those who had babies in the 70s and 80s

[ambereeree]

When did you start giving cows milk? My mother thinks 6 months but mother in law says 3. Both went back to work when kids were 3 months.

Both my DC were born in the 1980s. Cows milk was ok from 6 months and DS was on baby rice at 11weeks on midwifes advice.

Babies were never allowed to sleep on their backs. That was considered very hazardous

Two babies born mid / late 80s, things were so different! Baby rice at 4 months, cows milk at 6 months.
I could have really done with MN, I was young and took what my HV said as gospel. Made bottles up each morning and left in the fridge til needed, I only realised with my 2nd that I shouldn't have rinsed bottles that came out of the sterilized.

My DM bf until twelve months, and included baby led weaning from about five/six months she says it wasn't called that then though, and other mums sneered at her for not feeding us jarred food. This was mid eighties. She's a bit smug about it, given modern practices.

I breastfed all of mine but when having cereal after 6 mths I always mixed it with cow’s milk. Breast milk never mixed ready break or Weetabix properly. I only used it after they were used to other foods. My eldest was born in 92. I was fed on watered down cows milk as I took a reaction to the formula so my mother in her wisdom thought actual cows milk was better.

I was born in 1972 and DM kept a journal/ baby book which I now have. Apparently I was getting fat on formula, so after 3 months I was switched onto beef broth for one feed a day!

Had my first in 85. We were told that it was of to give rusks/baby rice from six weeks and to start weaning from four Months. We were encouraged to feed Baby Jars, which all contained milk.

Tea was seen as an OK drink, again with Milk in.

I ignored that and as another poster's Mum was, was laughed at and though of as odd, for wanting to EBF for as long as possible, even by MWs/HVs.

Had my eldest in the 90s and it was cow's milk from 12 months but weaning was 16 weeks.

I was born in the 70s and cow's milk was from 3/4 months as you weaned, you moved your baby to cow's milk at the same time.

Oh and a teaspoon of whiskey in the bedtime bottle was considered sensible when I was born. Helped babies get used to sleeping through apparently!

I had my first in the late 80's. We didn't give cows milk until 12 months. Till then it was breastmilk and finger foods.

I was drinking cows milk at 4 months (late 80s baby)

My cousin who was born in the early 90s was weaned at 12 weeks and had cows milk at 3 months although guidelines were 4 months.

6 months for cow's milk or formula if I needed sleep. I didn't read any books about babies and I can't remember being given any advice and didn't go to NCT. First DC was bf to a year but very tapered down after I went back to work when DC was 6mo. But then first meal was garlic fish soup at 5mo - much enjoyed - until the nappy appeared. No health problems but I understand I may have been lucky. I understand only 5-15% of the UK is lactose intolerant though it scales up hugely if you are UK Asian, UK African or UK Mediterranean or a mix of all of us. It's just those with millennia of dairy cattle breeding who have developed the tolerance - so lmostly N Europeans and people like the Maasai. The rest developed cultured milks like yoghourts and cheese which has little lactose - the older the less.

Queenofthenight, people were definitely still feeding evaporated milk formula into the 70s because this discussion came up with my neighbour (in his 40s) and he was fed evaporated milk as a newborn. I don't know if his parents were much older not up to date (for the time) with recommendations but I was amazed that this was ever a thing.

My mum was told to give up BF and give me evaporated milk when she got mastitis at 3 months. This was 1974. I do wonder why she never thought to give me formula but she didn’t question the ancient SSAFA sister (military family). I do wonder whether my weight problems since childhood may be linked to this.

I became a mum late 1970s. Cows milk before 6months, he was eating solids then.

We were all encouraged to breast feed which is fair enough but there was none of this breast feeding until two! The latest I knew of was 9 months and that was only at night and soon tailed off.

2 dcs, late 80's / early 90's. Cows milk until 12 months, weaning advice was generally 16 weeks, but my hv suggested I have both mine baby rice from about 12 weeks as they physically could not hold the quantity of milk they needed in their tummies.
I was never advised to give alcohol in their bottles, but at I believe that some brands of gripe water still contained alcohol back then, so maybe a lot of babies were getting their sleep inducing Al ihol from that!

Things are different now - we made bottled with fresh cooled boiled water and stored in the fridge whereas Now my DC uses a prep machine for their baby, which apart from the initial blast of hot water, uses room temperature water. So I don't know that either is better / worse than the other. Potential for bacteria seems similar to me.

My DM ff me, but I had cows milk from 6 months although she says she was told to boil it first to break down some of the protein.

Late 70s btw

Solids at eight weeks, including yogurt. We used a “ follow on” formula milk designed for older babies, from about six months to one year, then cows’ milk.
Both DDs are now pushing 30, slim and healthy, no allergies.
My own generation (baby boomer) was very largely formula fed and early weaned, and we’re the healthiest and longest lived generation in history. Not that I’m claiming cause and effect for us, but it shows that there’s no need to demonise bottle feeders - their babies will grow up perfectly healthy!

6 months

I'm a 70s baby and was fed cows milk at the same time as I was weaned which was 3/4 months. Rusks were mashed up in formula milk before then to assist sleeping through the night.

I was born in '76 (in east end Glasgow) and was weaned at 4 weeks :-/ I'm not sure about cows milk, but I was told I enjoyed evaporated milk at certain times. I didn't sleep more than a few hours at a time until I started school at age 4 and used to scream all night apparently. I have numerous food intolerances and IBS which I think was all related to my start (know you didnt ask this, but it always get a me a bit ranty!).

My neighbour had a son in the late 50s, he was fed on condensed milk, yes, the Nestles one. He grew up to be a fine strapping lad. I had mine in the early 70s and had a 10 day stay in the maternity ward to rest and recuperate. A local brewery used to send in bottles of stout for the mothers.

I had my baby in 1978, and the health visitor told me to start her on cow's milk at 6 months. I continued to breast feed her too til she was over one year old. I too remember being given stout in the maternity ward to 'build me up' - all the mothers were given it.