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AIBU?

to ask for the most bizarre advice you've been given after this gem from my mum (lighthearted)

343 replies

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/12/2016 19:22

I'm due baby no 2 in 5 weeks, I work in the hospital I'm giving birth in, and my mum also used to work there about 10 years ago.

I work closely with the chief executive in my job and am in the office next door. My mum has told me that when I go in to give birth, to get "star treatment" and a room of my own in postnatal, I should tell them that I work next door to the chief exec and they will give me what I want.

I actually giggled as I could imagine just how obnoxious I'd sound rolling in mid-contraction and saying "I work with the chief exec you know. What you gonna do with that information?" And then having midwives flocking round giving me pedicures and the like Grin

She is adamant she's right! I joked that he's universally disliked to they'd probably put me in the corridor if anything! Even if I did have the brass neck to say this, I really would rather a side room go to a woman who needs one, and although I'm a high-risk birth it probably wouldn't be me! I'd rather have one on the premise of actually needing one, not because of who I "know".

It inspired me to ask the members of MN for the most bizarre advice you've been given?

OP posts:
NapQueen · 09/12/2016 19:24

My dad still maintains that if I offer to pay for goods in cash I'll get a discount

My mum says when new shoes hurt I ought to cover then in a damp cloth and bash them with a hammer.

I adore them but they are nuttier than squirrel shit

snototterly · 09/12/2016 19:24

To rub surgical spirits on my nipples pre-baby to toughen them up, was a cracker I was told.

Eyre89 · 09/12/2016 19:27

Dp gran says to put a bar of soap under your sheet at the bottom of your bed to stop cramp at night happening. She is convinced it works as she hasn't had cramp since. She was told by her sister who says she never gets cramp now, ever.

CondensedMilkSarnies · 09/12/2016 19:28

I was in a serious RTA it was a coach and we weren't wearing seatbelts. My Dad suggested I get a note from my GP that excuses me from wearing a seat belt when in a car ! I will never again travel
in any vehicle without being strapped in !

glueandstick · 09/12/2016 19:29

My mother was convinced that the spirits of our passed pets haven't left the house.

glueandstick · 09/12/2016 19:29

Not sure that was advice but it was supposed to bring comfort. Apparently.

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/12/2016 19:31

Ha Nap inwent to Currys with my grandad to help him buy an iPad for £299, he most flabbergasted that he couldn't get a discount as he was paying cash. The manager told him it makes no difference the payment method and they can't give discount when just buying one Apple product. He argued the toss for about 10 minutes as I slowly shuffled off red in the face

OP posts:
FadedRed · 09/12/2016 19:32

Cherry I wouldn't tell any of the staff that you work for the chief exec- they'll be spitting in your soup!Grin
Eyre not soap, a potato surely. That's what I was told.

Lostpangolin · 09/12/2016 19:32

Surgical spirits rubbed into bum cheeks does toughen them. Learned whilst rowing. No info on nipples, sorry

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/12/2016 19:34

Faded Grin my thoughts exactly although I do know a few staff through work, but I think they like me so hopefully no phlegm sandwiches on the ward!

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Mamatallica · 09/12/2016 19:34

My MIL put sugar down to "get rid of ants" Grin Apparently this advice came from one of her neighbours, I think they might have been taking the piss!

Eyre89 · 09/12/2016 19:34

faded they both use the same pale orange imperial leather soap, not sure if that makes a difference. A potato? I don't know which is stranger.

TiredMumToTwo · 09/12/2016 19:35

My ex and I split up and neither of us could afford the mortgage on our own so put the house on the market - only sensible option I thought. My Dad said that I should go cap in hand to the bank and they might take pity on this poor now single mother. He said my house would never sell and that I'd just have to essentially plead my case, was so chuffed to ring him when the house offer came through!

19lottie82 · 09/12/2016 19:35

My mum used to tell me not to touch any miles I might have or I'd "give myself cancer"!

19lottie82 · 09/12/2016 19:35

Moles not miles!

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/12/2016 19:35

My MIL suggested putting a raw onion in the room when you have a cold, I thought she was barking mad until I saw the same advice a few times on MN!

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RuggerHug · 09/12/2016 19:36

That using my annual leave to go look after a friends newborn with my DM would help me with my fertility issues as I 'would get to be around a baby doing things and she wouldn't have to get rid of her nails so we would BOTH be better off '.

Didn't take her up on that strangely enough Hmm

Coldhandscoldheart · 09/12/2016 19:38

Eyre there is a bit of evidence to support that actually (can't remember now, but one of the doctors at my work did a thing on it)
Has to be the right kind of soap though, knights castille, imperial leather or um can't remember the other!

SockQueen · 09/12/2016 19:38

Cherry she might be crazy, but I got a side room on the ward when I gave birth in the hospital I work in, on condition that I give it up if someone had a clinical need for it. Didn't ask for it at all, but when I turned up for my induction the ward sister recognised me (I do some obstetrics work). There are occasionally some perks to being NHS staff.

Cary2012 · 09/12/2016 19:39

Many years ago my dear departed gran told me off for washing my hair when I had my period! Apparently this was very dangerous back in her day.

pigsDOfly · 09/12/2016 19:41

You're granddad is a remembering times passed Cherry.

Years ago, when buying things like TV and fridges, you could indeed often get a discount for cash as apposed to buying it on 'hire purchase' as it was known. I imagine it was because a lot of small businesses were happy to get their money in a lump sum.

Having said that, not sure where he's been living for the last 40 or 50 years if he still thinks that happens, although he's clearly very up to date if he's buying ipads. No harm in trying, I suppose :)

Eyre89 · 09/12/2016 19:43

Cold I'd love to know how it helps it just sounds so unlikely but they are both adamant it does work.

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CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/12/2016 19:44

pigs think the iPad was used twice and is now neatly stored in a drawer somewhere, he can't be doing with this new fangled technology apparently Grin

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PonderLand · 09/12/2016 19:46

Haha, I used to do housekeeping on children's wards and actually what your mum says is true in my hospital. We often used to be told by supervisors (who'd got told by management) to feed certain parents (only meant to feed patients and bf mums), to put them in a room, to give them whatever they ask.
The reason is because they don't want upper management to have a bad impression of the ward and their staff. Someone somewhere will know you're on the ward and all of a sudden 'would you like an extra dessert Cherry'

In answer to your thread the advice my dad gave me when I had a 3 week old baby has always stayed with me.
He was taking us to hospital for an appointment and I was going to put the car seat base in his car, he asked me why would I use a car seat, wouldn't it be safer to just hold my LB?
I of course laughed at him, then asked what would happen when we crash at 60mph? He said I should hold him tighter.

pigsDOfly · 09/12/2016 19:47

Probably still smarting over the lack of discount Grin

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