off and squeeze it into his mouth!" Um, no.

tejalp

One of my hubby friend's wife who also had a baby week before I did suggested that if my baby cries in the car let her cry...her exact words were "she won't die if she was to cry".

Babies usually cry because they are uncomfortable, tired, hungry or have dirty diaper...obviously this individual doesn't understand when to let a baby cry and when not to! Interestingly, she has mentioned few times that she has been missing her baby's cues...lol!!

NurseRieger

I just got some of the don't hold him so much you will spoil him advice. He was like 2 weeks old and EBF so he pretty much always needed to be in my arms at that point anyway because he was eating so often. And the just put him down and let him cry advice omg trying to explain the let down reflex to people! I should have just done it so they could watch the milk squirt out would have saved me from repeating myself so much!

banfrog

My sister, whose oldest is a year and a half older than my oldest, advised me to give my 4 month old a pretzel to chew on while teething.
I asked if she meant a teething ring and she said no, a hard pretzel with salt.

Knottie1442268460

matybethcm said:

Someone told me to water down a bottle for a mid-night feeding so that after awhile my daughter would find that feeding not worth waking up for.

Actually when it's time to wean from night feeds this is an appropriate, gradual method. It worked for us!

Theliops

Anytime anybody says to give my babies anything other than formula/breast milk. They're three months old - they literally do not need any other food/drink. 

kiam032

My LO sratched her eyeball so it was a little red and my mom told me to put breast milk in it.  

Ancheta3

That's actually legit advice. When my DS had a goopey eye his ped said I could put a little breastmilk in it. 

korpatch

kiam032 said:

My LO sratched her eyeball so it was a little red and my mom told me to put breast milk in it.  

That is actually what you should do. We had a clogged tear duct for a while and had to do this often. Pediatrician and nurse told us to. Breast milk has special magical healing powers!

ladylolly89

kiam032 said:

My LO sratched her eyeball so it was a little red and my mom told me to put breast milk in it.  

Yes, breastmilk is wonderful stuff! Any time DS scratches himself, I put a little on the scratch and the redness is gone within hours.