This 1968 hospital advice for new mums is so wild it’s worthy of a share

A list of ‘guidelines’ for new mothers penned by a hospital in 1968 is doing the rounds on social media – because they are so wild.

Mums, take note

The memo for mums is from an unnamed hospital and is over 50 years old. It instructs new mothers not to request to see their babies more than twice a day as they will be displayed at certain times in the nursery ‘viewing window’.

And that’s just the start of it. 

It is so funny we’d be laughing if we weren’t crying – those poor women and their babies!

The note was originally posted by Micala Henson, who says her mum found it when “going through her things.” Since then it has been shared by breastfeeding and mother’s groups all over, much to everyone’s horror.

Babies on display

The list which is intended to “safeguard” new mums and their newborns is perhaps the very opposite. In part it reads:

• Babies are on display at nursery window from 2.30 to 3.30pm and 7.00 to 7.45pm. Please do not ask to see baby at any other time.
• Baby will come to mother for feeding 9-10AM 1-2PM, 5.30-6.30PM, 9-10PM (No visitor is allowed on floor or in room during nursing periods, including father).
• Do not smoke while baby is in the room.
• Do not allow visitors to sit on your bed (the bed linen must be clean for the baby). Do not cover your baby with your linen.

Did you get that? DO NOT ASK to see your baby. OK? He is on DISPLAY at strict times. Oh, and a newborn can totally wait four to five hours for a feed (and looks like he doesn’t require night feeding either, I might add).

Also, no one can be in the room with you when you breastfeed, especially not the father. But if he is visiting you, just tell him to just wait outside and have a smoke. Smoking is totally allowed, just so long as bub’s not in the room at the time.

“Regard to nursing” 

The memo also has some pretty terrifying advice when it comes to breastfeeding:

• During first twenty-four hours, allow baby to nurse 5 minutes only.
• On second and thirds days allow baby to nurse approximately 7 minutes
• On fourth and fifth days allow baby to nurse approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
• If Baby Nurses Longer It May Cause The Nipple To Become Sore.

Argh! What about building up milk supply, skin-to-skin bonding, and well, all the other benefits that come with demand feeding.

Also, how on earth does any mother succeed at breastfeeding with this sort of ‘advice’ from the hospital? Crazy.

Oh, and if these rules are not hard enough to swallow, check out the list of what nursing mums can’t eat:

“DO NOT EAT CHOCOLATE CANDY, RAW APPLE, CABBAGE, NUTS, STRAWBERRIES, CHERRIES, ONIONS OR GREEN COCONUT CAKE.”

For bottle feeders

For those mums in 1968 who bottle feed, the note has the following advice:

• Nurse will bring prepared formula ready to give.
• After removing nipple cap, please see that nipple cap does not touch bed linen or anything else. It should remain clean and not become contaminated (contamination of nipple may cause thrush).

Never mind that she may have been forced to cease breastfeeding because her milk never came in, thanks to this ill advice, just mind the sheets. 

Thank goodness things have changed! Can you imagine?