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Colic, Crying, and “Fussy Babies”
Another major reason was colic.
Babies with colic cry for hours, often without an obvious cause. Today, we understand colic as a complex condition related to digestion, nervous system development, and sensitivity.
In the past, parents had no explanation—only exhaustion.
Alcohol was thought to:
- Relax the baby’s stomach
- Reduce gas
- Calm the nervous system
A few drops of whiskey could mean a quiet night—for the baby and the parents. In households where sleep was scarce and survival was hard, that mattered deeply.
Sleep Was Survival
Modern parents worry about sleep schedules. Past parents worried about survival.
In earlier centuries, families often lived in small homes, worked long hours, and had multiple children to care for. A baby who wouldn’t sleep affected the entire household.
Alcohol’s sedative effects were well known. If it helped a baby sleep—even temporarily—it was seen as a practical solution, not neglect.
Again, context matters.
Doctors Sometimes Recommended It
This is one of the most surprising facts for modern readers.
Doctors once recommended alcohol for infants.
Medical texts from the 1800s and early 1900s include instructions for using whiskey or brandy to treat:
- Teething pain
- Fever
- Digestive upset
- Shock
At the time, these recommendations were considered medically sound.
Parents trusted doctors. Doctors trusted the limited science they had.
Cultural Traditions and Folk Wisdom
In many cultures, alcohol-based remedies were deeply ingrained traditions.
Grandmothers taught mothers. Mothers taught daughters. These practices survived because people believed they worked—and sometimes, short-term calming effects reinforced that belief.
In rural areas, especially, folk medicine was often the only medicine available.
The Hidden Risks No One Understood
While alcohol may have calmed babies temporarily, we now know the risks were serious.
Infants’ bodies are not equipped to process alcohol. Even small amounts can affect:
- Brain development
- Breathing
- Blood sugar levels
- Coordination and reflexes
In extreme cases, alcohol exposure could lead to poisoning or death—though these outcomes were often misunderstood or misattributed at the time.
The long-term developmental effects were completely unknown.
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