QOTW: What was the worst parenting advice YOU ever received?
A blood transfusion in utero, man hallucinates while eating the world’s hottest curry, and the worst parenting advice you’ve ever heard. It’s episode 73 of the Mama Natural Show.
This week, we’ve got a great prize for THREE babywearing mamas, courtesy of The Babywearing Workout and Baby Wrapper’s Delight.
- The Babywearing workout is a 30 minute exercise video you can do in the comfort of your own home. Your baby will love being snuggled up close to you, and you will get a great little workout to help you shed those pregnancy pounds.
- Baby Wrapper’s Delight is a babywearing consultancy led by a certified educator. She does community workshops as well as consultations to help people comfortably wear their children.
Wanna start workout today?
Mama Natural viewers will receive a 15% discount thru 1/24 if they download workout. Use code: MAMANAT. You will also get a 15% discount working with Baby Wrapper’s Delight. Just mention the show 
Also, be sure to check out their New Year’s Weight Loss Challenge.
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First up, mom Kelly McPherson received devastating news when she was 17 weeks pregnant.
Her baby boy was dying inside the womb.
The baby was suffering complications from the human parvovirus. The life-threatening virus created a build up of fluid around the baby’s heart and abdomen.
The only possible solution was a blood transfusion in utero.
The risks were high. After all, the procedure involved inserting an 8” needle into the baby’s dime-sized heart.
But it was the only chance they had, so they went for it.
The doctor went in and injected two teaspoons of blood into one of the chambers of the baby’s heart.
And almost instantly, the baby responded.
He went on to develop normally and be carried to full-term.
Kelly and her husband delivered Masen, as a healthy baby.
Kelly calls it a miracle… And I couldn’t agree more.
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Next, sometimes life is simply too hot to handle.
Take “The Widower,” for instance.
We’re not talking about some man who has lost his wife.
We’re talking about the world’s hottest curry dish, served at Bindi restaurant in Grantham, England.
The dish contains 20 Naga Infinity chilies.
Which ranks more than 6 million Scoville units.
[Let’s just say it’s literally face melting!]
It’s so hot the chefs preparing it wear goggles and a facemask.
It’s called The Widower because it takes down the toughest men.
That is – except one – Ian Rothwell.
This 55-year-old daredevil scaled Mount Kilimanjaro last year. And he was the first of about 300 people who attempted to finish The Widower and SUCCEEDED.
It took Ian an hour to polish off his plate. That included a 10-minute walk break outside, where he reportedly suffered from hallucinations.
But he made it through, and suffered no side effects – not even the next day.
Kudos to you Ian, you absolute hottie.
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It’s time for our community news.
First, a correction.
Last week we reported that mama SummerRay labored with her son Lincoln for 3 hours.
Actually, it was 19 hours. It was her transition that was three.
[A big difference there – especially for the one doing the laboring]
Another fun fact: Six hours into her labor, SummerRay had the wherewithal to watch and comment on a Mama Natural video.
Nice one, SummerRay!
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Next, natural mama Jessica and her husband decided they were ready for another child.
The joy their 18-month son Dmitri has brought to their life helped influence their decision.
Little did Jessica know it would be twice the joy as she is having twins! (I’m a little envious
Sure she had to be picked up off the floor at first, but the family feels very blessed.
—
Natural mama Christina shows us that things can go oh-so-right where least expected.
Her son Austin turned one on December 9th.
His year has been filled with cloth diapers and mother’s milk….but not Christina’s.
Seems Christina had a horrible time trying to breastfeed. Mastits 5 times, clogged ducts over and over again, and latch issues.
Luckily, over 5 mamas came to the rescue with donated breastmilk! Two of whom are very consistent donors.
So consistent that Austin is STILL on donor milk.
Christina is planning to make it to 15 months, but the big goal is 2!
Happy Birthday Austin!
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Finally, it seems like everyone gives parenting advice. [Especially non parents!]
Some of that advice can be sound, effective and even appreciated.
Then, there is the other kind.
It’s outdated, superstitious or, even dangerous.
Here are 10 of the WORST parenting tips ever.
#10 – Clean plate club
Don’t let your child leave the table until s/he’s cleans her plate.
Perhaps this is why the U.S. is so obese?
#9 – C-sections are easier than natural birth
Seriously?
Major surgery and recovery are such a walk in the park.
#8 – Standing early causes bow-leggedness
Maybe John Wayne was to blame for this one. To me, if baby wants to practice standing, trust her instincts.
#7 – Let them touch the hot stove
One touch, and the kids will understand… that you… charring burn.
#6 – Tabasco on the thumb
Um, don’t you think this thumb sucking remedy is a bit… harsh?
#5 – Cough syrup for the troubled sleeper
Yeah, that’s the way to solve sleeping issues… drugs.
While you’re at it, give them a shot of whiskey.. oh wait, that’s the next one.
#4 — Whiskey on the gums
What could work better than this time tested remedy for teething pain? How about Mad Dog 20/20?
#3 – Don’t let them nap
If you’re kid has trouble sleeping, let them get exhausted that they’ll go right down at night.
That sounds like some classic advice from a non-parent who’s never seen that sleep begets sleep
#2 — Holding a child spoils them
#1 – When baby bites, bite ‘em back
Somehow teaching a kid not to hit by hitting him fails the common-sense test.
Oh yes, some wonderful pearls of wisdom there.
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worst parenting advice i ever got was stop breastfeeding at 1yr get vaccines no matter what you hear and never ever under any circumstances co-sleep…. happy to say my son is 2yrs old still breastfeeding is vaccine free since 9 months and sleeps comfortably every night between his mommy and daddy in our family bed!
I’ve had people try to tell me that wearing my baby will delay him walking. Sorry, nope. Move along.
“Don’t even attempt to cloth diaper or breastfeed, both are HORRIBLE and you will regret it immediately”. Nine months in, I am still HAPPILY doing both, thank you very much!!!
The first diaper change with mil over my shoulder mil: “so when is the little boy getting circumcised?” me: “he’s not…” mil: “but you’re supposed tto for hygiene reasons” me: “nope you have that completely backwards” mil: “… Oh really?”
I’ve also gotten the “put the baby down or he’ll never leave you alone, you’re spoiling him” “hasn’t he started solids yet” when I tell them no he’ll start when he wants I get the but then he’ll have teeth and bite you terror, from women who never breastfed. You should start him sleeping in his own bed, he’ll have to have his own bed for you to get baby number two started.
The worst parenting advice I was given was more or less an insult. My husband was gone (he is a Marine) during my pregnancy with my daughter and my delivery. She was severely colic until she was 6 weeks old. Everyone would have their own comments of course when I took her anywhere. The meanest/worst thing someone told me was next pregnancy I needed to work on my attitude because since I had some sad days because my husband was gone (of course, even if he was here I would have sad days! Its called pregnancy hormones!!) I passed my feelings to the baby and ruined my daughter. That is why she was so colic. Talk about a blow to an already fragile new mom!!
The worst advice was that baby’s need formula until your milk comes in. Um, no thanks!
Worst advice ever…..let baby cry to develop lungs!
I honestly don’t recall the worst parenting advice I’ve ever received. I tend to disregard the advice I don’t care for. But, some of the best advice I ever received was to have slip-on shoes for Mama.
Mine was from my pediatrician and it was the same- let them cry himself to sleep. She said crying was tiring, etc and he’d eventually go to sleep. I tried it one time and it was so terrible that we never tried again. He did learn to sleep with lovey blanket and pacifier (which turned into thumb at 6 months). Thankfully all her other advice has been great.
I think one that stands out to me was when it was chilly outside and my little girls didn’t want to wear their coats. I was told, “they’d learn to wear them if they got a good spanking!” I thought “They’ll learn to when they get cold!” Natural consequences is a far more effective teacher than physical punishment.
The worst advice I’ve received besides the ones you mentioned already was to bottle feed my baby so his Daddy could get in on the action. I’m very thankful that my son did no end up with nipple confusion but now that I know more I would never do it again.
Letting baby cry it out ;(
I have to agree with the cry it out crowd. I just cannot do that and so many people insist it’s neccessary!
As a pregnant college senior I was given plenty of unwanted advice from people who seemed to assume I’m too young to know what I’m doing. Here are two of the worst:
“Circumcise him!” Apparently I should do it because of disease, visual appeal, teasing, girlfriends, etc. The BEST advice I got was from an ex who told me it’s not my place to make a decision like that for him.
I was also told to quit co-sleeping. Co-sleeping was a comfort for both of us as I had been abandoned by his father at almost 6 months pregnant and he was a preemie in need of constant attention and feedings. He has been sleeping 10 hours straight since 3 months old and sleeps just as soundly on the nights he falls asleep in his crib as he does snuggled with Mommy. Today he is extremely intelligent, lively and–most importantly–he’s HAPPY! Sometimes you just have to go with your gut and ignore the majority opinion; parenting isn’t one-size-fits-all!
It was the 1st week after giving birth and I was exhausted and a bit crsnky. My sister told me I should give up on breast feeding and go with formula that way I can get more rest. Thank goodness I didn’t listen! She is almost 6 months and breastfeeding is going great!
What is it with the older generation and early solids? My dad was actually the one who told me his mother was feeding him cereal at 3 days old?! Sure, Dad. Love ya, but no.
Worst advice……. crying is good for their lungs.
My father saw me breastfeeding my 5 month old daughter and he acted disgusted and said “How long are you going to do that?” I thought he was asking about how long she nurses. So, when I said 15 min, he yelled at me: “No! How long are you doing to do “THAT”?
What, dad? Feed my baby? Oh doctors recommend nursing for 2 years, but I’ll go longer if she needs me to. It is healthy for them (I listed the reasons)… You should have seen the look on his face.
He also told me that I need to save my money and buy her a used car seat and the expiration date was just a scam for the companies to sell more seats.
Thanks for the advice dad, but I’d rather make sure my baby is safe and I”ll save my money by not buying formula instead!! LOL!
Running to your baby every time she cries is going to spoil her, she needs to cry to learn independence–ummmmmmm no
I’d spoil my newborn by holding him too much.
That I should put my baby down so I dont spoil her.
That at 8 months pregnant, sitting in a hard chair without “being careful” will smush the baby’s head.
Unwanted advice: “Breastfeeding is SO unnatural!! How/why do you do it?!” (Still breastfeeding at 15 months and we both love it)
Let your baby cry it out.
I think the thing that has stood out to me the most is after I had my second child. ( first a boy, second a girl) It was said to me “Your all done right since you have one of each” How does that matter.. I love being a healthy Mom.. Also hate it when people have told me don’t take your kids with you when you go to the store. There are just to many kids.. I have a large family and I feel like saying that is saying that you assume my children can’t behave because there are so many of them..
I honestly couldn’t tell you. I’ve recieved some horrible advice over the years. It seems less and less when people see how crunchy I am.
Worst was along the lines of “don’t be nice to your baby or else he’ll always expect it.” in reference to rocking to sleep, responding to cries, etc.
Mom, skeptical of my pregnancy diet (which included chicken livers **gasp**), gave her best recommendation: “Don’t eat that!”
When my son was born, a healthy baby boy, 8.7lbs, 9.5 apgar score, she brought us dinner (an unexpected surprise) – it was chicken liver salad. Lol. Now my mom eats chicken livers regularly.
I am a subscriber to your newsletter. I think the worst advice I ever got was when I had my 1st of 5 and my oldest sister told me to give her rice cereal in a bottle with the hole cut larger and it will help her sleep better. She was only 3 weeks old. I didn’t know better, and the poor thing ended up with the worst stomach ache ever and constipated!
Worst advice: he’s cluster feeding, so just give him a pacifier. He doesn’t need to nurse that often. This to a new mom establishing a milk supply.
Ugh as a first time mom, I cant stand older women who keep pushin me their parenting ways. I hated it when my crazy mother in law FORCED me to let my baby cry it out. And try to convince my husband to do the same and not let our ONE MONTH old cosleep in our california KING size bed(so we had a lot of room for dd) cus she “needs” to be independent…really?? One month old newborn needs to be independent?… It was horrible. She acts too as if idk how to be a mom n ill end up harming my child…I dont care if an old mom like her had a lot of children….MY child, MY parenting. I know whats best for my child. YOUR parenting ways will NEVER be suited for MY child.
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