Has anyone ever heard of having brandy or other alcohol as part of the baby layette?

The “layette” is made up of essentials for a new baby.  What goes in it varies, but it is usually blankets, onesies, t-shirts, socks, going home outfit – stuff like that.

I heard this a while ago when I was pregnant with my first son. I was told that back in the day (not sure what day) that in addition to t-shirts, cloth diapers, and blankets, there was a small bottle of brandy and a dropper that was given to the new mom, so that the baby wouldn’t be up all night.  They would get a couple of drops before bed, and sleep right through the night. Sounds old fashioned, crazy, and dangerous, right? Of course I couldn’t imagine getting my baby drunk and letting them sleep it off so that I could get some shut eye, but I have heard of modern day parents keeping a little cough syrup or allergy medication around to get kids sleepy enough to go to bed.

What if anything have you heard about the old practice… or the new?  We all feel sleep deprived as new (and seasoned) parents, but at what point is it going too far just for some peace and quiet at night?

What do you do to get your little one to go to sleep?  Have you ever felt desperate enough for some rest to drug them?

Remember –  it is NEVER advisable to give infants ANY alcohol of any type for any reason, and using over the counter or prescription drugs for something other than their intended purpose is NEVER okay.