What was the official feeding advice in the 1970s?

[stargirl1701]

This is a little TAAT.

What was the advice given to mums in the 1970s about feeding their babies? I was a baby then and my mum is dead so I can't ask her. MIL has been quite disapproving of me managing to ebf DD2 (23 weeks now). Is the advice/practice really that different?

Just interested, if anyone knows.

[TheEagle]

I don't know for sure what the position was in the UK but I've seen a breastfeeding pamphlet from Irish maternity hospitals around this time.

The advice was to feed every 4 hours and no more.

I was born in 1980 and feeding on demand was not fashionable - it was still the 4 hourly schedule.

Solids were also introduced a lot earlier.

Smile, nod and ignore your MIL Mine never stopped asking when DS was getting a bottle for the first 5 months or so. Eventually she got the message!!!

[stargirl1701]

How did they get babies to wait 4 hours? Neither of my 2 ever did.

It's just rather tiresome, tbh. She is now suggesting introducing formula at 26 weeks. I thought I had made my point but all I have achieved is for her to understand that the advice is ebf until 26 weeks.

[TheEagle]

God knows! Possibly they topped up with water? Or baby cried until they knew no milk was coming I think it's definitely linked to earlier solids introduction anyway.

My DS was about 7 months before he'd reliably go 4 hours without boob!

That sounds very annoying about your MIL, you'd think she would have got the message by now. I was tired telling most of my family and my ILs that the advice now was ebf until 26 weeks and then solids.

I'm sure they hoped I'd hang up my boobs once the solids arrived on the scene

[Chottie]

My eldest DC was born in 1977, she was ebf for 9 months, weaned from 6 months. I demand fed her. I was not unusual (south London) Neither of my children ever had a bottle, they used to sip from a spoon and then moved onto a cup.

Weaning foods have changed, my DD used to have soft boiled egg mashed into cooked potato, mashed vegetables and fruit and fish.

[stargirl1701]

I thought I had 'finished' this conversation after emailing her links to current advice as she stopped asking but I am now sensing it is just going to go on and on until I stop bf. The joys!

[Lyndie]

My mum said we were weaned onto solids from 3-4 months. DBro who was huge apparently had porridge from 2.5 months on the advice of our GP at the time. We were breastfed until my mum went back to work (University lecturer).

[BabyOnBoob]

I think the World Health Organisation recommends bf for the first 2 years. Does anyone know if I'm right in saying that?

Your MIL would get her flaps in a right twist over that.

[stargirl1701]

MIL had her babies in rural Scotland. She is very conservative. She did not bf.

I have no idea how long I'll continue to bf. Still taking it one day at a time!

[DragonsDoHiccup]

Both the NHS and WHO recommend EBF to 6 months, then they differ slightly in that the NHS recommends continuing to breastfeed alongside solids, for a minimum of one year and beyond. The WHO recommends continuing to bf alongside solids for a minimum of two years and beyond.

[BabyOnBoob]

I'm going to bf for as long as DD wants. Family joke I'll be shoving my boob through the school gates for her which is funny but hurts a bit too. Bloody families

[DayLillie]

My little brother (born 1970, baby no 4) was breast fed up to 6 weeks (and wore long nightdresses day and night ) every three hours because he was born 1 month early.

Then he had bottles and at some stage he was given Farex. I don't know how old he was, but he used to suck it off the spoon, leaving a big hole in the middle - so not very old. Must have been about 12 weeks, but you have to factor in that he was early.
I got the impression, from my mother, that weaning before 12 weeks was A Bad Thing and not something she would have done (like putting brandy in the bottles to make them sleep and only done amongst people who did not know how to do it properly).

When he had the hang of the Farex, he had egg yolk mashed into it (cooked - not the white as you could not have this until you were 6 months). Protein and iron were important. There were a few things you could not have until six months, but I can't remember what. He had mashed banana sometimes, with Farex. He had loads of rusks too. Farleys and another sort you cannot get now. And crusts with butter on. He could have chocolate buttons then too.

Then he had Heinz tinned stuff. We did not have pureeing equipment, so it was this or mashable stuff. He went through a lot of Ready Brek. Babies could have delrosa rose hip syrup for vit C.

During the 1970s, there was a lot of campaigning for Breast is Best, because rates had gone down a long way by then.

This is the viewpoint from a 6yr old big sister, so not official

[DragonsDoHiccup]

My mother was a GP in the early 70s and said she followed official advice with me and my sibling - which was milk to 4 months then wean. I think I was weaned at 17 weeks, my sibling at 18... But both bottle fed as she only had 2 weeks maternity leave!

[Brandysnapper]

Babyonboob you're almost right - they recommend bf for a minimum of two years.
I think the advice/attitudes must have varied a lot, just like mumsnetters experiences today. My dm did not bf me (wasn't even formula at times, boiled cow's milk) whereas my dh's mum (him being the same age as me) bf him.

[BabyOnBoob]

Thank you DragonsDoHiccup

[BabyOnBoob]

Sorry, and brandysnapper

[DragonsDoHiccup]

I must say my mother is still very "hmm" that I am tandem feeding my 3.5 and 1 year olds! Also that I'm a SAHM when she fought for equality blah de blah ..,. Yeah - there's a few very good reasons why I want to be around my young children as they grow up (stops tangent sorry)

[Mistlewoeandwhine]

I was born in 1971 in N.Ireland. I was 9lbs and cried a lot when they tried to make me go the 4hrs between feeds. The nurses' response was to mix Complan into my bottles to make me go the distance. I can't say I feel too happy about that (although I am still alive to tell the tale).

[stargirl1701]

Fascinating! So, the objective seems to be making the baby go longer between feeds. That explains the, 'when do you start spacing out the feeds?' question! I wonder why that was thought to be positive?

[TheEagle]

poor baby mistlewoe

[stargirl1701]

I was titchy compare to you. 77 baby and 4lbs at full term!

[TheEagle]

stargirl, I think the whole idea of spacing out feeds is wrapped up in parent - led routines i.e. we set the agenda not the babies.

Not sure who decided the 4 hourly thing!

[DrSeuss]

In 1971, my late mother was told to feed only at four hourly intervals. In the maternity ward, where she spent two weeks, all we're on the exact same schedule. I was not popular when, having been born at 11 pm, I insisted on having a bottle! Each mother had a feeding bottle of sugar water to use to distract screaming babies between feeds. Breast feeding just wasn't a thing. Formula was the norm. My mother told me she thought it was " icky".
I had to tell her many times that BF on demand was considered desirable. We did not get on and the feeding, along with many other things, was an issue. If it didn't follow the advice she was given thirty five years previously, it was wrong. I eventually shut her up by asking if, when visiting the doctor about her various much mentioned conditions, she asked if she could have treatments that would have been advised in the 1970s. She naturally said no. I replied that in that case, why should it be a good idea to follow maternity advice from then?
MIL had DH in 1968. She had read up about BF and wanted to do it. She persisted although she was actively discouraged and given no help.

[DayLillie]

That explains the, 'when do you start spacing out the feeds?' question! smile I wonder why that was thought to be positive?

So you can do the housework, laundry (done on a single day in a twin tub washer and spindryer) shopping and have the dinner on the table when the husband came home (involving lots of peeling of muddy potatoes - they are so clean these days!), as well as look after the other children.

[worserevived]

I was born in the early 70s, and was formula fed, on a schedule. My mum was little grossed out when I ebf dd, and kept telling me it was 'too much for me' , and I should switch to formula for my health. Wound me up a bit tbh. Regardless of what the official advice may have been at the time ff was the norm where I grew up. None of my mum's friends bf. None of the other mothers on the ward did either (and this was in the days of a 10 day laying in period so new mums got to know each other). Bf-ing was regarded as hippy and odd by a lot of people.

As for how they managed to feed on a 4 hour schedule. It was considered perfectly normal to put a crying baby in their pram out in the garden for a bit of fresh air while you had a breather. My mum also advised me to do this!

Mistle I'm also from N. Ireland, similar age and it would seem similarly parented!

[DayLillie]

My mother used to take big brown tablets to help with milk supply (Brewer's Yeast???)

An occasional stout was though good too (I think this was a bit tongue in cheek, though)