Motherhood is challenging as it is without the need for additional, well-meaning yet unsolicited advice pouring in left and right. You will be quite surprised to know that babies don’t necessarily poop every day and that doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with them. There are so many such myths regarding newborns that need to be debunked for your sake and the sake of every new mother out there wondering what they’re doing wrong.
Here are some of the most common myths that we have taken the liberty to prove wrong:
Myth: Achievement of developmental milestones early means that your baby is exceptionally gifted
Truth: Sadly, there is no such thing. Every baby is unique and develops at their own pace and the standards that we have in place are only to identify delays in them rather than rejoice in early achievements. While early milestones don’t need to be celebrated, abnormally delayed milestones must be taken note of.
Myth: Routine is important and healthy for a newborn baby
Truth: Your mother could be telling you that you need to get your baby to sleep on time or you’re doing parenting wrong. Truth is, it is nearly impossible to get a newborn baby to do anything that you want. Babies need to be fed way more frequently than you think they do and they cannot sleep for more than a few hours at a time.
Myth: The umbilical cord stem requires special cleaning
Truth: You don’t need to go overboard and use alc0hol or other antiseptic solutions to sanitize the stump of the umbilical cord, using soap and water is plenty. Just clean it well every time to clean your baby, and don’t panic if it gets dirty. Caring for the umbilical cord is easy and often highly overrated.
Myth: You shouldn’t spoil your baby by picking them up every time they cry
Truth: Your baby cannot talk to you and the only way they can communicate distress and discomfort is through their cries. They might need a change, milk or there could be something worse. Never ignore a crying baby as they seldom cry for no reason. Also, you cannot possibly spoil a newborn baby.
Myth: Young babies need to be bathed every day
Truth: This is far from necessary but if you feel like this gives you special time to bond with your newborn and creates an enjoyable experience for both of you, there is little harm in doing so. Focus on keeping them clean using baby wipes and make sure that their hands and genitals are clean at all times.
Myth: Babies po0p all the time
Truth: No. They don’t. Babies can go up to a whole week without p0oping. Breastfeeding has a lot to do with healthy bowel movements. Fully brea.stfed babies have fewer incidents of constipation. As long as the po0p is soft, your baby is fine even if they haven’t soiled their napkins for days. But do make sure you’re changing their napkins every few hours either way.
Myth: My br east milk supply could run out soon
Truth: Your baby might feed up to 12 times a day and you’ll still have more than enough to feed them every time they need to be fed. You cannot run out of milk supply even if your baby is solely fed using breast milk. Initially, you might feel this way but that’s only because it takes up to six weeks for the production of milk to be regulated.
The only way to debunk most of these myths is to do your research and question everything that does not have a strong and obvious reason to back it up. While many such myths could be harmless, some can put your baby at risk.