10 Common Parenting Myths in India - Busted!

Parenting in India does not come with a manual but with a whole advisory board.

From grandmothers pulling out Ayurvedic quotes to neighbors advising the intake of almonds for a strong brain development, advice becomes more rapid than a WhatsApp forward.

As time goes by, every sneeze or tantrum is answered by a combination of mythologies, “back in our day” and Google-sealed tips.

Old-time beliefs invariably hype discipline, collective family sense, and home remedies that “never failed.” On the other hand, contemporary facts introduce science, sleep timing, mental health education, and screen time research.

Also, while Dadi swears mustard oil massages work miracles, pediatricians advocate vaccination timetables and well-balanced diets, as the top priority.

In the end, the game is to ride this cultural tug-of-war, where Dadi’s nuske & tangles with modern toddler-tracking apps on one side, while the timeless common sense bumps into digital parenting guides on the other.

If you have been wondering, “What are common parenting myths in India”, then this blog covers various parenting myths in India about newborn care and balancing it with the evolving realities of parenting.

Myth 1: “Newborns Should Be Bathed Daily”

Traditional Belief: This is one of the most common Indian baby care myths, where parents usually focused on keeping the baby fresh and presentable for visitors by bathing it regularly.

Truth: Daily baths can dry out a baby’s delicate skin.

Supporting Facts: The Moisture Mix-Up

According to a leading health source, newborns only have two or three sponges or tub baths a week, because they don’t sweat or get dirty like older children.

Overbathing the baby is believed to remove the baby’s natural oils and weaken the skin barrier. This is because the natural moisturizing factor in newborns is already lower, compared to adults which can further make the skin dry, brittle, or irritated.

Expert Tip:

• Ensure to regularly wipe just the face, neck creases, armpits, and groin with a damp cloth or sponge. This keeps the baby fresh, while also protecting their skin barrier.
• If you do give them a bath, limit it to about 5-10 minutes to avoid over-hydration of sensitive skin.

Caution Potion: Avoid soap on babies until one year as it can strip their delicate skin of natural oils, leaving it dry, irritating, and more prone to rashes.

Myth 2: “Holding the Baby Too Much Will Spoil Them”

Traditional Belief: During older times, parents thought coddling the baby would make them dependent and usually paid attention to the little one’s hygiene. Emotional closeness through frequent holdings was often considered secondary.

Truth: Babies need physical contact for bonding and emotional growth.

Supporting Facts: The Brain Baby Hug

The sense of touch is very crucial for early brain and emotional development. Gentle holding, cuddling, and skin-to-skin contact help regulate babies’ heart rate, stabilize heartbeat, parent-child bond, and reduce stress hormones.

Also, infants who receive physical touch regularly from their caregivers tend to be less fussy, sleep better, and show better social and cognitive skills later in life.

Such tactile experiences in their childhood also help in shaping their neural pathways, and also influencing empathy, learning, and self-soothing abilities in them.

Expert Tip: Ensure to incorporate touch into daily routines like, swaddle after baths, hold during feeding, or skin-to-skin post diaper changes. Even a short 5 to 10 minutes could enhance emotional security, confidence, and resilience in children later in life.

Myth 3: “Ghee Massage Makes Babies Fairer and Stronger”

Traditional Belief: During old times, newborns were often massaged with ghee daily before their first bath, believing it would promote healthy bones, shiny skin, and faster walking.

Truth: Ghee doesn’t affect skin color or bone strength.

Supporting Facts: The Ghee Groove

Ghee’s consistency is quite thick, and such heavy oils might clog pores, leading to heat rash or irritation.

In addition, skin color isn’t governed by external factors, but by genetics and natural melanin content in the body.

On the upside, gentle baby massage still promotes bonding and warmth, pacifying the baby’s nervous system. This further enhances their emotional, social, and cognitive development.

Safer Option: Use of dermatologically tested baby massage oil, curated with balanced pH value, and hypoallergenic nature, is considered best for infants. R for Rabbit’s Baby Massage oil is also formulated to keep the sensitive baby skin in mind.

Expert Tip:

• Warm a light baby oil, blend it in your palm, and massage your baby’s limbs and back for around 5 to 10 minutes once or twice a week.
• Post-bath, apply a few drops of baby oil and gently massage in slow strokes.
• Ensure to top it with cuddle time; your calm voice, and skin-to-skin contact. This pacifies their nervous system and amplifies its benefits with time.

Caution Potion

• Ensure to do a patch- test first to avoid any allergic reactions.
• Skip the hot oil massage on hot days to prevent overheating the babies due to their still developing thermoregulation system.
• If you spot red bumps, sticky residue, or discomfort, immediately stop the massage and consult a pediatrician.

Myth 4: “Formula Milk Is Harmful Compared to Breast Milk”

Traditional Belief: In many Indian households, formula milk was considered inferior to breast milk, with a belief that only the latter could ensure a healthy and a strong baby. This led to moms supplementing it to feel guilty.

Truth: Formula milk is safe and nutritionally balanced when prescribed.

Supporting Facts: Formula Facts

Infant formula is formulated to mimic breast milk, providing the right balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, essential for healthy growth.

Also, it is strictly regulated by health authorities to ensure it meets safety and nutritional standards.

Studies claim that formula-fed children also grow with normal weight and height percentiles, besides meeting key developmental milestones, compared to breastfed babies.

In addition, formulas for premature babies, lactose intolerance or allergies are also available, ensuring every infant receives optimum nutrition, suited to their needs.

Feeding Companion: The Nurture Pal

Ensure to use a feeding bottle for safety, hygiene, and ease of use. These are especially designed for babies and come with BPA-free materials, a wide neck for cleaning, and anti-colic design to prevent indigestion in babies.

However, it is important to prepare the formula with the right water ratio, and in sterilized bottles to ensure optimum hygiene.

If you are seeking to purchase one, then do take a quick peek at R for Rabbit’s Feeding Bottles collection that is vibrant, colorful, and you may also have many options to choose from.

Myth 5: “Babies Should Sleep in Total Silence”

Traditional Belief: The urge to keep a quiet environment near a sleeping baby is also one of the most common parenting misconceptions. This is believed to provide them with an uninterrupted rest and avoid disturbing their dreams.

Truth: Complete silence may startle babies; soft background sounds are comforting.

Supporting Facts: The Evidence Espresso

Science shows that newborns roughly spend 50% of their sleep in the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep stage, which for adults is when more dreaming happens.

Now, since the baby’s brain is active during REM, encompassing various functions like processing, wiring, and adapting to the real world, the silence could feel unnatural or even startling to them as they transition between sleep phases.

Here, the soft background sounds sometimes act as a gentle buffer, helping them stay settled and reducing sudden awakenings.

White Noise Magic

Studies have also proven that the white noise can not only shorten the sleep-onset times but also reduce awake moments during naps.

The reason being, newborns are already accustomed to the low-level noise inside the womb. This makes transition to a quieter environment alien to them, making them unsettled and startled.

However, as the baby grows and sleep matures, reduce the sound transition towards a quieter sleep setting.

Expert Tip: Ensure to keep the sound levels safe and well below 50dB approximately. In addition, also be mindful to place the music source at least a few meters away from the baby cradle.

Caution Potion: Only use the white noise during sleep times and avoid using it all the time to prevent over-dependence.

Myth 6: “Teething Causes Fever and Cold”

Traditional Belief: Many families believe that when a baby begins teething, symptoms like fever, cough, or cold are simply signs of teeth arriving.

Truth: Teething may cause drooling, irritability, and gum discomfort; but not fever or cold.

Supporting Facts: Teething Truth Drop

Babies usually begin teething mostly around 4 to 7 months. This is usually following the drop of the maternal antibody received due to breast feeding in children, often being the real cause of fever.

Teething usually affects the localized areas leading to gum swelling, excessive chewing, drooling, or pulling ears, but persistent fever, cough, or runny nose points to illness rather than teeth eruption.

This might further lead to a slight elevation in temperature. Studies also consistently show that it does not raise body temperature to fever levels over 100.4 °F / 38 °C.

Expert Tip:

• Teething discomfort can be soothed either by offering chilled teething rings or gently massaging gums with a clean finger.
• Dress your baby comfortably to keep them calm and cozy.
• Keeping a baby well-hydrated is important because of extra drooling as it can lead to fluid loss. It also helps clean the mouth surface naturally, reducing irritation or rashes caused due to extra drooling.

Caution Potion: Misconception of serious illness with teething can delay the diagnosis of genuine infections like the ear, urinary tract, or respiratory system.

Myth 7: “Using Walkers Helps Babies Walk Early”

Traditional Belief: Parents have most often believed that providing walkers to the child propels early walking and provides a head start on the next motor milestone. This has become a cultural shortcut to “baby should walk soon.”

Truth: Walkers can be risky; they delay muscle development and increase the risk of injury.

Supporting Facts: Walking Wisdom Drop

Studies have claimed that a significant delay of about 0.33 months occurs in children using walkers, compared to non-walker users.

Also, an injury statistic of about 12% to 40% of walker users is associated with one related accident in children.

In addition, sometimes the children easily access the restricted areas leading to rolling down the stairs, reaching hot or injurious objects or even drowning, if they happen to reach the washroom by any chance.

Walkers are also associated with delay in key developmental milestones, including their ability to self-balance, self-pull to stand, and coordination of controlled leg movements, crucial for independent walking, proper posture, and overall motor development in children.

Safer Alternative: The Smart Step Solution

While the traditional walkers pose a developmental risk, choosing a well-designed, safety-certified alternative could provide stimulation and support without compromising with the child’s growth.

Benefits of Safe Usage of Smart-Designed Walker

• Ergonomic Support: Provides supportive seating to help maintain the baby’s natural posture. This also reduces strain on the baby’s lower back and hips, allowing easy leg movement for muscle engagement.
• Height Adjustability: Such adaptable walkers ensure that the child’s feet touch the floor correctly, promoting balance and optimum pressure distribution. This is important as incorrect height is responsible for poor leg alignment and delayed walking milestone.
• Safety Brakes and Stable Base: Walkers like R for Rabbit’s Activity Walkers are designed to feature anti-fall brakes and wide, stable bases. This further prevents tipping and sudden movement, minimizing the risk of falls, especially on uneven flooring or nearby stairs.
• Controlled Mobility: Unlike the traditional walkers, the modern ones are designed to allow free rolling, to provide limited movement or stationary activity modes. This further encourages the child to practice essential balance and coordination skills.
• Developmental Engagement: Modern walkers are also well-equipped with interactive play trays to stimulate babies’ sensory development and hand-eye coordination, without compromising with the physical growth milestones.

Expert Tip: Encourage floor play and supervise tummy time to strengthen leg and core muscles in children.

Caution Potion: Remember to use them in supervised sessions and let the baby explore and learn confidently. Monitored use helps in building strength and confidence in children.

Myth 8: “Applying Kajal Keeps Away Evil Eyes”

Traditional Belief: In many Indian households, applying kajal is associated with a protective charm against the “evil eye.” It is also believed to ward off negative energy, illness, or misfortune to the baby, as believed by the elders.

Truth: Kajal may contain chemicals harmful to baby eyes. It is also safe to avoid untested products.

Supporting Facts: Risky Twinkle

The composition of kajal might contain lead, heavy metals, or other chemicals that could irritate or damage a baby’s delicate eyes.

Studies have also shown that it could cause probable eye infections, allergic reactions, or even long-term neurological effects, in the case of ingestion.

Also, according to research, pediatricians claim that some traditional kohl samples might contain almost 88% of high pH and lead or contaminants.

This proves that even occasional use can prove harmful as babies tend to rub their eyes or ingest their traces accidentally.

Expert Tip: Replace kajal with focus on hygiene and eye care of the baby by hand and tiny fingers clean.

Caution Potion: Avoid applying any untested or homemade kajal on infants.

Myth 9: “Tightly Wrapping the Baby Helps Growth”

Tradition Belief: For generations, many parents have believed that tightly wrapping or swaddling babies help them grow straight, sleep better, and stay safe. Also, in many cultures, snug swaddling is linked to “shaping” the baby’s body, provides warmth, and prevents fussiness.

Truth: Over-swaddling restricts movement, impairs muscle development, and increases the risk of overheating.

Supporting Facts: Snug Science

Babies need freedom to move their arms and legs to strengthen their muscles, develop motor skills, and practice reflexes like rolling or kicking.

Studies also claim that tight swaddling may contribute to hip dysplasia and interfere with self-soothing abilities.

Also, the probable overheating could also enhance the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), associated with baby wrapped in heavy or non-breathable fabrics.

In addition, the babies who are tightly swaddled are also known to sleep less restfully, when they begin rolling, due to restriction in the movement.

Expert Tip: Snug and Safe

• Ensure to use ergonomically designed soft, breathable cotton or muslin cloth to regulate temperature.
• Gradually transition to a loose swaddle or sleep sack as the baby grows, especially when rolling begins.
• Regularly keep a check on the baby’s temperature and comfort regularly. Ensure that their hands remain warm, not sweaty.

Do check out R for Rabbit’s Swaddles with breathable fabrics to provide your baby with the comfort of sleep and growth simultaneously.

Caution Potion

• Ensure that the baby is able to move its hips and shoulders freely.
• Avoid wrapping the baby too firmly around the chest and legs.
• Always use breathable and lightweight fabrics.

Myth 10: “Babies Should Drink Water Before Six Months”

Traditional Belief: Many families believe that giving water to infants, alongside breastmilk or formula, is crucial for children under six months. This practice was considered to help quench their thirst, cool their body in hot climates, and aid digestion.

Truth: Breast milk or formula provides all the hydration a baby need for six months.

Supporting Facts: Hydration Check

Breast milk contains 88% water, making it sufficient even in hot climates while providing babies with enough hydration. Formula-fed babies also receive adequate fluids without extra water.

Water in this phase is not only unnecessary, but also harmful as excess water could fill tiny stomachs, reducing the intake of nutrient-rich milk. This could also cause malnutrition or slower weight gain.

In rare cases, it could also lead to intoxication by disrupting the electrolyte balance and putting strain on immature kidneys.

Studies also claim that introducing water too early could increase the risk of diarrhea and infections, as sometimes water might not be germ-free. This could further pressurize babies’ still developing immunity.

Expert Tip: Ensure to focus on exclusive breastfeeding or formula feeding during the first six months. After six months, small sips of water can be introduced alongside foods, ensuring proper hydration and healthy growth.

Caution Potion: Avoid giving water to infants under six months, unless prescribed by a pediatrician for medical reasons.

Our Parenting Guide:

1. The 4 Types of Parenting Styles: Which One is Right for Your Child?
2. 9 Common Mistakes To Avoid By First-Time Parents - A Parenting Guide
3. Top 5 Mistakes Parents Make When Buying Safety Gear For Kids
4. How To Love Your Child Without Spoiling?
5. How to Stop Comparing as a Parent and Find Confidence in Yourself
6. How to Avoid Spoiling Your Baby?

Conclusion

As modern parents, it is crucial to focus on verifying information before testing it on your baby.

It is also necessary to approach a pediatrician for more detailed diagnosis, followed by using only certified, and baby-safe products for the baby’s enhanced care and well-being.

Lastly, by following this Indian baby care myths, new parents should avoid the repeated flaws carried out through generations, and balance them out with the right approach to parenting.