Questionable Advice

mschoepp · May 2014

Talking to friend of mine this morning about parenting and all the "helpful" advice people seem to NEED to pass on to you got me thinking. What is the most out there, possibly inappropriate, advice someone has tried to give you, be it about your kids, your pregnancy, whatever.

Mine would be from the random old man at the gas station who told me to make sure I ask the doctor for a "Daddy Stich" after giving birth, to make sure everything is nice and tight again. WTAF.

phunkyphish · May 2014

I was once told at Party City to not reach above my head, or I would strangle my baby. I was reaching for something at the time, and this woman rushed over, horrified.

ETA-"Daddy Stitch" sounds really skeevy coming from a rando at a gas station! Gross!

MJN9510 · May 2014

phunkyphish said:

I was once told at Party City to not reach above my head, or I would strangle my baby. I was reaching for something at the time, and this woman rushed over, horrified.

I literally just LOL'd at that one!

NarwhalBacon · May 2014

My MIL also believed not to reach your arms above your head.

fintin · May 2014

phunkyphish said:
I was once told at Party City to not reach above my head, or I would strangle my baby. I was reaching for something at the time, and this woman rushed over, horrified.

ETA-"Daddy Stitch" sounds really skeevy coming from a rando at a gas station! Gross!

My MIL told me the same thing. I started laughing histericly and then realized she was serious haha

Unknown · May 2014

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oscarwao · May 2014

I've gotten a lot of the "ZOMG no coffee, hair dye, or soft cheese!" Freak outs that are super outdated. The standard stuff. I'm sure it will only get better when kid is here.

oscarwao · May 2014

Spooko said:

DHs mom passed on a OWT in their culture and it was something about wearing a coat to stay warm when pg or the baby would be extra hairy or something.

There's a large Dominican and Puerto Rican population where I live - they have a superstition that if you don't help a pregnant woman or offer her food that it's bad luck and you'll get a sty in your eye. People have been totes nice to this gringa. Win!

phunkyphish · May 2014

bearsbearsbears said:

If you rub a pee soaked diaper on a baby's face, you'll cure their baby acne.

What the mother effing hell? This one wins for me.

ToastieSimons · May 2014

Sundae13 said:

ashleysyn2 said:

I have never gotten anything too off-the-wall that I can remember, but I do recall my mom telling me to rub my nipples with a washcloth while pregnant with DD to toughen them up. I can't imagine even touching them right now let alone rubbing them with something. I told her that her advice was way outdated.

When my mom was pregnant in the early 90's this was the recommendation. She told me her OB showed her how to do it during an appt. Can you imagine???

My MIL told me to use sandpaper. Yes, first hearing that from my MIL and the thought of that made me want to die.

wiggyslilsis · May 2014

That I should totes start DD on an adult multivitamin like right now because she clearly needs more vitamin C since she has seasonal allergies.

To put Borax in her diaper for her diaper rash instead of going to the doctor for yeast infection meds.

The pee diaper on the face for baby acne is insane. Who told you that gem?

mommyginab · May 2014

I went to the local insurance office to renew my car insurance and carried my 2 month old in with me. A random old lady told me to stop feeding my baby so much or my doctor was going to put him on a diet. 8-|

lildevil968 · May 2014

Don't tickle a babies feet, or they'll stutter when they talk.

tattooedtragedy · May 2014

My youngest sister (no kids yet) flipped out on me for having a cup of coffee and it was decaf

My MIL is a virtual treasure chest of bad advice and terrible questions

-when can you turn the car seat around (DD1 was 6 mos)
-if LO is fussy from your bm you should pump and add water (wut?!?)
-LO must be cold and should wear a jacket and hat (65 degree day)

Honestly I don't know how the woman got all 3 of her sons to adulthood in one piece.

minervacullen · May 2014

Mil and FIL tried to tell me that inactivity during pregnancy causes the baby to be deformed. They swore they knew a lady who was super lazy and her kid was born with a messed up arm. They then demonstrated said arm.

Whiskey on gums.

Sugar water in a bottle to settle the infants tummy.

Recently my 80+ year old grandma told my mom to let me know that I needed to start spanking DD, 17m on the 10th, because she needs disipline. This is because my mom told my grandma how much DD loves playing in the garbage. This is probably why my mom and aunts have issues.

Spicy food is really bad while pregnant. According to FIL. I stared right at him as I ate my delicious spicy food.

bcbuzzafsu · May 2014

bearsbearsbears said:

If you rub a pee soaked diaper on a baby's face, you'll cure their baby acne.

NarwhalBacon · May 2014

LovelyRitaMeterMaid said:

Give Isla Karo syrup as a NB to help with bowel movements, I think? Or belly trouble?

I was told that for bowel movements and also to make it sweeter if they didn't have interest in the bottle. Apparently babies should be enticed with sugar from birth.

theseaword · May 2014

DHs grandmother told him that he had to cater to my every pregnant craving or the baby would have a birthmark. Not that a bm is something terrible anyway!

My mom told me not to cross my legs when pregnant because...something. Who knows.

ByeBabyBunting · May 2014

My grandmother is always trying to get me to let her hold DS on car rides. almost 4 years of telling her no it's not safe and she still brings it up!

Soxgirl07 · May 2014

TwilightMV said:
DHs grandmother told him that he had to cater to my every pregnant craving or the baby would have a birthmark. Not that a bm is something terrible anyway!

My mom told me not to cross my legs when pregnant because...something. Who knows.

I think the not crossing your legs thing could actually be somewhat valid. My circulation sucked during pregnancy and I would get pins& needless from like 2 minutes of crossing my legs. Not sure that applies to everyone though.

ready-or-not · May 2014

Have also heard the Karo syurp for pooping & sugar water to help suppliment formula cost with DD2 when she decided she was done nursing at 3 months. Haven't tried either.

With every.single.one of my children my grandmother has asked how they are sleeping (when just very little, tiny infants) & when I say they get up once, twice, 3xs whatever, she goes "ohhhh poor babies, they have their days & nights messed up" uhhh no, they just eat often lol in her defense its been 67 years since her last infant

:x

oscarwao · May 2014

TyrannosaurusLex said:

My mother told me DD's baby acne was her "detoxing from the drugs you took during pregnancy." When I asked her WTMF she was talking about, she explained she meant the steroid shots I had to help develop DD's lungs when I went into preterm labour at 29 weeks. Oh okay.

Jesus.

wiggyslilsis · May 2014

TheEmpireNeedsYou said:
I think the karo syrup thing is legitimate, but one of those things like cereal for reflux that should only be done if the doctor tells you to. DD has been constipated forever, and I'm pretty sure they told us we could try that or a small amount of juice at one point. And she's been on lactulose which is sugary. Apparently sugary stuff makes you poop because it pulls water into your intestines.

Yes this exactly. We did this per doctor's suggestion at like 6 months because prune juice hurt her belly. Damn if that karo syrup didn't work every time. I only did like 1/4-1/2 tsp for an 8 oz bottle though.

Hell she still gets constipated...I will try everything first and then put a tiny bit of karo syrup in some water and bam...poop. crazy.

But people shouldn't be advocating it without suggesting a pedi visit first.

oscarwao · May 2014

LovelyRitaMeterMaid said:

Oh so the Karo was real, lol. I didn't know. I probably thought it was a load of shit automatically because it came from MIL.

I had the same reaction when my MIL was talking about chamomile tea for colic.

RondackHiker · May 2014

To turn dd upside down to fix her day/night sleep schedule.

NarwhalBacon · May 2014

Maybe it varies by pedi. Our pedi told us to give prune or apple juice. I jokingly said, "so no corn syrup?" He said no, and told me why you shouldn't but I forgot why.

wesleycrusher · May 2014

My grandma told me very seriously not to let anyone besides DH or I tickle DD because it "will change her brain." And then told me how she hated when my step-dad used to tickle me growing up. I didn't tell her but sorry grandma, he's already tickled DD and she loved it, just like I did when I was little.

oscarwao · May 2014

The endless speculation about how someone carries equaling the sex of the child is uber annoying. Carrying high/low =/= the kids equipment.

Snapdragon750 · May 2014

Whenever I complained about sore nipples, my MIL would tell me how her doctor told her to go to the backyard topless and tan them to toughen them up. She insisted it worked.

Not that I don't BELIEVE her, but cancer risk is not worth tough nipples. Plus I know I'd just burn.

When I was pregnant, someone once gave me the advice to purposely be loud around the sleeping baby all the time so that she'd be used to noises and wouldn't need quiet to sleep. It sounded like good advice in theory but in practice it was a disaster.

colliebabe · May 2014

I don't have a personal story, but I'll never forget someone on my BMB sharing a story about an old guy at the gas station telling her she needed to rub her nipples with water based lubricant. As he was walking out the door he was yelling to her "remember! Water based!"

NeneCakies · May 2014

kimberlykl2009 said:
The endless speculation about how someone carries equaling the sex of the child is uber annoying. Carrying high/low =/= the kids equipment.

Yup. A woman stopped me in the grocery store once and told me I was having a boy. I told her 2 ultrasounds showed girl parts. She side eyed me and said she was never wrong complete with the most condescending "you'll see" parting remark. Yep, I saw a girl come out my vagine TYVM. STFU.

wiggyslilsis · May 2014

NarwhalBacon said:
Maybe it varies by pedi. Our pedi told us to give prune or apple juice. I jokingly said, "so no corn syrup?" He said no, and told me why you shouldn't but I forgot why.

A lot of things vary by pedi. I see a father daughter practice and the dad has been practicing for almost 50 years. He has some old school techniques but is pretty modern considering.

They told me not to do it often and to always brush her teeth/gums after the bottle. They worry about rotting the teeth but in our case the risk was worth the benefit especially since Apple juice did nothing and prune juice made her tummy hurt. This is why you have to talk to the doctor though because there are so many factors.

FalconCrest · May 2014

nonniedee said:

I've always been told that if a baby walks before 9 months, it's because they're making room for the next one. I'm ashamed to say I believe this. Everyone I know with Irish twins, had an early walking first born. It's probably coincidence, but it's never been proven wrong.

That is pretty interesting and I don't see how it could be scientifically possible, but now that you mention it, every early walker I know had a sibling really close in age...

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