Giving birth in the 60s & 70s, what was it like?

Without going into my own and painful giving birth details but fortunate no complications I was subjected to seven days of a 'nothing short of a regimental rules and regulations stay' in the local hospital maternity ward. Not unusual in the 60's and my second experience two years later did not differ.
Todays new mums should appreciate how fortunate they are to be living in the twenty first century.

I had my first baby in 1979 in a private maternity hospital - very cheaply, thanks to my father in law being senior medical staff there. I had an induction so that the consultant looking after me would be there for the delivery. Despite the many scare stories around at the time, I had an epidural and as a result barely felt a contraction. In for 8 days with the baby being taken away at night so I could recover. Very similar story with my second in 1982.

My daughter was born in 1968. I had stirrups for ‘breaking waters’. I had to be induced early. I was in for nearly three months all told. The staff were amazing. I was delivered on my side with husband beside me holding the gas and air. Babies were taken to the nursery for the first night to give mums a well deserved rest. After that, they were in a cot next to the bed.

Visiting was strictly regulated though - husbands only during the week for an hour in the afternoon and another hour in the evening. Grandparents could come at the weekend. It sounds harsh but, actually, it gave a chance for mums to rest and get used to caring for their babies. We were expected to stay in hospital for ten to fourteen days after the birth.

Same shaving and stirrups but as it was early days of epidural I had them early. I didn't experience one painful contraction. Totally pain free I wouldn't get away with this today.
This was 1974 and 1976.
Only down side we were all discouraged from breastfeeding, it was so the nurses could monitor milk input versus weight gain, I think. Fortunately I didn't listen and fed my two for six months.

Dictated by my mother, now 87yrs:

1964

I went in to hospital after my waters broke at 7.5 months.
I had a very long, difficult and painful labour,
I eventually had my baby girl, I was shown her briefly and she was whisked away - the doctor then said ‘I’m really sorry Mrs X but you’re having another one” I had no idea until that moment that I was expecting twins. I remember wanting to die rather than have that pain again, as the pain surged I put my arms over my head, I remember being so hot. The midwife slapped my arms and said something along the lines of “don’t you dare put your arms up in front of the doctor”
The doctor told her off for slapping me and she was sent out of the room.
The doctor was lovely, I begged for my husband as I was sure I was going to die but he wasn’t allowed in.
The next baby came after what seemed like hours - a baby boy, I asked to hold him but was refused as I was told that my babies were very poorly.
A nurse came in and told the doctor that nothing was ready and that they didn’t have an incubator.
The hospital told me very soon after the birth that they were very sick and must be christened immediately. A clergyman came to see me and asked for names, I gave their names and he gave me a pile of leaflets which I stuck under my pillow.
My boy died within hours and my girl lived for a further 12 hours.
I never saw them again
The next day the nurses changed my bed and found the religious leaflets stuffed under my pillow - I remember them sniggering to each other.
Later that day I was told that my baby girl had also died and then all of the babies were bought in to their mothers to be fed - I was in a ward full of feeding mothers, but my babies were dead.
It was unbelievably cruel by today’s standards

Mum already had my brother before the twins and went in to have me.
I also lost twins but much earlier on and was handled with kindness and understanding.
Mum was amazed at the lack of cleanliness when I had mine compared to the immaculate bedding and starched uniforms of the staff in the 60’s.

Well I did not have the difficulties others seem to have experienced. My daughters were born in 1974 and 1977 in the Midlands. Think I was shaved first time - not the second. No enemas. No stirrups and my husband was with me on both occasions! Had complications with a retained piece of placenta which required a theatre visit the first time and some ICU. However second time a piece of cake and out within 48 hours!

I trained and qualified as a midwife in the early 70’s where Sister ruled with an iron rod. Fathers had to stay in the “Fathers Room” and were only allowed into the delivery room after the birth. Women who didn’t want to breast feed had their breasts bound but they were few and far between because breast feeding mums were given stout after evening visiting. I gave birth to my DD in 1977, in a different area to where I trained and my DH was allowed into the delivery room but I had to ask my Consultant to write in my notes that he gave permission. Women stayed in hospital for about 7 days following delivery and when I was a Student Midwife the new mums were really well looked after.

Tigertooth - terrible and sad story.

First baby in '72, labour started at 7.30 pm, I fell asleep and woke up pushing about 9.30 he was born at 10.05. Cot by the bed at all times for the week. Second in 1974, similar labour but started 4.00 pm, she was born 5.15. Cot by the bed for the week too. Big gap then third baby in 1980, only 45 mins labour, only in for 36 hours this time, last baby in 1987, so different, had to go to larger hospital as a bit too old to manage on my own(!) Labour lasted 3.5 hours, nurses overworked and not particularly nice but I was sent back to my cottage hospital for 10 more days, where I had a good rest until the others went back to school. Trouble was the food was so good, I weighed more after having the baby then when I was pregnant!!

I had my eldest in London in 1970. A maternity hospital, such a strict regime. We were only 'allowed' to have out babies for feeding/changing and this was done on the 10 o/c, 2 o/c ,6 o/c and 10 o/c system , the babies would be whisked away in between in the nursery. Getting out of bed was frowned upon and we were in for 10 days then. Husbands only on Sundays and 2 other nights a week, visitors (only 2) were allowed twice a week. The babies would then be brought out for the 2 hours visiting times. No children were allowed at all, it was such a pitiful sight to see 2nd or more time mums looking from the 1st floor window to where their husband or family were holding up other children. Mothers were actually escorted to the bathroom and given baths by the nurses. I was really glad to get home after 10 days, looking back it's what it was but now seems very Dickensian
. All baby clothes were provided in hospital including nappies, breastfeeding was of course the thing, no talk about bottles at all.

Tigertooth. To your Mum. What a horrible experience, so sad for you, I think the way hospitals deal with things have moved on now. xx

I had my first baby in a military hospital in the early eighties. I had just arrived in that country and knew no-one. On the day of my discharge my husband collected us in his lunch break, drove us home, let us in the front door and went straight back to work. No paternity leave in those days.

I had my first in 1994 bit reading all of your experiences it appears I could have been in the early 70s. Horrible midwives, stitching, nursery, made to feel like a stupid little girl. It was awful.
I had my 2nd and 3rd at home because I couldn’t face going to the hospital.

Really interesting read ladies ?

I can hardly read this thread.
My first was born in 1980 and I see no real changes in the way women are treated since then.
Makes me wonder what we all campaigned for....
Kitzinger, Leboyer, AIMS and early NCT...
The "system" may be different but I don't think it's any better.
It makes me sad and angry in equal measure.

I was born in the 50s and my younger siblings in the 60s youngest in 1968. We were all born at home. Which was the norm then. All delivered by a midwife with minimum medical intervention. My dad was in the room when we were delivered and of course the baby stayed with mum after. A tall boy drawer was our first cot., (taken out of the tall boy of cours!).
Funnily enough although I was at home when they were all born I can't remember a thing. Eg I don't remember my mum screaming or midwifes coming.
My children were born in the 80s in hospital no enema or shaving and the babies stayed by the bedside.

Had my first son in 1974 and was shaved and had an enema. We had to stay in for a week and only the father and grandparents were allowed to see the baby during that time. It was fathers only visiting in the evening and the babies were allowed into the ward but if one cried they all had to be removed. They were all kept in the nursery at night and we were woken in the morning by the crying babies lined up in their cots outside the ward . We had to stand to attention by our beds when matron did her ward round each morning. Any single mothers were in a room on their own and not allowed out to mix with the other mothers! Happy days!!

First baby born in 1960 no chance of Hospital as all beds taken due to nearby New town development in Stevenage.

Remember Midwife coming out as it was snowing heavily and she sat by one of those old paraffin lamps that made patterns on the ceiling. It was really cold in the bedroom. No shave, enema yes and really bad tears and no stitches, could hardly sit for pain for following nine months. Breast fed for 3 months.

Second baby in 1972 in Truro had to be induced, made to lie on back and argued with midwife to lie on side, she said never done a side delivery. Transferred to lovely local Maternity Unit after 36 hours and stayed for a week. Much more restful than first baby.

I had a breech birth (bottom first) in 1971, no pain relief, badly torn and stiches that got infected, not a pleasant experience although it didn’t put me off having a further 3 babies

Same experience as you describe, for me in the 80s.

I can remember the indignity of being shaved and having an enema, but the thing that sticks in my mind is the fact that I was repeatedly given a bottle to feed the baby although I kept saying that I wanted to breastfeed. There was no help or encouragement to do so, however I persevered on my own!

My girls were born in '74 and '76. The first in a private Catholic hospital with only one Nun on duty, no doctors and 4 people giving birth at the same time. Very frightening. The second was in that incredibly hot July of 1976. I went to a new hospital in High Wycombe where the maternity unit was on the top floor with an all glass roof. Horrendous. The day After the birth I chose to go to a Catholic nursing home for a few days rest. It was horrible.
I was only allowed to see the baby to feed her though I pleaded to have her with me. I felt like a prisoner. Couldn't wait to leave. The ancient Nuns were quite brutal and uncompassionate. Never mind. All forgotten until now and I ended up with 2 beautiful babies.

My only one born at home 1968 at 5am.. Fantastic service from midwives and Gp.... and the flying squad and the theatre staff, not forgetting the hospital midwives and gynae registrar
who also attended me at home.
After theatre it was up in the ward for ten days, drips down
during that first afternoon. Looked and felt dreadful.
After nine days threatened with a d&c, luckily tablets worked well. Home on the tenth day.......
A traumatic experience, with husband saying no more....
and me agreeing.

Painful in so many ways. My firstborn in ‘75 i was left on my own as two other women we’re labouring and I kept being told ‘your only 3 cms, you won’t have this baby for hours’ My husband was sent home and told to phone and within an hour he was called back as I thought I wanted to go to the loo, no one was there so I got off the high labour bed and went to find one - in fact I was pushing a baby out. She was whisked away and I saw her the following day an issue for me for many months after. My husband was not permitted to hold her and as she was poorly we had to stay in for 10 days. On day 9, he insisted on cuddling her, so I held the screens around the bed and peeped out to see if anyone was coming whilst he had a cuddle and a kiss. Roll on two years and I was fired up , I was going to hold my baby when I wanted and so was my husband. Suprise, suprise, all had changed , the baby stayed with me, my husband held the baby and the wind was gently let out of my sails! Enema and shave? Stirrups? Yes to all three. I was almost envious when I heard about my daughter’s experience of a water birth.

Brighton General hospital 1970 previously the workhouse ! Not a lot of difference tbh. I was induced due to being 14 days overdue . Then I was left to it in a huge side ward with a hospital bed in the centre. It was cold with high high ceiling. The pain was awful and I was only checked on occasionaly. I can clearly remember dirty toilets and shower cubicle. Yes stirrups came next. Painful birth . My D was snatched away then I had op to remove after birth.. didn't see a lot of my daughter tbh only feed time and she cried a lot, I knew her cry . It was dreadful experience. No not a bit like Call the midwife !

My son was born in 1975. Norwich operated the “Domino Scheme” which aimed at minimum time in hospital. I was prepped at home ay about 2 o’clock in the morning by my midwife, taken to hospital in an ambulance at about 3 and gave birth at about 5 am ( no doctor in attendance as things progressed quickly) and waited for the morning ambulance crew to start their shift at 8 am. Smooth and enjoyable experience!