To be enjoying reading this 'Complete Babycare' book from 1979?

[Kayano]

I asked my mum a bit of advice (how old normally when they roll over) and she cracked out this gem of a book

I am reading it like

Some choice quotes:
'pregnancy can be a very enjoyable time for women, a time when one can make the most of long days at home and seek out pursuits such as sewing or dressmaking...'

:O

'most women have slight swelling of the hands and fingers in late pregnancy'

This wouldn't be so bad if not accompanied by a pic of a woman looking all bolted and sadly having to lay down her knitting needles. Really!

'rest periods are also ideal times for embarking on practical preparations, like knitting baby clothes'
Accompanied by an enthusiastic knitter.

'once your baby is born you will spend even more time in the kitchen.'

I never spend time
In the kitchen unless I have run out of chocolate and need to make
Some emergency cake mix. I don't spend time in the kitchen now! If I do the night feed damn straight DH is cooking and sterilising the bottles

Thank god things have progressed!

This book was an edition published in the 1980s but you totally
Wouldn't think so! It's from m&s too!

evaporated MIL - now that's some advice I could have done with

My Mum had a very old Family Medical Book which she kept because it had really useful photos of different rashes (chicken pox, measles etc) in it.

There was a pregnancy section which was alarmingly short. It mentioned maternity clothes, and I think all it said was that a woman should invest in one good tweed skirt with special fastenings that allowed it to expand as she got bigger.

If your baby is 3 months old and showing signs of restlessness, the time has come to start mix feeding (weaning)

'before you go to bed, allow a reasonable time to attend to dishes.'

That can't be true - is that honestly truly in that book?

I bought our first dishwasher in 1984 from the Ideal Home Exhibition . I was the first of my friends to have one but with 3 DC under 4 thought I deserved one !

Bogeyface We had a dishwasher from the mid 1970s - things always came out clean. We certainly weren't a "well off" family (never had a 'Chopper' bike )

Kayano - I don't get what's wrong with the last quote about making up the bottles ?

ok, x posted - the one about making up the bottles.

'sadly there is an idea in circulation that to be a mother and housewife is to e a second class citizen; that worthwhile work and opportunities to use education and talent only exist outside the home. This could not be further from the truth. The better educated and more talented the mother, the more fortunate the child'

My baby is an unlucky fuck then

I had "Pregnancy" by Gordon Bourne which is very old fashioned with some extra bits added in, in a suspiciously different typeface, about more modern concerns. I liked it because it talks about everything; every complaint of pregnancy puts in an appearance somewhere.

He has a section on "The Father's Role in Pregnancy" which is a corker.

My favourite bit is, and I quote directly from the text:

An elderly obstetrician said to me as I started on the long training in the specialty, 'You must understand, my boy; women are illogical - but when they are pregnant, they're impossible!'. This was 25 years ago but the basic principle still holds water!

Cheeky bugger.

The bottle one is that the water won't be hot enough to kill bacteria in the powder and is pretty bad advice now a days

Those guidelines for the bottles were still the same when my children were babies (15 and 11)

'a mother who makes a point of showing and naming eerything for him, speaking to him, singing to him, reading to him and bringing the world to him while he can not go to the world is performing the most marvellous and worthwhile job that life has to offer. Such babies become the brightest and most alert.

what? Always? It's presented like statement of fact. No SN if you talk to and sing to your child then?

Dr Spock was my bible from 1969 before DS to 1975 post DD. He recommended evaporated milk as a safe simple alternative to bf. He gave relevant proportions of milk and water from birth!

one just made me gasp

Day nurseries do not have an educational function and do not have trained teachers on their staff. Staff usually consist
Of trained nursery nurses or untrained assistants. There is
Usually a long waiting
List which is limited to priority cases such as mothers with psychological problems or one- parent families'

Wtaf?

I went on Maternity leave in 1985 and left work as soon as I was able to, at 29 week So had I a mind to, there'd have been plenty of time for sewing and dressmaking but I spent most of my time in front of the TV

With DC5 in 2007 I left work the week before she was born.

Kayano, I wasn't expected to go back to work in 1985 (and didn't).

My mum worked in a nursery for a while when I was younger (so in the 1970s) and it was hideous. Staff weren't trained and the general impression of the place was lots of noise and really smelly.

None of this stuff sounds odd to me I remember when this were all fields

"It should be regarded as a part of every mother's duty to bring up her child at the breast, unless, of course, there are obstacles in the way which prevent her doing so. The only consideration that ought to weigh with a mother should be the welfare of her child; if it is her intention of nursing, the allurements of pleasure should not be allowed to interfere with the discharge of her duty".

From 'Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management'. I've got the pre-first world war edition. And they say women are guilt-tripped about breastfeeding now!

However, there is a let-out clause: "Those who ought not suckle are women who are consumptive, women who are very nervous and excitable, and those whose nipples are so depressed that they are obliged to give up all attempts at nursing". I assume by 'depressed' she means 'flat' and not 'psychologically unwell'.

Also like, "Cheerful occupation and exercise in the open air have a beneficial effect upon milk". Lots of instruction to eat 'wholesome and nourishing food', 'avoid all stimulants', and wash the nipples before every feed in 'boracic lotion' , whatever that is. Sounds stingy!

If 'rearing by hand' then cows milk should be used, diluted with water, sweetened with sugar and cream added.

Interestingly it suggests only starting to add solids to the diet (mostly in the form of beef tea!) after 'double teeth' have started to appear, at about 6 months or so.

There are two pages on employing a wet nurse, though the book notes that many children do as well on home-made formula as at the breast, as long as cleanliness is adhered to.

Gosh - so glad I'm not an Edwardian mother!

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=princess+diana+maternity+dress&hl=en&sa=X&rlz=1C1ARAB_enGB444GB444&biw=1280&bih=923&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnso&tbnid=zX-50mk_u4inGM:&imgrefurl=www.princess-diana-remembered.com/1/archives/01-2011/1.html&docid=bHv8KS5HuTgGLM&imgurl=www.princess-diana-remembered.com/uploads/5/3/3/5/5335384/497546.jpg%253F286&w=285&h=420&ei=hNN1T57TAYTT8gOy25HTDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=264&vpy=109&dur=338&hovh=273&hovw=185&tx=107&ty=160&sig=102316331685783273249&page=1&tbnh=133&tbnw=90&start=0&ndsp=40&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Diana

Just thought I'd refresh your memory of hideous early 1980's maternity fashion.

My nephew was born in 1980 and I remember mainly that my sister wore the most hideous long smock-y type dresses. Most unflattering. On the other hand, when my dd1 was born in 1990 and had to spend time in special care, I stayed in hospital with her for the entire three weeks. Can't see that happening now.

bogeyface my parents weren't posh, I guess they must have borrowed the money from my grandparents who were always helping them out. I dont' remember having to wash the plates before putting them in. Certainly not in 1980 (I was ten then so got a pretty good memory of the 80s). Maybe we were just slatterns :o

Or maybe Mr and Mrs B. Manager had a crap one, or she was just fussy :o

In the 1980s, Miriam Stoppard used to give strict instructions to put the baby in their own room from birth, so their little noises wouldn't disturb the parents.

I recently read a book given to my granny when my mum was born in 1945. It was brilliant. There were some real gems of what would now be considered nonsense but what surprised me was how much of the book would still hold true today.

Just remember that todays parenting books are just as much bull5hit.