How were babies put to bed in the 70s?

My friends baby was born in May 1975 and the advise was to put her on her front. By the time my son was born at the same hospital in December 1975 it had changed to putting them on their sides.

My two, born in 1970 and 71 slept on their tummies with a ventilated mattress and cot bumpers. They could lift their heads right from the start. I remember our vicar's baby died, who was a side sleeper.
One thing I hardly ever saw was a dummy. DD1 sucked two fingers though.

My girls born 69 and 73 were side sleepers but my son would only sleep on his tummy. The girls were thumb suckers he wasn’t.

I honestly don't remember any advice. Our babies slept with us too - on their sides mostly and backs otherwise. I remember my mother being horrified that we gave up on a crib.
In the end we took a side off a cot and fixed it to the bed base so I could shove the baby over in the heat (or for a bit more space once they grew fidgety).
I think we just made it all up really

My eldest daughter was born in 1987 and the advice where I live was to put babies to sleep.on their front or side.

67, 69 and 73 all put on their fronts

They were kept on their sides with a bolster cushion wedged between the cot sides and their back. I put my first on the front and side, the second one on the front and back. One thing I didn't do was prop up the bottle in their mouths as many lazy parents do now, it's so dangerous

Mine were all put down on their sides with the rolled up nappy or towel behind them. We alternated sides and my grandmother constantly reminded me to make sure their ears weren’t folded forward on the side they were lying on!

Born 75 80 and 83. I put all of them on their sides with a rolled up terry nappy behind them. Never tried them on their fronts. They were all perfectly happy being side sleepers and did sometimes prefer to sleep on their backs when older, by which time cot death risk was much reduced

Mine ..1978-1982 were put on their sides on top of a visivent mattress (holes in the top part). This was to prevent them inhaling any secretions/posseting/vomit while they were too young to turn themselves over. I had these mattresses for carry cot, pram and cot and I made sure the babies slept always on their sides (but not with noses pressed in, although the special mattresses assisted breathing and drained away any secretions). It made sense to me at the time and to be honest it still seems sensible but I go along with the new thinking with my grandchildren as it is what their parents want. There are a lot of misshapen heads now though. Who knows, there may be a different school of thought when these children become parents!

My first child was born at end of 1969, my last (twins) in 1975. In between those dates I had two other children and from 1973 was fostering pre-adoption new borns. So between 1969 and 1984 cared for approx 40 new- born babies.
ALL slept on their tummies. Good quality mattress, NO PILLOWS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
As has been said, there was serious concern regarding babies on their backs inhaling their own vomit. Side sleeping was okay, provided something prevented them rolling to their backs.
As a breastfeeding Councillor back then I did come across a couple of horrific Sudden death syndrome of babies. Still not sure if this was anything to do with sleeping on their fronts.
The babies I cared for included, prems, downs syndrome and very sicky ones. Mine were breastfed, but my foster babies forumula fed. Even the smallest managed to lift their heads and turn them from side to side when lying on their tums.
With my g.children, I obeyed current thinking and if I was responsible for them I put them on their backs, but never really felt comfortable with this.

The Back to Sleep Campaign has cut cot deaths significantly.

Katek I well remember the ears thing! I put mine on their side or back, it was suggested the eldest one was put on her front but I never felt happy with it.

Mine slept on their sides as tinies until they were of age to find their own comfortable position.

I was told by the midwife to put our first baby (born 1977) on her side with a terry nappy rolled up behind her to prevent her rolling on to her back and I did the same with her siblings. The wicker crib had a horsehair mattress that was advised by the department store where we bought the crib. It was very firm!

My mother-in-law, (who had successfully reared 8!) advised swaddling. She said the baby had come from a 'tight place' and would be happier if wrapped up. I did parcel them up in a little flannelette sheet sometimes but don't know whether or not this helped... none of them were much trouble.

I find it strange that we mothers who gave birth in the same years should have been given different advice! Maybe a regional thing?

Oh Yes, swaddling. Always was, and still am a great believer in this for the first few weeks of life, slowly loosening it as they progress. My first g.child was the first baby I had come across that hated this and even did not really like covers however loose. He is 19 yrs now, and by the age of 6 yrs old was proven to be aspergers. Not sure if this has anything to do with his dislike of close covers, he still has that.
All other babies I came across/cared for I found swaddling tended to calm them down ready for sleep.
My own third one was premature, and due to circumstances I was unable to stay in hospital with her. Brought her home with me and used a very long length of material to drape around myself and her to keep her firm against me whilst I went round looking after the other two etc. As soon as she started to stir, she was offered the breast, if she actually woke and cried, she was then often too exhausted to feed, so during the day she was suckling for a short time about every two hours.
At night she slept in her crib next to my bed, on her tummy,and would be lifted by me to feed as necessary.
Yes fashions do change.

I had my first in 1977 and we were sternly told to put them to sleep on their tummies - the other way risked cot death.
Roll on ten years or so....

What with the advice on eggs as well, and diesel cars (it's not that long since we were told that they were better for the environment) I do tend to be a wee bit sceptical now of 'expert' advice, given that they change their minds all too often.

Reading through this thread I’m slightly concerned that the impression that a few posts might give is that placing babies to sleep on their front or side is fine as the posters babies were fine, and that the current guidelines are just a ‘fashion’ that may change again with time. I just wanted to point out placing babies on their backs to sleep is FAR safer than any other position, and has greatly reduced SIDS rates across the globe since its became widely publicised in the 80s/90s.

The SIDS rates in the UK were around 1800 babies a year in the late 80s before the ‘back to sleep’ campaign, after which they dropped to around 600 a year. Since then, and since the introduction of other safety factors (no blankets or cot bumpers and room sharing for 6 months) this has now dropped to around 240 a year. The statistics speak for themselves. Also, it has been the advice for over 30 years in some countries, certainly not a fashion or fad.

I only point this out as I would hate for a new mom to be looking for information online, read some of these posts and then think ‘oh it’s okay, I’ll try it’ in case something awful were to happen.

I understand a lot of the guidance (mainly weaning) has varied massively over the years, and there’s no definitive evidence for any specific weaning dates or practice (other than nothing than milk in babies bottles) but safe sleeping practice can quite literally save a child’s life. My cousin lost her son to SIDS at 6 months old and she tells everyone to follow all the SIDS advice now.

I’ve added a link to the lullaby trust and the lullaby trusts outline of the evidence base for the safe sleeping guidelines.

Lullaby trust: www.lullabytrust.org.uk/

Evidence base: www.lullabytrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Evidence-base-2019.pdf#page5

1970 Side. Keep alternating
1972 Tummy

I don't recall being given advice. I put them on their side. And changed sides for some reason??

Newmom101 the voice of informed common sense....at last!

I’m shocked at those who think this is just a ‘fashion’ ?

1978/1980 I put mine on their tummies to prevent them swallowing sick and to bring up the wind. I was shocked when I was told that I shouldn't have done that. Luckily they survived.

The prevailing view ( at the time!) was to put them into bed face down.I refused to do this, ( having tried it) as the baby
Looked hot and red faced.After that, put baby ( and subsequent babies) on their backs, they were able to turn their heads from side to side, and to look around, and stayed cooler.

I agree Newmom101 that this advice is based on research and has saved many lives. Many of us had babies before this was known and I think most are just sharing their experiences. I don't give unasked for advice to my son about my grandchildren, although I was a health visitor for most of my working life. They prefer to look things up on the Internet.