Conflicting advice - sick of it! (bit of a rant)

[Chellepot]

Hi,

Just wondering how many of you out there are sick of reading completely different advice on various topics. You know what i'm talking about -
Cot bumpers causing SIDS, honey causing food poisoning in babies under 1, not using bottles if breastfeeding...the list goes on! ARGH!!!

The thing that annoys me more is when proffessional experts who write books completely contradict each other. I expect it to differ on the net because the articles can be written by any old Joe but when it is a proffessional in the field of medicine/midwifery/breastfeeding etc why do they all have something different to say???

You know, I think I might just cuff it.! It seems no one else has a definate idea of the right or wrong way to bring up a healthy child, who says my way cant be the right one!

 

[MissRoxie]

Tbh hun, I like hearing different ways of doing things as not the same advice will for all children, you just gotta find what works best for you & LO. Trial & error!

 

[miss h]

I understand your frustration hun but also agree with Miss Roxie - every child and situation is different and, as a responsible parent, it is up to us to listen to the research and decide on the best course of action to take for our child.

It would be fab if there was a step-by-step instruction manual for bringing up a perfectly healthy, emotionally stable human child but that is just not the way life goes (and how boring would it be if that were the case?).

 

[meg79]

I'm hearing you!!

I am not bothering to post on topics such as BF vs FF, keeping cats, bumpers, flu jabs etc... and most of them I am avoiding reading as well, you just know that the same stuff will come up again and again.....

I have my own veiws on things and I am happy with the decisions I have made. I'm sure that there will be many more topics like these that will crop up once LO is here, regarding leaving to cry, baby led weaning, discipline etc. But for now, I'm happy where I am! x

 

[Kimmer]

To be honest, I haven't heard any conflicting advice

I've always known cot bumpers to be dangerous. Not giving a breastfed baby a bottle just makes sense, that can be very confusing for them. And not giving honey to any child under 1 year old has been around since before I was born!

 

[meg79]

I've always known cot bumpers to be dangerous

Really...... that's not what's being said now....

But I'm not saying anything lol

 

[Chellepot]

To be honest, I haven't heard any conflicting advice

I've always known cot bumpers to be dangerous. Not giving a breastfed baby a bottle just makes sense, that can be very confusing for them. And not giving honey to any child under 1 year old has been around since before I was born!

See depending on which SIDS site you read cot bumpers are fine, on the other they are dangerous. In a book I have it actually advises giving a baby a bottle feed occasionally to stop LO being too fussy when you try to wean but in another book it advises strictly against it and I have never heard in my life that you cant give a baby under 1 honey but then why would I - until I got pregnant I had never even been near a baby website. I appreciate your comments but what may be common sense to you is confusing to me - I'm a first time mum....

 

[mamajoanne]

I know exactly how you feel, it drives me crazy as well. I'm now a 2nd time mum and it is a whole lot easier as you don't listen to every bit of research that comes out. You have to remember that most of it is just newspapers trying to create a story to sell more newspapers. I agree with Miss Roxie, you do what is best for you.

 

[rae27]

I agree, there is loads of conflicting advice out there! But to be honest it doesn't worry too much. No matter what the topic (baby related or otherwise) you can find evidence and statistics to back up or condemn and pregnancy and parenthood is no different. My only advise (and I'm sure someone out there could contradict it!) is to just listen to your instincts, follow the logic that makes sense to you and do it your way. Obviously take on board advice and guidance from your health care professionals (they've generally been in the game much longer than us!) but you are going to know your body and your baby better than anyone. Be sensible and ask for help/information if you need to but trust yourself too. Every child is different and are going to have different needs, it's up to you to work out what those needs are.

 

[Green Lady]

Babies aren't meant to have honey because it can contain a form of botulism that their young immune systems can't handle. I never knew that myself till awhile ago! A lot of advice is confusing though, I agree.

 

[Mummy~L]

There is a lot of conflicting advice, I agree. I think it is just a case of reading the information then making a decision on what you feel is best for you and your family!

Im sure I do plenty of things that others would frown upon and vice versa. Everyone has there own parenting style and I thinkas long as we are bringing up happy and healthy children then we cant really be asked much more then that!

On the other hand the No Honey for under ones is a true one. It contains a bacteria which can cause a very rare but serious illness, infant botulism. Youngerrs babys guts just aren't cut out to deal with it yet.

xx

 

[Chellepot]

Dont get me wrong, I am glad I saw the thing about honey as I really had no idea and I see young children when they are weaning eating toast soldiers with spread or marmite on them and if I hadn't have known I would have prob added a dab of honey as well tot the mix.

I agree with all the comments along the lines that it is down to each individual childs needs and that is what I must respond to, I just wish there werent so many know it all "experts" out there in proffessional positions all singing from different song sheets lol

 

[secretbaby]

Advice also changes based on new research, like when they found that the feet to foot, back to sleep position reduced cot death - it save so many lives. If you are reading a book you need to make sure its up to date and contains the latest information. I have always found the FSID (fsid.org.uk) very good for all information about reducing the risk of cot death, you can also email them and they have a phone helpline too.

It does get very confusing sometimes! how to make up baby bottles had totally changed since my son was born in 1999 (am hoping to breastfeed but if not I will have to learn the new way!).

On non medical things you often have to go with your gut instinct.

 

[Alegria]

It does get very confusing, and sometimes just doesn't make any sense - I was reading a book that I was given and it said that you shouldn't use blankets or sleeping bags - so how is the baby not going to freeze?!!!

 

[inperfected]

With the breast/bottle one, the main issue I've heard of is nipple confusion, and that if you wait a few weeks til they are feeding well you can minimise this... But yes, I totally agree! Try searching for whether hydrocortisone cream is ok and you'll see what I mean!

 

[My_First]

Babies aren't meant to have honey because it can contain a form of botulism that their young immune systems can't handle. I never knew that myself till awhile ago! A lot of advice is confusing though, I agree.

Crikey I didnt know that until just now!

 

[nikkip]

following your instinct is the best advice. whilst the honey thing i agree with, i used cot bumpers and baby led weaning and also combi fed - bottle and breast for 3 weeks without a problem. im a second timer now and im going to do whats best for baby not what a book says. xx