Baby's First Four Months (Sterling Educational Films, 1967)

A male narrator gives advice over shots of a mother and infant at home. The new baby and mother should not have much company at first. The mother is warned that she may experience postpartum depression and is urged to get away from her home now and then. The preparation of bottles and formula is illustrated. The baby must be burped during feeding. Playtime, exercise, lack of eye contact and muscle coordination in newborns is discussed. Proper support of the baby when changing, dressing, and lifting is shown. The baby is prepared for a walk outdoors in a carriage. How to carry the baby and do something else at the same time is demonstrated. The importance of close, touching relationship between mother and baby, and of establishing eating and sleeping routines is emphasized. What the babysitter should know and do is outlined. Taking short trips with the baby is recommended. The 3 to 4 month old baby is shown kicking, looking at toys, smiling,playing, raising his head, and sitting with support. The doctor's recommendations on vitamin supplements and diet should be followed. Fathers should spend some time each day loving and playing with the baby. The baby in an infant seat is shown being fed baby food. Shots include: People gathered around the new baby; diapers being put in a washer; piles of baby laundry.
Learn more about this film and search its transcript at NLM Digital Collections: resource.nlm.nih.gov/8800640A
Learn more about the National Library of Medicine's historical audiovisuals program at: www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/collectio...
#medicalhistory #baby #infant #motherhood

[@lucyterrier7905]

That baby is now 56 years old.

[@timewarpproductions4844]

You gotta admit, that baby is adorable

[@ladyjane9980]

I love how they talk 'about baby' like its a dog.

[@sherralbell5962]

Lol the way he says baby / behbee/ so serious lol

[@msab657]

Behbee! Lol

[@janesmith5581]

Was thinking the same thing !!😂

[@deniece0821]

😂😂😂 Now I can't un-hear it.

[@cathykrueger4899]

My how things have changed. No mention of breast feeding. Blankets in the crib. And an “auto bed”! I remember all of this. My sister was born in 1960 when I was 13. Formula, sterilizing, cloth diapers, strings to tie on the double breasted t-shirt. And the car bed. Always a blanket in the crib. She was given a tablespoon of orange juice every day and was also fed a raw egg yolk. Cereal was started very early. We older siblings spoiled her rotten.

[@drkatel]

Anyone who watches Ze Frank’s videos will get why I cracked up every time he said “beh-beh.” (And if you’ve never seen Ze Frank’s animal mini-docs, they’re both hilarious & educational.)

[@blossom1643]

All that INFORMATION!! That little Tune Alone makes me wanna run right out & have a little tyke right away!!🤣🤣

[@purpleyams7219]

I didn't expect that "drinking water" to be so opaque

[@actual_doge3221]

My "drinking water" from the tap is also very opaque. It didn't used to be that way, I'm not sure if that means the quality of water is low. When I Googled it it said that that could just be many tiny bubbles. Considering where I live nobody in this town should be drinking it, but some do. If my family and I drink at our stomachs hurt like hell so we only drink bottled water now. But years ago we could drink from the tap without any physical issues.

[@LunaRain01]

if you watch again, she poured it from the hot side, not the cold side.

[@bethanysmith4388]

This is so interesting. My mom was born around this time. I was curious to know the kind of advice my grandma got about taking care of her.

[@teijaflink2226]

Strange not even a mention about breast feeding.

[@cowgirl_in_pink_pearls]

That sink set up is the same I had in my 1931 home! I loveeeee the scallop detail under the cabinets too! OH! This ISN’T a HOUZZ video? My bad! Hahaha

[@lisaturtle1106]

“Make sure u pet him”lol….

[@angelacassidy3995]

that was quite educational

[@kiyonnadobbins]

That baby is my mothers age!!!!

[@Marleydavis8]

Now that baby in its 60s 😂

[@bobbissell2910]

We all survived

[@peanutygoodness]

What is this “the telephone” that provides information of the era? Is it similar to an android or an iPhone?

[@LunaRain01]

"get out to a beauty parlor." *!!!!!* PS when steralising, don't worry about the mould and mildew on the back of the sink.

[@avengernemesis7990]

I have nightmares watching this..as i had 4 children under 5. Loads of towelling nappies..each day Home education, toys, loads of chatter from the children. They are all grown up, all university educated and living their own lives. Would i do it again ...no, never again.. Australia

[@geraldford9566]

Im confused. You could plan your formula for the day in one sittle and have it good for the rest of the day? If you make formula now, its only good for a couple hours even in the fridge.

[@claudiarejane322]

Breastfeeding is Life

[@nikitaabdalla9675]

I find it interesting that they reccomend orange juice to baby

[@jenniechurch5337]

Makes since why you baby bottles, came in a 2 pack with a white one for milk and and orange one...i just assumed now was orange juice! Haha so weird! Lol

[@teijaflink2226]

For the c-vitamin maybe? Though now babies are recomended extra D-vitamin.

[@thomasplouffe1363]

i love how they are like " him him him" then you see the first baby atlases is a baby girl XD

[@juditfelvinc1114]

Why only formula and not breastmilk?

[@tracyfisher6898]

This was the 60’s. Breast feeding wasn’t a big thing in those days. Most women didn’t breastfeed.

[@McPierogiPazza]

Breastfeeding was often associated with being poor and "backwards." Formula was touted as healthier and modern. Around this time feminists, especially midwives, started promoting breastfeeding.

[@graybird2054]

Each era had its own narcissistic traditions

[@karimoon5323]

If you watch old TV shows they advertise Carnation evaporated milk for babysitting milk

[@Lawh]

You can't sell the mother any breastmilk.

[@cowgirl_in_pink_pearls]

@ :45 she threw the bahybee in the warshing machine!!!

[@thomasplouffe1363]

the fact they said "drinking water for your baby" babies should never drink water

[@kathleenevans1201]

I used to sterilize the bottles with the formula in them.

[@LME791]

Is she putting in tap water for the baby

[@lindathrall5133]

I REMEMBER THE DIAPER SAFETY PINS

[@llamalady8700]

Me, too!

[@Naturalisgirl]

Hi I'm alive and I have 32.Amin

[@sparklegazer319]

Talk about the dark ages being not so long ago, when u hear that expression u automatically go back much further but realistically it really wasn't. I'd like to blame this on ignorance but unfortunately that just doesn't apply if I'm to be honest with myself cause it doesn't take a 4.0 GPA to see the sex of the baby & the fact that throughout this educational film they used a newborn girl yet being constantly addressed as a boy is just perpoturus. If they were so hell bent on having a newborn boy in this i seriously doubt it would have been a difficult task,and yet even still when all was said & done this was their decision " I can just hear it now "Oh don't worry the audience wont be able to tell if the baby has balls & a wee-wee" 🤦🤔🤦🤔🤦🤔🤦

[@itsme2365]

Or breastfeed!!!! It’s already sterile it’s the perfect temperature it helps bonding between mom and baby it helps to shrink the uterus. The list goes on and on. I know people didn’t know this stuff back then. But some people still choose not to breastfeed today because it’s a hassle . It’s the absolute best thing you could do for your newborn.

[@teresalipot7111]

The pre-carseat era. "Use a baby CAR bed"! (Where your child will be ejected in the event of a car accident!) Yikes!

[@serenety1]

This is so true. My 10 day old nephew was killed when my brother had a car accident. The car went under a truck & the car's roof was ripped off. I was only 7 or 8 at the time but still remember the police coming to our house to tell us the sad news.

[@total2gototal194]

Was there real necessity to show mothers how to take care of their baby? Wow

[@McPierogiPazza]

Still is. Not everyone knows this stuff. Depends on their family situation growing up, and they may not have family to help out.

[@margheritarigaccini8367]

I think so, check the other video from National Library of Medicine: Infants Mother Interactions 1967; you Will see as mothers from type 3/4/5 and some of 7 have no idea of babies’s basic needs, as feeding Them just with Milk until 6 months old, let them enjoy the bottle until they are satisfied, letting them rest when they are tired and sleepy, to give always sustain for head and neck in the first months.. Probably most of this mothers are not evils but just completely ignorant.

[@alejandravega4060]

This is why some babies have shaken baby syndrome because of lack of education

[@LunaRain01]

Hell, there still is.

[@susan_elizabeth]

Thank you, Mr. Buffoon. What would we brainless women ever do without the professional advice of someone that never spent any time raising babies? YOU saved us! 🤣😂🤣

[@McPierogiPazza]

A lot new parents really don't know the basics. Depends on whether they had younger siblings and how much their parents engaged them in baby care.

[@dawnagamble1549]

Yes mr .man! 😂😂😂

[@Lawh]

Be sure to teach this disrespectful and ignorant attitude to your children so they can grow up just as arrogant as you!

[@msab657]

Be sure to fix yourself up for your husband

[@llamalady8700]

Ha. Ha. Of course, and dinner at 5:00 sharp!

[@llamalady8700]

Why I never had kids, you gotta do everything for those stupid things.

[@alejandravega4060]

Glad u didn’t 😅

[@derekbriggs851]

Sure wish your mother thought the same. Shame

[@fluffy00123x]

U don't deserve any

[@dawnagamble1549]

WHAT??? WHAT ABOUT BREAST FEEDING ? THIS IS ALL JUST ,HOW TO TAKE CARE OF A WHITE BABY AND OBVIOUSLY THAT IS NOT THE MOTHER OF THIS BABY BECAUSE ITS ALWAYS CRYING EXCEPT IN CLOSE UP SHOTS! I MUST SAY THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND THANK GOD FOR THAT!!

[@MargieVarner44]

are other babies different ? You sound racist !