Maternity Care in the Second Half of the 20th Century

My first child was born in the mid-70's and I also had to stay in hospital for 8 days, though the maternity unit was very full and the care was pretty basic. By the time I had my last child (of four) they had moved on to being allowed to leave the same day if your baby was born before midday, with an overnight stay if not.
My two middle children were born at home (my choice) as my experience during my first labour was pretty awful, with our GP turning up afterwards to do any stitches that were required. The home births were preferable as the Community Midwives were far more experienced than most of the midwifes in the hospital units and I felt much safer. In fact the midwife from my second birth was running the hospital unit when I had my fourth child.

As the OP said, episiotomies were more or less standard in hospital births in the 1970's, though slower and better managed births meant that I did not have one for the last two babies.

Not in the 60s though I think. I had a 9 lb 4 oz baby with just a few whiffs of laughing gas.

I was born in 1963 by an emergency c section, my brother 1964 by cs and my sister in 1967 by cs. My mother was forced to try breastfeeding with my brother and myself, although not my sister. She was in hospital for 14 days with the three of us. Fw to 1981 and my youngest brother was born by sc. Again my mother was not encouraged to bf. She should have stayed in for 7 days but was a little ill and had to stop in for 10 days.
Roll on to 1988 and my sister had a baby by sc, stayed in for 5 days. I did not have a sc and should have been home after 2 days but had an infection and stayed in 4 days. Both of us were given a choice of breastfeeding or bottle.
My daughter has a sc in 2020 and was aggressively (imo) encouraged to bf, was home in 2 days and she had another 2 under 5s at home.
I hope this little history helps.

I had 4 babies in 3 different towns in the 1970s. All were late and induced with oxytocin.
No. 1 had a high forceps delivery with me under GA. In hospital for 10 days
No. 2 and 3 had severe jaundice due to incompatible blood groups between parents, in hospital for 10 days. No 3’s shoulders stuck and she was born not breathing.
No. 4 was 10lbs 9 oz but no problems and home in 2 days.
I breastfed them all without any help or encouragement.
Yes, birth was regimented then but we got much better care than now. My midwife daughter left the NHS because she was unable to give the care and attention needed and is now independent, giving wonderful ante and post natal care and ideal home births. This has to be paid for, so tough luck if you’re poor and giving birth in an inadequate maternity ward.

I have three children born in 1985, 1987 and 1990. I wanted a home birth with my first but at the grand old age of 26 was told I was old for a first baby so they would not agree. An older midwife kept asking me if I wanted ‘a nice little enema’ I just repeatedly replied no thank you. I had had and air, refused petaling but ended up having it when my then husband told them I wanted it when I was in the middle of a contraction and unable to say no! The result was that after my daughter was born I was very very sick. I was in hospital for about three days. The first night was awful. They put baby in the nursery so I could sleep. But I could hear her crying (she was the only baby in there). I couldn’t for the life of me find the nursery and no staff checked on me so I spent the whole night sobbing.

My son’s birth was straightforward. No mention of enemas this time lol.

Daughter no2 was spine to spine, the pain was excruciating. If I got into a position where the pain was less my contractions would stop. There was concern about the baby as I had merconium (sp?) in my waters but she was fine. She was also born face first which left her looking like should done several rounds of boxing lol.

All three were delivered on a midwife run ward by my GP which was lovely.

Thisismyname The staff were awful and very nasty. --- They had decided that I was an unmarried mother until DH arrived.

The above sparked a memory from my 1970s obstetric course. There was an unmarried mother on the ward who was expecting twins. The staff were generally horrible to her and I overheard one of them telling her that she would be in for a lot of pain when the twins delivered and it served her right and would teach her a lesson.

It was totally the opposite in my general training where we were taught not to be judgemental and to treat everyone with respect and kindness.

In 1972, with my first pregnancy, I spent four weeks in an antenatal unit, due to high blood pressure, until labour started almost three weeks early. I was then taken by ambulance to our local large teaching hospital. My DD was born by vacuum extraction after a long labour, then immediately transferred to the special nursery due to breathing difficulties. In those days, no one was allowed to enter the special nursery, apart from staff. DH and I could only look through glass. During the week following the birth, while still within the normal 7 day stay, I had very severe post partum haemorrhaging. I had no idea what that was about at the time, and it was very frightening. The nurse just had me lie down, then she massaged my abdomen, then told me to let them know if it happened again. No visit from a doctor. Baby was allowed home after two weeks - the first time that I’d met her! The very next night, I had a second severe haemorrhage. I actually fainted due to the sudden loss of blood. We didn’t have a phone in the house,so didn’t get the doctor in till morning. All he said was that we should wait t and see if it happened again. To cut a long story short, it happened twice more before I was admitted to hospital, requiring a D & C, blood transfusion and intravenous antibiotics. It was many years before I realised how serious this was, and how negligent the hospital staff and GP were.
One big difference by the time I had my third in 1977 was that the parents were allowed into the special nursery ( baby had a collapsed lung ). That was good because she spent almost three weeks there.

My son was born in 1995.
Home birth was planned, but he was born in hospital.
His back was against my back.
He was born with ventouse assistance & I had an episiotomy with legs in stirrups
Midwifery care was poor.
I was very much frowned upon because I didn’t want to breast feed.
Not a good experience

How many of us in those days , 1965 for me, had very little contact with their babies.
Whisked away straight after birth, no idea why, in the nursery approximately 20+ hours a day.
No feeding during the night, it is all so weird and unexplainable now.
My H had seen our D for about 2 minutes on the day after she was born and then not again until I arrived home late afternoon the following day.
You had to go home by ambulance, couldn’t be fetched by car and I was waiting around for several hours until one was available.
We just accepted what happened because it always had.
Yet somehow we bonded with our babies because we didn’t know any different.

I had my first in hospital in 1972, A 2 and a half hour labour meant I ended up with lots of stitches, he was a big baby and I was a slim 8 stoner before I had him. I was in hospital for 10 days. In 1974 I had my second and had an hour and 15 min labour, she was 3 weeks early and weighed only 7 and a half lbs. Unfortunately my husband had a car battery explode in his face after I had been in ffor 6 days so they let me go home to look after him and the babies. My third was born in 1980 in a cottage hospital and I left after 36 hours, labour was only 45 minutes. During all of these births I was well looked after. My last one was in 1987 , they wouldn't let me go to the cottage hospital because they said I needed extra care as I was old (39!) All went well, another big baby and a 3 hour labour, inconsiderate child! After 24 hours I was transferrred back to the cottage hospital where I stayed for 11 days until the older kids went back to school after the summer holidays, luxuriating in the care and rest I got. The whole business of pregnancy and birth was great for me at that time.

But one thing that has always stuck in my mind was the note written on my hospital appointment card for my firstborn, it said 'elderly primagravida'. I wonder what those midwives would think of all the mothers today who tend to wait until they are in the 30s and 40s before having babies.

I had my first in 1982 in an ex-workhouse. It was in a terrible state, so old and run down it was impossible to clean. 13 hour labour and epidural plus enema, shave and episiotomy. Babies went to the nursery at 9pm, but as it was next door we could hear them crying all night. The nurses brought them to us to feed which meant the lights were on all night with lots of tramping around. I was in three days and didnt sleep at all. 3 years later a new maternity hospital was built and I had a four hour labour with no enema, shave or episiotomy, just gas and air. The baby was by my bed the whole time and we could breast feed as suited us and the child. I was in two days and would have liked to stay longer, but DH travelled all the time for his job and there was no such thing as paternity leave and neither set of grandparents came to help.

Usedtobeblonde

How many of us in those days , 1965 for me, had very little contact with their babies.
Whisked away straight after birth, no idea why, in the nursery approximately 20+ hours a day.
No feeding during the night, it is all so weird and unexplainable now.
My H had seen our D for about 2 minutes on the day after she was born and then not again until I arrived home late afternoon the following day.
You had to go home by ambulance, couldn’t be fetched by car and I was waiting around for several hours until one was available.
We just accepted what happened because it always had.
Yet somehow we bonded with our babies because we didn’t know any different.

Usedtobeblonde
1970s, first baby and baby was whisked away so that I could 'get some sleep' - I hadn't even seen her properly and spent the rest of the night thinking there was something wrong with her.
Not allowed a cup of tea either in case I was sick.

It was not a good experience.

The maternity home for No. 2 was better, at least after the unpleasant midwife who delivered him went off duty. She even 'forgot' to phone DH to let him know the baby had arrived. The care afterwards was good.

The maternity home for No. 2 was better, at least after the unpleasant midwife who delivered him went off duty.
Just to add, she brought me two sleeping tablets and forced them on me because labour was going very slowly and she wanted a quiet night and said she'd send me to the hospital the next morning. I tried to hide them but she was having none of it and I remember asking 'But what if I sleep through it all?' 😁
'Don't be so stupid' was her reply.

Baby arrived in the middle of the night so she had to do some work.

In 1970, 1971 and 1976 I gave birthday to my 3 children. I was sick throughout each labour and throughout the night and following day. I have no idea why. We were given pills to put around our teeth to bring on the labour. No idea what they were called but I dont think they helped.

First baby (daughter) in 1981 was 4 weeks early and weighed 4 1/2 pounds. Very quick labour of 4 hours. No enema, shaving etc. NCT breathing exercises came in useful. Just OH, the midwife and me in the delivery room. In hospital for 5 days with breast feeding help, lessons in bathing the baby and physio exercises. Visitors allowed any time.

1983 and first son born on daughter’s second birthday, which was also their great grandma’s birthday. Two weeks late and took 6 hours. He was delivered by a medical student who needed one more delivery for his baby delivering badge! He had to be accompanied by the chief midwife who came along with a group of obstetric nurses. They asked my permission throughout. I was only in hospital a couple of days and as I already had one child assumed I knew what I was doing.

Second son arrived in 1985. He was also two weeks late and I had a 2-hour Labour. I was worried I would give birth in the car. Just OH and the midwife who was pleased our son was born on her birthday.

So, three very quick births with friendly and helpful medical staff.

I had awful pregnancies though. I was rushed to hospital the first time with the sickness thing that Kate Princess of Wales had. With the boys I had rather a lot of migraines. I was the exception to the rule that pregnant women have a break from their migraines .

My first two were born 13 months apart in Simpsons in Edinburgh. The first was in 1983, and I had to battle for my husband to be 'allowed' to see the ultrasound scan. She was 10 days 'overdue' (all my 4 babies were 'late' , so I don't think she really was overdue, I just had a long cycle) so I was brought in in the evening for an induction of labour next day. A nurse came to shave me and I said I didn't want that. She said she had to or she'd get into terrible trouble with the sister,but she would just do my perineum. I was given a suppository, but never having had one before, immediately needed to go to the toilet and passed it out. A vigorous internal probably broke my waters and started labour but I didn't recognise it as such. I thought I'd peed myself so spent the night back and forward to the toilet. Next day a very young nurse swabbed the area with scalding water. 'OK I'll use as little as I can,' she said. Then a very young doctor attempted to break my waters but had great difficulty, possibly because the membranes had already been broken the previous evening. He succeeded in cutting my cervix though. You're not supposed to have nerve endings in your cervix. I do! Then although I thought I was having mild contractions they hooked me up to a syntocinon drip. Then my husband was allowed in. Later they asked if I wanted pethidine. I asked how much longer labour was likely to last. Could be ages they said. So I had the pethidine. Never again! I couldn't keep my eyes open and felt completely out of control. The baby was born just over an hour later and thanks to the pethidine was really sleepy. I had an episiotomy, sewn up far too tight by the same doctor who botched the ARM. I stayed in for 5 days and was given Guinness every day.
Fast forward to 1984, baby 2, husband encouraged to come to everything, went into labour at home, excruciating car journey to Simpsons, baby born 80 minutes after arrival in hospital. Stayed in for 4 days.
Baby 3, 1986, student midwife pulled on the cord in 3rd stage, causing heavier bleeding so stayed in for 3 days, and then discharged myself. No Guinness!
1990, baby 4 at the new (then) Borders General hospital. Great midwives but awful consultant. Told me as this was baby 4, I'd obviously want to be sterilised and he could do it 'while you're in anyway having the baby'. I said IF sterilisation was being considered, then my husband would be the one who would take that step. 'You wouldn't want to do that,' said the old codger. 'He's the breadwinner, you know.' When I went in to be induced, he would not examine me with my husband in the room. In advanced labour when he appeared at the door, I shouted (well you're allowed some licence in labour) 'Get him out of here!' The midwives were amused. He disappeared quick smart and thank goodness! Baby was born at 10pm, I went home next morning.

Thankyou very much Magenta8

It always amazes me that any woman goes on to having another baby after having a terrible time with the first, but we do. I had a really experienced midwife for my first delivery, and put my legs on her shoulders while I pushed. Son delivered safely and no episiotomy or stitches. My second 18 months later in the newly built, now notorious Shrewsbury maternity unit was completely different. I was alone in a small room with gas and air and was visited from time to time by a midwife. Eventually one came in and I said that I wanted to push. Rubbish she said you're not nearly dilated enough. 10 minutes later I had my dear daughter in the bed waters breaking baby shooting out and placenta all at the same time. They must have heard me calling as suddenly the room was full of tight lipped staff, not saying a word to me. Eventually I had the courage to ask what was the sex of my baby. They were so uncaring and of course I had to have a huge number of stitches. They blamed me I suppose for having her all on my own!

pinkprincess

I had my two children in 1969 and 1972.Both born by emergency c section because of serious complications .in labour.
I am only 4ft 10 ins tall with narrow hips but old that I was ok for vaginal delivery in my first pregnancy.I am a qualified nurse and midwife so suspected this was risky.Both C Sections under GA which was normal then.
My first baby head never engaged and when my waters broke he went into transverse lie and passed meconium which is a sign of foetal distress.I can remember being rushed to theatre they were running with me on a trolly.I stopped breathing under the GA and we both almost died.Was in hospital 12 days had the longitudinal cut but all stitches were out by th the we went home.
Second pregnancy spent in fear no counselling existed then.I was told it was ok for vaginal delivery again because the first section was because of the transverse lie. Baby's head got stuck in my pelvis in labour.Never engaged either.Another c section as my contractions stopped and it was thought my uterus had ruptured.It thankfully had not but baby got out just in time.
Today I would have possibly had elective section the first time and certainly the second time.Also had tubal tie done during second section as I had decided during pregnancy for this to be done as was terrified of going though childbirth again.
My first son has autism and other problems which could have been related to his horrible birth.My younger son is father and grandfather now.
In some ways modern day are better in that epidurals have replaced GA for most sections and you can request one which was unthinkable then.I do not agree with short hospital stays after sections but this is due to current state of the NHS.
20-30 years before I gave birth I would have died with my first baby.
Sorry for one rant but OP was wanting to now what it was like.

In some ways modern day are better in that epidurals have replaced GA for most sections and you can request one which was unthinkable then.

Not unthinkable at Queen Mary’s Roehampton Hospital in 1970 when I had my first son. I requested an epidural and had one which was a very good thing as he was a forceps delivery but only weighed 7st 2lbs and not the 9 pounder the doctors had been betting on earlier on in the evening because of my size!. I was hugh but it was all water.

I remember everyone being very nice and I went home after 7 days with no midwife lined up as we had just moved house and I hadn’t registered with one. The breast feeding was a disaster. In fact it was so bad that two years later when I had my second son I flatly refused to breast feed even when Matron came and sat at the foot of my bed and lectured me😀.

In the maternity hospital in ‘64 we were in a large ward with upto 20 mums but no babies except at feeding time. Silly things to remember but we all tried to discourage a mum from calling her beady Wendy as her surname began with C. An older mum was given iron injections in her bum with a very large needle and breastfeeding mums were offered a Mackeson every day.

I had both of mine in the early 80’s in the West London Hospital where the head consultant was Hugh Jolly - quite a famous obstetrician then. I had no enema, no shave and nothing but gas and air. I gave birth kneeling on the bed. Quite straightforward births. Afterwards we were encouraged to have our babies in bed with us (Dr Jolly told me off for not having my baby in bed with me when he did his rounds!) and feed on demand. I was in hospital for 10 days with the first 8 for the second. It gave plenty of time for breastfeeding to be established with midwife help. I think I was really lucky.

Oh MilestOne I had an iron injection in hospital after an op for acute peritonitis, the most horrid sensation like.. well lead weights in your muscles. But necessary.
I was offered Mackeson in hospital with evening meals too after treatment for dehydration due to severe pregnancy sickness - always liked it anyway much nicer than Guinness imo sweeter by far. Can you still buy it?
Quite incredible really, this was 1979.
How things change.

DH bought a crate of Mackeson for me when I had DC1. Kept it in the bedroom!!

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My mother had my two older sisters in hospital but I was born in the back bedroom of the Army quarter we were living in with just a midwife in attendance. The midwives visited just like in Call the Midwife and Mum said they were lovely. Pictures are of the midwife who delivered me, another midwife, mum and my very unimpressed sister, two weeks after I was born.

My DD1 was born in Farnborough Hospital, Kent in 1982. It was a long labour (19 hours) with her head pressing into my back with every contraction.

After ten agonising hours I was given an epidural which was bliss! I was half sitting up so saw her little head emerging. Had a trainee midwife and a senior one just observing, but both very kind. No epidural and no stitches, no stirrups!

I stayed in hospital a week and was very well looked after. I had a meltdown one day from sheer exhaustion, so they took DD1 to the nursery overnight and gave me a sleeping pill. I woke the next day feeling fantastic and ready to cope.

Flew back to Malta when baby was just three weeks old, she was a very easy baby, breast fed which had taken two weeks of perseverance to establish.

DD2 arrived two years later and was born in hospital in Malta. Had a horrible midwife, really rough, shoved her fingers in and broke my waters manually and just generally treated me unkindly.

Had an epidural and DD2 was born fairly quickly, no stitches. I discharged myself after one night in hospital as I was so miserable and wanted to be home with DD1.

DD3 arrived five years later, a bit of a surprise! Waters broke at home, went to hospital, sat in bed with no contractions for ages so they put me on a drip which soon got things going. No pain relief whatsoever. I always told them at the start “Please don’t give me pethidine even if I’m yelling for it” as I’d heard so many unfavourable opinions of it.

Two days in hospital, treated very well.

Two years later ( 1991) DS1 arrived. Born very quickly after getting to hospital, no shaving, enema or pain relief, but the kindest, sweetest midwife. Two days in hospital but it was so noisy I was glad to get home. I wished I’d had him at home but at the last minute panicked in case anything went wrong as the hospital was a good half hour away.

I loved having babies but DH said four was enough and had the snip! Spoilsport!😂