Old wives’ tales are put out to grass by survey

GUINNESS is good for you - that’s what our grandmothers always said. And grandmas know best, or so we were always led to believe. But the results of a new survey are challenging that age-old dictum.

They may be knowledgeable about a great many things, but when it comes to baby care, grandmothers frequently give their daughters well-meaning but outdated advice on how to raise their own children.

Giving ill-informed advice about the perceived health benefits of Guinness, in particular, remains a common trend.

“Guinness is good for you” was the popular slogan that the drinks company used in the 1920s. But the slogan was abandoned decades ago.

That hasn’t stopped many grandmothers from continuing to recommend it to antenatal mothers as a good source of iron.

One-in-two grandmothers (48%) from across Ireland and Britain who responded to the survey advised on drinking Guinness during pregnancy.

In fact, says SMA Nutrition, the baby-food company which carried out the poll, this is not a good idea.

Current medical advice warns against drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

Guinness isn’t the only drink that grandmothers erroneously recommend.

Again, almost half of all grandmothers (44%) surveyed said they would give tea to an infant, despite its potential to restrict growth in young children.

“Tea is not a good drink for growing toddlers,” said SMA health expert Alison Wall. “It contains tannins, which can slow down the body’s absorption of iron, which is essential for healthy growth.”

Despite the dangers of cot death, the vast majority of grandmothers (78%) said babies should be well wrapped up and warm when going to bed.

In fact, said Ms Wall, current medical guidelines recommend that “babies should be put to bed on their backs and in loose and cool covers in order to minimise the risk of cot death”.