How about your favorite Old Wives Tales related to health?

[NurseyTonyaLPN]

Another post (about stupid things patients say) made me think about this, I don't know if it's been posted before. But I have an elderly family member who says these things (and will not hear otherwise):

1) Having a baby at 7 months is better than having it at 8 months. My doctor told me something happens in the 8th month and if the process is disturbed it's bad for the baby. (I told her I've learned that every day in the womb is better for the baby, but she insists that's not the case).

2) Her breastmilk turned "to water" when her daughter was 3 months old and it was no longer good for her to breastfeed (I mentioned that babies go through a growth spurt at that time, but she insists, her Dr told her the breastmilk turned to water).

Makes you wonder about these docs back then huh? I know they probably did the best with their knowlege, but some people won't accept any new advice, if their doctor said it in 1940 it must be true huh? Any other favorite wives tales?

Tonya

[SaraO'Hara]

From my family...

Clorox bathroom cleaner makes a really good wound disinfectant.

Duct tape can be used in place of Band-aid.

[maliat]

This is a Japanese thing, though I don't think anyone does this anymore. When I was born, once she got home with me, my Mom couldn't go out with me for a whole month. Don't know why. But my mom still freaks out sometime when she sees a newborn out and about.

Malia

[LoriAlabamaRN]

My stepfather always pours turpentine on his cuts, swears he has never had an infection. He closes the really deep ones with superglue.

[PeachPie]

My Vietnamese friends told me that a mother cannot bathe for a month after birth, they're only allowed to use hot towels to sponge off. They're also supposed to stand over pots of herbal water to speed healing, which I can see working on lady partsl tears due to heat therapy increasing circulation.

[zumalong]

I got a whole earful when my first baby was born:

'give him honey--it has to be from bees in this area--and it will prevent allergies from occurring.

'give him a shot of whiskey for his colic

'if he hasn't gone and had a BM in 2 days give him an enema with water and dish soap

I'm glad to say I did not listen to one of these!!!!

Other tidbits over the years:

Drop a bible on your lumps and it will disappear

For kidney stones on patient I had actually stuck a straw up his urethra to "help the darn thing pass" (expect he used a straw from his barn floor--not the one we place in our milkshakes) :eek:

'

[kitty29]

My grandfather believed wearing a copper bracelet helped the pain of arthritis.

[DorkyStudentNurse]

I was watching a birth show the other day and as per family beliefs, the mother didn't bathe the baby for a month (I think it was a month?) and instead rubbed olive oil on his body. I forget the rationalization behind it (perhaps because bathing would make the baby sick?) but I had never heard of that before. If anyone on here knows the history of this one, I'd be interested to know! :)

[TitaniaSidhe]

have a friend with psorisis who swears by duct tape as the best for keeping it under control & not looking too yucky.

[SaraO'Hara]

That could get a bit strange if her psoriasis is widespread

[ak127]

I got a whole earful when my first baby was born:

'give him honey--it has to be from bees in this area--and it will prevent allergies from occurring.

'give him a shot of whiskey for his colic

'if he hasn't gone and had a BM in 2 days give him an enema with water and dish soap

I'm glad to say I did not listen to one of these!!!!

Other tidbits over the years:

Drop a bible on your lumps and it will disappear

For kidney stones on patient I had actually stuck a straw up his urethra to "help the darn thing pass" (expect he used a straw from his barn floor--not the one we place in our milkshakes) :eek:

'

I heard that one! I had a big lump in my wrist when I was in college, a cyst. My Granny talked the whole time I was home for Christmas about how she'd smash it for me with her bible! "That's a bible cyst, you gotta do it that way!" hahaha

[moonischasingme1]

Okay, I have a question. My boyfriend's Mother is an RN and they're from Bosnia. If it is cold and I don't have on socks and I step on tile, she will make me go stand on the carpet or put on socks. Now, you might think she just doesn't want my feet cold, right? NO, everytime she puts her hands over her lower abdomen and tells me I will have "problems"--reproductively. I have looked everywhere to see how cold feet could somehow "ruin" your reproductive system, but seriously, I have found nothing. Is this just an old wives tale she picked up from Bosnia? haha

[Koriyama]

This is a Japanese thing, though I don't think anyone does this anymore. When I was born, once she got home with me, my Mom couldn't go out with me for a whole month. Don't know why. But my mom still freaks out sometime when she sees a newborn out and about.

Malia

It's called 'sato-gaeri' /'return to ones hometown'. A relatively modern 'tradition', mothers return to their family home for a month to: a) recover from the labour of childbirth; b) learn how to become mothers from their own mother; and c) give the baby time to grow a little before exposing them to the world. Actually, it's a very nice concept and helps relieve a lot of the stress first-time mothers may experience, as well as provide them with a helper on hand (the materal grandmother) to give them time to rest.

My wife did it both times (the last time being just a few months ago). I was left alone which didn't help the bonding process with the father, but that rather emphasises the paternal role in the Japanese family.

Malia, 'sato-gaeri' is still very, very common in Japan, certainly up in Tohoku.

My peeve with the old wives' tales about childrearing is the snippet requiring parents to wash the baby's hair first during bathing.

P.S. First post here! Yoroshiku ne.