There’s something about pregnancy and new motherhood that brings out the guru in everyone.
From the moment well-meaning family, friends, even strangers detect there’s a baby on the way, everyone has their little piece of wisdom to impart.
Of course, most people are only trying to help. To allow the people they care about to enjoy the benefits of their tried and tested parenting strategies.
Listen to the first episode of The Baby Bubble in which Jessie and Clare Stephens discuss how becoming a parent is the funniest thing that's ever happened to them. Post continues below.
Trouble is, it can be a minefield, with A LOT of conflicting advice. Almost all new mums have been told to ‘enjoy every moment’ of being needed while simultaneously being told not to ‘make a rod for our own back’.
That said, advice from those who have been there and done that can be a Godsend.
You have to sift through it though, pluck out the good bits and toss the rest. Because let’s face it, some of that well-meaning advice is more weird than it is wonderful.
So we asked 20 women the weirdest advice they ever received after becoming a new mum... and we definitely don't recommend taking most of them on board because they are... weird.
I was approached by a stranger at a train station and told ‘babies don’t like wearing hats’. - Felicity
I was told to put a spoonful of honey in my baby’s formula to sweeten the taste for him. - Jess
I was given a torch as a gift on the birth of my first baby, so I didn’t have to turn on the lights and wake my husband when I got up to feed the baby. - Kathryn.
A nip of brandy will get them to sleep all night. - Clair.
I was told to give my baby a warm cup of tea to help fill her tummy. - Mel.
Use a scourer on your nipples before baby arrives to toughen them up. - Yolanda.
GP told me to run my baby’s vulva under water after each nappy change to prevent UTIs. - Rebecca.
Stop drinking Coca-Cola as it’s clearly giving you fizzy milk and is the reason the baby is unsettled. - Kristy.
Your newborn is so obese, you shouldn’t feed him too often. - Karagh
Make sure to bath the baby underneath the kitchen window, before midday, never at night. - Kristy.
My five-month-old daughter was just trying to manipulate me (by being fussy) so I should put her on the floor for ten minutes to teach her a lesson. - Alison.
Tape a coin across the baby’s umbilical stump to make sure it goes in and he gets a nice belly button. - Brooke.
Kissing your baby on the cheek or forehead during burping can help relax their body allowing their burps to come up easier. - Pia.
Don’t peg out laundry when pregnant or the umbilical cord will strangle the baby. - Maria.
If you don’t breastfeed your baby will get sick or you’ll get breast cancer. - Sam.
Start toilet training from birth. - Nic.
I was told if I walked around barefoot the bad spirits would go through my feet and into the baby, also not to touch my face if I got scared when pregnant or it would leave a birthmark. - Acissej.
A dummy will lead to thumb sucking which will lead to braces. - Amy.
Don't eat tuna while pregnant because it's at the bottom of the food change. - Serena.
Sunbake topless to toughen up your nipples. - Meg.
For more parenting comedy, join Clare and Jessie Stephens in The Baby Bubble, it's definitely not a parenting advice podcast. Find us in your favourite podcast feed.
Feature image: Getty.
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