15 Totally Outdated Pieces of Baby Advice

When you have a baby, it can feel like everyone is telling you how to care for them. But some of this unsolicited "wisdom" isn't true. Here's what to do instead.

Three generations of women playing on bed

When you have a child, it can seem like everyone knows what's best for you and your baby. In fact, the moment you announce your new arrival, you'll become the recipient of a slew of unsolicited advice. But some of this "wisdom" has been proven untrue or even harmful. Read on for 15 outdated pieces of parenting advice that you can safely ignore—and what to do instead.

01 of 15

Infants Need to Be Bathed Every Day

An image of a baby in a bath.
Getty Images.

Babies don't get dirty or stinky from sweat the way older kids and adults do, so they only need a bath every two or three days (except following a major diaper explosion, of course). In fact, it's recommended to delay a newborn's first bath until at least 24 hours after birth.

Rather than bathing your baby every day, just spot-clean them as needed, paying particular attention to their face, neck, hands, and diaper area. If bathtime is part of your wind-down routine, a daily bath is OK—just use lukewarm water, skip the soap, and keep it short. Don't forget to moisturize afterward!

02 of 15

Babies Sleep Best in a Room That's Silent

An image of a baby sleeping.
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While some children are really light sleepers, most do fine with background noise and a little light. In fact, newborns might sleep better with a white noise machine or fan running, which can mimic the sounds they heard in utero. Plus, if your little one gets used to activity while they're sleeping, they might be more willing to snooze in a variety of situations.

That said, it is recommended to keep bedtime calm and relatively quiet and dark in order to facilitate settling down for sleep.

03 of 15

Letting Your Little One Stand or Bounce Can Cause Bowlegs Later On

An image of a baby in a diaper.
Getty Images.

Your child won't become bowlegged from standing or bouncing on your lap; that's an old wives' tale. In fact, bowleggedness is often a natural variation of development that will occur regardless of how you hold your baby. This condition typically resolves on its own.

Moreover, young babies are learning how to bear weight on their legs and find their center of gravity, so letting your child stand or bounce is both fun and developmentally stimulating for them.

04 of 15

Listening to Classical Music Will Raise Your Baby's IQ

smart baby Einstein
Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images

While music can enrich a little one's life, it's a myth that exposure to classical music will make a baby smarter. Despite popular opinion—and many products promising otherwise—research has debunked this claim. That said, listening to classical music (or any type of music) can offer relaxation and enjoyment. So, by all means, turn on the tunes!

05 of 15

If You Pick Your Baby Up Whenever They're Crying, You'll Spoil Them

Crying baby
Rene Jansa/Shutterstock

Babies like to be held—a lot. It's perfectly normal and healthy to pick them up, whenever you can. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), it's a myth that picking up a crying baby leads to "spoiling" them. In fact, your loving attention breeds trust, connection, and security.

Babies under 4 months of age have few self-soothing strategies; they know how to suck to soothe and like being swaddled, but that's about it. Picking infants up when they cry helps them learn that parents and caregivers will always be there to take care of them—and may even lead to less crying overall.

06 of 15

Babies Should Be Woken Up to Change a Wet Diaper

diaper change
Alexandra Grablewski

Today's diapers are so highly absorbent that it's fine to leave a baby in a wet diaper during a nap or even overnight. Simply change the diaper when your baby wakes up. However, if you notice that your baby has a poopy diaper, you should change it promptly, even if your baby is asleep, to avoid diaper rash.

07 of 15

Never Apply Sunscreen to an Infant Under 6 Months of Age

Baby Floating in Pool
Katrina Elena / Shutterstock

While it is best to keep your little one away from dangerous UV rays, you can and should put sunscreen on your baby if they'll be in the sun. Their risk of skin cancer is greater than their risk of having a reaction to ingredients in the sunscreen. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.

But how should you apply said sunscreen? According to the AAP, a minimalistic approach is best for babies under 6 months. The recommendation is to just apply the sunscreen on small exposed areas of the body, such as the face and hands. Also, use protective clothing and shade as much as possible. Products using zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are ideal for sensitive skin.

08 of 15

Baby Bottles and Nipples Must Be Sterilized Before Every Use

Chicco Duo Hybrid Glass-Plastic Bottles
Courtesy of Chicco

Yes, you need to sterilize bottles and nipples when you first take them out of the package, but after that, washing with soap and warm water is fine for most babies. (You can also run them through the dishwasher in a sanitization setting if you'd like!) Babies are exposed to many more germs than those that remain on a well-scrubbed bottle or nipple.

That said, many people sterilize their baby bottles every few weeks, and experts still recommend sterilizing bottles for babies who are at high risk of infection such as premature babies or babies with a weakened immune system.

09 of 15

The Safest Way to Put an Infant to Sleep Is on Their Stomach

newborn baby sleeping
Alexandra Grablewski

The safest sleep position for a baby is on their back. In the past, doctors (and parents) worried that babies might choke on any spit-up if they weren't lying on their tummy or side, but studies ultimately linked these positions to higher rates of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Today, safe sleep guidelines call for putting babies to sleep on their backs, on a firm, flat mattress free of soft objects, such as bedding, stuffed animals, or pillows. And it's suggested to room share (but not bed share) with your baby for at least the first six months.

10 of 15

Putting Rice Cereal in Your Infant's Bottle Will Help Them Sleep

baby in crib with bottle
Image Source/ Veer

Unless your pediatrician advises you, don't add baby cereal to your baby's bottle. This is because it's important to hold off on introducing solids until 4 to 6 months. Up until then, babies should only be given breast milk and/or formula. Research suggests that babies who are given solids before 4 months do not sleep better—and studies have revealed a link between the early introduction of solids and obesity later in life.

11 of 15

It's Critical to Keep Your Baby on a Strict Feeding Schedule

bottle feeding baby
Alexandra Grablewski

While having a schedule may make sense, it's usually better to feed on demand, especially in the first two months. After that, you may begin to notice a rhythm of feedings every two or three hours. Early on, it's important to look for hunger and fullness cues to help guide feedings, rather than strictly watching the clock.

12 of 15

Infants Need Hard-Soled Shoes to Protect Their Feet

An image of baby's feet.
Getty Images.

Shoes aren't needed for proper foot alignment or development. In fact, babies use their toes to grip the surfaces that they're walking on, so they should actually go shoeless indoors and outdoors if on clean, flat surfaces such as grass or a deck. To keep tiny tootsies safe in other outside environments, get a shoe with a good grip on the sole. Avoid hard-soled shoes, which can be too slippery.

13 of 15

Babies Need to Poop at Least Once a Day

Cute toddler standing on head and smiling

Parents often think a baby is constipated when they're not, says Andrew Adesman, MD, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York.

Newborns often have several bowel movements a day, but they may poop as little as every three to four days from about 2 months to 3 months of age, says Dr. Adesman. If bowel movements are very hard and infrequent or they are red, white, or black, however, call your baby's pediatrician.

14 of 15

Touching Your Baby's Soft Spot Can Hurt Their Brain

Black young couple checking baby's head

The fontanel, or soft spot, at the front of your baby's head, is a skin-covered opening in the skull that pulsates, frightening some parents. "There's a presumption of vulnerability, but the brain is actually quite well protected," says Dr. Adesman. The front fontanel typically closes at about 1 year of age, while the smaller soft spot in the back of the head usually closes at 2 to 3 months.

15 of 15

Being Cold Makes Babies Sick

baby in winter
Shutterstock

While your wee one may need some help regulating their internal temperature, cold weather alone will not make your child sick. Viruses and bacteria do that. So, spending time outside on a winter day won't make your baby more likely to get an infection. In fact, colds and flu are more common in the winter season because people tend to be inside and in closer proximity to each other, promoting viral spread.

Key Takeaways

The reality is that not everything you hear about taking care of your baby is going to be true—or applicable to your family. So, if some advice doesn't ring true or feel right to you, do your own research, reach out to expert sources like your pediatrician, and trust your instincts to make decisions that work for you and your baby.

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Sources
Parents uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Bathing Your Baby. American Academy of Pediatrics. 2023.

  2. Not all the bowlegs is rickets! (a case report). Pan Afr Med J. 2022.

  3. Neuromyths in Music Education: Prevalence and Predictors of Misconceptions among Teachers and Students. Front Psychol. 2017.

  4. 3 Ways You Can Bond With Your Baby. American Academy of Pediatrics. 2023.

  5. Impact of diaper change frequency on preterm infants' vital sign stability and skin health: A RCT. Early Hum Dev. 2022.

  6. Sun Safety: Information for Parents About Sunburn & Sunscreen. American Academy of Pediatrics. 2021.

  7. How to Clean, Sanitize, and Store Infant Feeding Items. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2023.

  8. Helping Babies Sleep Safely. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2022.

  9. How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained. American Academy of Pediatrics. 2023.

  10. Characteristics Associated With Adding Cereal Into the Bottle Among Immigrant Mother-Infant Dyads of Low Socioeconomic Status and Hispanic Ethnicity. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2017.

  11. How Often and How Much Should Your Baby Eat?. American Academy of Pediatrics. 2023.

  12. Children's Foot Health. American Podiatric Medical Association.

  13. Common Cold and Flu. Vitamin C in Human Health and Disease. 2019.

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