Never Go By These Baby Care Myths!

Baby

oi-Anwesha

By Anwesha Barari

Friday, April 27, 2012, 17:48

Most of the baby myths have come from traditions and rituals that we have followed since ages. Some also come from needless generalisations that we ourselves make. But, when it comes to your newborn baby, no parent would like to take a chance. To make sure that you care for your new born baby in the right way, you need to dispel a few baby myths.

If you have a newborn baby, then try to avoid these common myths about baby care.

Top 5 Baby Care Myths:

Myth 1: You should not breastfeed the baby for the first 3 days. This is not only an incorrect statement but can also be proved dangerous. For the first 3 days after your delivery, your breasts secrete a yellowish liquid called colostrum. In some cultures, you are forbidden to breastfeed your newborn baby as you secrete colostrum. But your baby is actually losing out WHAT NUTRIENTS? because colostrum boosts the immunity of the baby.

Myth 2: My baby has blue eyes. Sorry to disappoint you but many babies have either blue or brown eyes when they are born. The reason behind it is that the cornea of a new born baby is not fully developed. Eye colour of your baby will change slowly when the cornea develops. By the time the baby is 6 months old, the colour of the eyes will reach to its original shade.

Myth 3: Oil massage is necessary for my newborn baby. For your information your new born baby's oil glands are not yet developed. So all the oil you are putting on him or her is totally wasted. In fact, this myth can cause baby acne because the oil is not being absorbed by the skin cells.

Myth 4: Sun bathing will strengthen the bones of my baby. It might also give your baby a sun stroke. It is an Indian belief that leaving the baby out in the sun after an oil massage helps the bones absorb vitamin D. But the tropical sun can do more harm than good.

Myth 5: Crying will tire the baby. It is quite the contrary; crying makes your baby's heart strong. When the baby opens mouth wide and wails, they are actually using their lungs to the fullest extent. Crying is health for your baby. So, do not rush to the baby every time it whimpers. Also, crying improves the voice clarity of the newborn.

If you are a new mother, follow expert medical advise to care for your newborn baby, not some old woman's tales. Do you came across any other baby myths?