A recent study has revealed that new moms often get conflicting advice from medical professionals, family members and the media when it comes to key parenting topics.
The Study published in Paediatrics Journal says that advice usually goes against recommendations for breast-feeding, vaccines, pacifier use and infant sleep.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Staci Eisenberg, a Pediatrician at Boston Medical Center said “In order for parents to make informed decisions about their baby’s health and safety, it is important that they get information, and that the information is accurate.
“We know from prior studies that advice matters. Parents are more likely to follow the recommendations of medical professionals when they receive appropriate advice from multiple sources, such as family and physicians.”
The study found that 15 per cent of the advice mothers received from doctors on breast-feeding and on pacifiers didn’t match recommendations, 26 per cent of advice about sleeping positions contradicted recommendations and nearly 29 of mothers got misinformation on where babies should sleep
Eisenberg added that “While our findings suggest that there is room for improvement, we did find that health care providers were an important source of information, and the information was generally accurate, but I would encourage parents to ask questions if they don’t feel like their provider has been entirely clear, or if they have any questions about the recommendations.”
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