I admit I had my babies a long time ago, so probably everything I think I know is wrong….

[CurlewKate]

…and I’m sure there have been many good changes in baby raising practices. But two things in particular seem to be causing anxiety and stress in the new and expecting mothers on here and in my RL that there seems to be no real evidence for, and seem to just be things to beat women up about. Colostrum harvesting and tummy time. Am I missing acres of scientific evidence? To nail my colours to the mast, I was a hippy dippy attachment parent who was old and confident enough to question anything I was told if it didn’t seem to make sense to me. But for many that’s a very very hard thing to do.

Tummy time is because tons of people just never babies lying on their backs/in seats/buggies etc not giving them opportunities to roll around.

Colostrum harvesting... where is that encouraged?

Colostrum harvesting, if you can do it, is a great idea. I had 2 long complicated labours and after 24 hours of no sleep, could take a long nap to recover while DH gave them the colostrum as their second feed.

The NHS encourages colostrum harvesting from 37 weeks of pregnancy onwards. And yes there is scientific evidence about how it can really help a newborn straight after birth, especially if the mother chooses not to go onto breastfeed after. They didn't just pluck it out of their arse and decide moms should do it theres loads of science backed evidence why its a good thing.

And yes tummy time is good for them developmentally and helps prevent flat head that so many are aflicted with as a result of the safe sleep guidelines which is laid flat on their back to sleep.

Putting pressure on mother's to start breast feeding 3 weeks before birth. Great idea...

I remember tummy time from mine born 2001.

I’ll be honest, I haven’t done either of those.
Breastfed my first for 9 months.
Still breastfeeding my second and she’s 6 months.
Both hate(d) tummy time and my youngest is rolling around and playing on her front by choice now.
I think it’s just whatever works for each parent and their baby 🤷🏼‍♀️

My HV used to tell me to put mine on their tummies for a bit every day back in the 90s.

What are the benefits of harvesting colostrum as opposed to just breastfeeding it directly? Seems like a bit of a faff to me.

I agree that the problem with colostrum harvesting is that if, like me, you physically can't do it, the mum is in a state of anxiety about feeding before even giving birth. I'd like to see it made clearer that not being able to harvest anything doesn't mean you won't be able to breastfeed without issues (also the case for me, it was easy enough for me once baby arrived).

Tummy time is a good to do rather than a necessity. Lots of mums I know didn't do it because they were too busy with older siblings or because the baby screamed its head off. It matters more if the child spends a lot of time in a pram or otherwise contained.

I never did tummy time. Thought it was a pile of shit. My kid is 10 and is fine.

I was encouraged to do it as I had gestational diabetes and there was a risk my baby's sugar levels would be too low at birth and colostrum is a good remedy to that. I felt better being prepared and as it was his sugar levels were fine but he had a tongue tie so I was very pleased to have it

My eldest is 32 we were encouraged/advised to lie babies on a mat or whereever .everyday i don't know where you are getting parents are "anxious" about it or it is a new thing, i don't know much about the colostrum harvesting tbf it does sound a bit of a faff

My DD had issues latching at first (I’m talking just the first 12 hrs) and the hospital gave me a pot and a little syringe to express and feed her. If I’d done colostrum harvesting I’d have been able to use that, and I’d probably have known more what I was doing in term of expressing. As it was I was trying to do it at 3am, exhausted, after a PPH. It needs two hands, DH had been sent home so wasn’t there to hold DD who was crying.
Ultimately it was fine, she was fine, and I breastfed her for 2 yrs, so you could say there was no need to have done the harvesting. But it would have made that night easier.

That same research also points out that some contra indications of colostrum harvesting, particularly for women at risk of pre term labour, a cervical stitch or bleeding during pregnancy.
A systematic review of research papers into ‘tummy time’ benefits showed that most studies were observational in design and lacked the robustness of a randomised controlled trial. High selection and performance bias were also present.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32371428/

My youngest is 30 now and tummy time was always a thing. Probably not called that back then but it was always said that laying a baby on their tummy for periods of time helped digestion and colic issues.
Its not a new thing

That’s interesting-I must have been looking in the wrong places!
Are there a lot of cases of flat head? More than there were? I remember a huge debate back in the day about whether it was a serious issue or something to encourage the sale of special helmet things…..

Mostly flat heads correct themselves when baby becomes mobile do they not, unless its a severe case? Correct me if im wrong

Yeah, I think tummy time has been around for years since the Back to Sleep campaign in the 90s and then the risk of flathead.

I remember being really worried about flathead when DD1 was a baby and checking her loads - and then I saw a child with a really severe case when I was waiting at the HV and stopped worrying as it was so obvious my DD did not have an issue!

I was astounded to hear about “floor bed”. Instead of a cot. Making an open bed (no sides) directly on the floor for the baby/ toddler, baby proof the whole room and accept the baby can get out of the bad and range around at any time. For the stage when they are grown out of the moses basket or next to me cot. I didn’t really understand the advantages of this, I think it’s something to do with a cot with sides/ bars being seen as cruel and like a cage. WTF.

I think people should be aware that being in an ergonomic sling (where they are close enough to be kissed by the person carrying and the bum is in a nice deep seated position with the legs going up and out into like a W position- not dangling down straight!) counts as tummy time in terms of the muscles and control gained. Lots of babies dislike tummy time when very small but most love a sling (once you start walking- often complain about going into it!).

My biggest bugbear is that other than on MN where nobody admits to using one for extended times, in real life the number of babies left in car seats for extended periods is immense! Walking round shops, shopping centres, for full meals at restaurants, in evenings at a wedding, at sibling activities (my Son plays football and a baby sibling spends the full 60 min trainings or 90 min games in that car seat) More should be done to advertise how bad these are for babies rather than making wheels the car seat can attach to which makes it easier!

Colostrum- I don’t know. It is better than nothing and tbh so many mums to be seen happpier to make efforts for their unborn babies than actual mums once the baby is born and they realise how hard it is. So if they harvest plenty of colostrum then don’t breastfeed because they hurt… then at least that baby has a good start. But more breastfeeding support and more normalising breastfeeding in general would be far better for more babies.

I think it’s more about developing core strength for later crawling and walking.

I was told about colostrum harvesting because I was due to have a tricky c section but warned that it could trigger pre-term labour so decided against it. I can see why someone would do it if they’re expecting a high risk or heavily medicated delivery or even if they are planning to formula feed from the off so baby can have that important first milk which is essentially designed by the body especially for them.

Yeah I never got the whole dedicated tummy time thing. Appreciate it’s a small sample but my 2 kids heads are fine. I can see from PP explanations why it would be recommended though.

A cot isnt a cruel cage its for a babys safety 😆

Tummy time has been around since the eighties at least. What year were your kids born?

Colostrum harvesting wasn't a thing only a few years ago. I can see the benefit of it if it works but it seems to cause huge anxiety for women who can't do it and worries that they won't be able to breastfeed.

It should be promoted as a give it a go if you like but don't stress if it doesn’t work for you.

Nothing wrong with a floor bed. Nothing to do with "cruelty". Means you don't have to worry about baby climbing out a d falling etc. also can save your back! And also easier to breastfeed or to lie with them.