What were the 'rules' about putting your baby to sleep in the 1970s?

[70sCarpet]

As an adult, I absolutely cannot sleep on my back ever. And this got me thinking about how I might have been put to sleep in the cot? Did I form this habit very early on? Sadly my parents aren't around to ask. When I had my own kids, the advice was very definitely to put babies on their backs. So I'm asking here, if anyone knows what baby sleep advice was in the 70s?

DMil has told me she put BIL to sleep on his front because he wasn't cute and she didn't want people seeing his big nose, but my DH was a very cute baby so he was put to sleep on his back for all the world to see him!

I had my first in the late 70s - we were sternly told to put babies to sleep on their tummies - any other way risked cot death.

Roll on 10 years or so....

its common sense baby on front wont choke on vomit but i dont get how back sleepers have reduced the amount of babies dying. surely on your back you are more likely to choke if you vomit

I honestly believe it is because babies simply don’t sleep as well or as deeply on their backs. But I also believe the biggest factor in reduction of SIDS is the reduction of smoking levels in the home....

My parents just stuck us in the garden 🤣

I have 4 children all born in the eighties, all slept on their fronts. I put them out on the balcony once they were up washed and dressed. Only exception was if it was foggy.