Every person who has had a baby in recent history has probably felt like they were drowning in advice about what to do with their newborn baby. Since the dawn of humanity, parents have had to rely on the wisdom of other parents in their families and communities, as well as their own instincts. But over the last century, the medical field has taken the reins on becoming the go-to experts on the things we should do to keep our newborns safe, healthy and growing, and the advice often overrides the wisdom that has been used by parents for millennia. Today’s common newborn advice- rooted in history, shaped by science and sometimes influenced by politics or profit- often override older ways of knowing.
Let’s look at a few of the common parenting advice and how they evolved.
“Back to Sleep”: A Sleep Safety Revolution
Since 1994, The American Academy of Pediatrics has told parents that “back is best”- to have your baby sleep only on their backs. Up until then, the advice was to have them sleep on their stomachs to avoid choking if they were to spit up. Before that, there was no sleep position recommendation at all. But in the 1970’s, experts noted a rise in SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), and since the “Back to Sleep” campaign started over 30 years ago, there has indeed been a 50% decrease in SIDS.
Understandably, when the new advice came out, parents and grandparents all over the world were confused and skeptical because it directly contradicted the older advice to have the baby sleeping on their bellies. Fears of choking and discomfort for infants were strong, and this fear lingers to this day. But ongoing studies continue to support that back sleeping is, indeed, the safest position to help reduce the odds of SIDS. It is also reassuring to know that no long-term health problems have been linked to this sleep position (Hunt et al., 2003).
Tip: Talk to your pediatrician about sleep safety for peace of mind.
Tummy Time: A Modern Addition
The rise of back-sleeping led to an unexpected consequence- more babies developing flat spots on their heads. Pediatricians started to widely recommend tummy time to counterbalance the lack of tummy time during sleep. This recommendation is now considered by some as an essential activity in motor development and in the prevention of flat head syndrome.
As awareness grew, the market for tummy-time products exploded by the early 2000s- leading to gadgets, mats and claims about how much tummy time a baby “need”. Marketing strategies targeted parents’ fear, increasing their anxieties that their babies would have developmental delays or flat heads. They created urgency around “critical windows” for development. However, research that has been conducted has never actually been able to decisively find the optimal duration or frequency for tummy time that is best for baby.
The bottom line: Babies benefit from a mix of positions- both on their backs and on their tummies. No fancy toys or props are needed to enjoy floor play with your little one!
Sleep Training: The Roots of “Cry It Out”
The debate over sleep training- especially when it comes to whether to let babies “cry it out”- often stirs strong opinions. The advice behind letting babies cry to learn independent sleep can be traced back to a man called Dr. Luther Emmett Holt, a 19th century pediatrician. He believed that responding to a baby’s cries by picking them up or feeding them would create “bad habits” and the baby would learn to control the parents through crying. His ideas reflected an era that emphasized order, discipline and early-independence, but were also entangled with eugenics. Eugenics is a racist political ideology that sought to control who was “fit” to reproduce.
Holt’s methods prioritize scientific parenting over maternal intuition. It is directly opposite to what many indigenous cultures around the world have done for time immemorial- to respond to the newborn with immediate, frequent and physical comfort (like picking up, holding, or breastfeeding). In high-contact, traditional societies such as the! Kung San and many Amazonian groups, caregivers intervene quickly when a baby cries. They often also include practices like co-sleeping, constant physical contact, and on-demand breastfeeding. There is no pressure or urgency for the baby to learn to sleep independently in most cultures around the world.
Research supports the claim that immediate physical or vocal soothing when a baby is in distress is not only a near-universal maternal response, but it is also a part of evolutionary biology (Tulelo & Mulaudzi, 2021). In other words, it is in our nature, and part of the baby’s natural development, to respond immediately to their cries. After all, it is the baby’s only way they can tell us that they are hungry, tired, in pain, scared or need connection.
Breastfeeding vs Formula: The Modern-Day Feeding Debate
There is an ongoing battle between which is better: to breastfeed your baby or to feed them the formula. When all is said and done, the choice to breastfeed or use formula is a deeply personal decision- often fraught with judgement and misinformation. There are pros and cons to each, and each mother must decide what is best for her and for her child.
The first commercial infant formula was made in 1865 by a German chemist. It wasn’t long until companies like Nestle entered the market and started promoting it heavily. As time went on, improvements were made to the formulas to include vitamins, minerals and special ingredients to mimic breast milk.
Over time, aggressive marketing campaigns targeted new mothers and healthcare providers portraying that formula was better than breastmilk. These tactics created a decline in breastfeeding rates and created a dependency on commercial products, particularly in low-income or developing regions. In some low-resourced settings, this led to serious health complications for infants when the formula was diluted to save money or was mixed with unsafe water.
Despite its troubled history, formula has real benefits. It can help nourish a baby when there is limited milk supply. It also helps provide the freedom that is sometimes needed if mama must go back to work or has a health situation that makes breastfeeding unsafe. Formula can also allow other family members to participate in feeding and bonding.
For those interested in breastfeeding, there is research to suggest that breastfeeding has its own benefits as well. Some of the benefits of breast feeding are that breast milk has nutrients that are better absorbed by the baby. It also provides the baby with immune support, can contribute to their long-term health, and it supports brain development. However, breastfeeding can result in higher, indirect costs for families. A Yale study found the hidden cost of breastfeeding can total up to $11,000 annually in lost income and unpaid labor (Backman, 2023). For some women, it can also be difficult to produce enough milk, or it may be very painful to breastfeed.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution. What matters most is that each family makes their own choice that works best for them- without shame or pressure.
Why Understanding the “Why” Matters
Modern parenting advice is often presented as fact- knowing where that advice comes from can help new parents feel more confident and less anxious. It also helps us make informed choices about what is best for us and our babies. Sometimes modern-day advice contradicts what our instincts are telling us as mothers. When we can understand the history and motivation behind the rules, we can decide which ones serve us- and which ones don’t.
Parenting didn’t begin at the dawn of humanity with expert guidelines. Successful parenting predates modern expert advice for thousands of years. Long before pediatricians and parenting books were around, children were raised through love, instinct and community. Self-trust is a critical component of how we mother our babies. By reconnecting with that wisdom- while being informed about the latest information- we can make empowered choices that honor both our babies’ needs and our own.
Saiya Marshall is a volunteer writer for South Project. Based in Querétaro, Mexico, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and has transitioned from her career as a registered nurse to working as a freelance medical writer. Saiya is passionate about combining her healthcare background with storytelling to create accessible, impactful content. Outside of writing, she enjoys traveling, camping, and hunting down the best local coffee spots. A mom to a spirited four-year-old and a grumpy cat, Saiya embraces every chance to laugh and be silly with her son.
Citations
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Campaign history. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov/campaign/history#:~:text=1996,with%20the%20lowest%20SIDS%20risk.
Hunt, C. E., Lesko, S. M., Vezina, R. M., McCoy, R., Corwin, M. J., Mandell, F., Willinger, M., Hoffman, H. J., & Mitchell, A. A. (2003). Infant sleep position and associated health outcomes. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 157(5), 469. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.157.5.469
Tulelo, P. M., & Mulaudzi, F. M. (2021). Indigenous neonatal feeding and bathing practices of caregivers in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province. Health SA Gesondheid, 26. https://doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v26i0.1632
Backman, I. (2023, April 4). A year of breastfeeding costs families as much as $11,000, study finds. Yale School of Medicine. https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/a-year-of-breastfeeding-costs-families-as-much-as-dollar11000-study-finds/
Breast milk is best. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2024, February 29). https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/breastfeeding-your-baby/breast-milk-is-the-best-milk