Mother and baby advice from 1960 - ask away!

[TerpsichoreanMuse]

I've been clearing out my father's house (he's sold it) and I've found the baby manuals given to my mother when I was born in 1960.

There are four: the "Glaxo Mother and Baby" book, "From Milk to Mixed Diet" (a guide to modern baby feeding), "Relaxation and exercise for natural childbirth" (1959) and "You and your baby," published by the BMA.

If anyone would like any advice (only 60 years out-of-date!) on this topic, please ask and I shall attempt to answer.

Is there anything about leaving baby in a pram in the garden for naps?

What age and first food recommended for weaning?

Was 'a dab' of alcohol recommended for teething pain?

What should I feed my baby at 11 months?
What exercise should I do post birth?

@Lockdownlovernotfromliverpool

Is there anything about leaving baby in a pram in the garden for naps?

My MIL always talks about how well her children slept and never cried. Most of the time they were asleep in their prams at the bottom of the garden. Also they lived on an RAF base and the bottom of the garden was next to the runway so any noise from the children was drowned out 😂

Is there any mention of Dads helping out at all?

It's mentioned in passing in the story of a first-time mother in the Glaxo book.

"What I hadn't imagined was that he would be able to work loose such things as... well, I'd better tell the story. One day Simon was sitting is his pram while I gardened. He had been quiet for some time and I went to have a look. He was as good as gold, but I noticed he was slowly munching something. I forced his mouth open, dived a finger down, and drew out – a metal nut. He must have worked it loose."

StylishMummy

At 10 or 12 weeks old you should start introducing the first solid food. The next week you give this on alternate days, starting a new food on the other days. (...) A good way to introduce your baby to solids is to give him a little lightly cooked egg on a teaspoon before the third feed.

I'll attach the photo of a typical 14 week old baby's menu.

I don't know what's more shocking. Feeding a baby canned soup (hello salt police) or calling a baby Simon .

StylishMummy - teething, not that I've found so far. The Glaxo book says that half an aspirin is usually quite effective, but it is reasonable to ask your doctor to prescribe something to help the baby to sleep at nights. "Teething powders" are, however, to be avoided: some of them are dangerous and may be the cause of a very trying illness known as pink disease.

Any advice on how to get them to sleep at night? What of routines?

Nap times for babies than are sleep intolerant

cinnaminmon Theres a few diets for roughly 9 -12 months. E.g.

On waking: fruit juice, if wanted.

Breakfast: Farex, varied with cereals or porridge. Three times a week half an egg, lightly boiled, poached or scrambled. On other mornings he may have a small rasher of bacon, crisply fried, or crisp fried bread, or fish-cake, or stewed fruit. Milk to drink.

Dinner: As before. (I.e. when 6-7 months.) Vegetables and gravy, or white fish, or cheese, or scraped roast beef or lamb, or rabbit, or liver, brains, sweetbread, tripe etc.; followed by raw fruit purée or sieved prune or baked or stewed apple, or ripe banana with junket, jelly, egg custard or milk pudding.

Tea: Egg, tomato, banana or honey sandwiches, brown or white bread, plain cake. Drink of milk from a cup.

Before the bath: cod liver oil or Adexolin.

Bed-time (if he wants it): Drink of milk from a cup.

BTW, I am very healthy so this can't have been too bad for me!!

cinnaminmon

Exercises after birth. First note that you will probably stay in bed for at least part of the day for a fortnight, although the modern practice is to allow a mother to get out of bed for a little while as early as the fourth day. Even when you finally get up, you should not do your normal share of housework for at least two weeks.

Two days after the birth, ask your doctor's permission to carry out the simple exercises opposite (attached).

WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo

For a start:

"Nearly every mother of a first baby, when she says goodbye to the hospital or the midwife, feels a touch of panic at finding herself alone with a real live baby totally dependent on her inexperienced hands. From that moment baby (and baby's father) expect her to step into the role of mother when she may have, as yet, very little idea of how to carry out her functions."

Apart from that and a mention of when intercourse can be resumed (6 weeks post party), the male of the species is barely acknowledged. Well, except that all the babies seem to be boys.

"Nearly every mother of a first baby, when she says goodbye to the hospital or the midwife, feels a touch of panic at finding herself alone with a real live baby totally dependent on her inexperienced hands. From that moment baby (and baby's father) expect her to step into the role of mother when she may have, as yet, very little idea of how to carry out her functions."

I still feel like this and my first baby is 16

WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo

I've found more!

It is not only the expectant mother, but the prospective father who has something to learn. Special evening sessions and many clinics cater for him, if he can be persuaded to attend. Your job is to do the persuading.

Pretty much what I expected then really. I remember seeing an old poster in a museum about the benefits of breastfeeding, and one of them was something to do with Dad not being able/expected to help so he could rest

Lockdownlovernotfromliverpool

I found something about sleeping outside!

The best place for baby's daytime sleep is in a pram in the open air (except when it is foggy or wet) with a safety net stretch over it to prevent cats from jumping up.

Re sleeping outside - it works . Did it with both mine. Must be something about the fresh air !

I love this thread! Thank you OP.

letsmakethetea

It is generally accepted that a baby of one to three months should sleep nineteen hours out of the twenty-four.
...

Babies can also be helped to bring up the wind by laying them face downwards for a short time with the pillow underneath the body instead of the head.

A baby cannot go to sleep if his feet are cold – a hot water bottle placed between the blankets, not next to his skin, will remedy this.

@BarbaraofSeville

I don't know what's more shocking. Feeding a baby canned soup (hello salt police) or calling a baby Simon .

I suspect there may be a few baby Simons after watching Bridgerton

I had the Glaxo mother and baby book for my early 1970s birth. I couldn't understand why my baby didn't go to sleep when I put her down after a feed as this is what the book promised. Unfortunately she didn't read it.

1960s maternity wear.

NancyDrew1966

My parents told me I only slept if outside, and then only if under a tree!

What kind of clothes should they wear, and how many layers? When should potty training start?