https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:47 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1453858 Thu, 27 Feb 2014 11:16:37 +0000 Mommy Finger 1453858@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My mom was induced for all 4 pregnancies as she ran about 2 weeks late. However, once she was induced, labor took almost no time at all. I was the 3rd and was born 45 minutes after the induction started. However, I almost killed her as we had just moved to a new state a few months before I was born and her new doctor didn't listen to my mom tell him that she usually would hemorrhage after giving birth. We had very similar pregnancies and I had to be induced. While I didn't inherit the short labor times, I also didn't inherit the hemorrhaging so that's a win.</p> <p>She also was a SAHM and BF all of us for a year. She doesn't understand why people think BF'ing is hard. She was also adamant that I "rough up my nipples" to prepare them for BF'ing. I did not. </p> <p>We were all born between '74-'82. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1453472 Thu, 27 Feb 2014 10:00:55 +0000 blackbird 1453472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah my mom was totally fascinated by my breast pump, too. It's electric, what?! Amazing! haha. </p> <p>@rachiecakes, lol had that same conversation with my mom. "oh i remember those days". No, you do not (my mom was a SAHM and had a nanny helping out soooo....don't even) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1453271 Thu, 27 Feb 2014 09:26:39 +0000 LemonLong 1453271@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My mom never had an ultrasound for any of us (born from 1976-1984), and she had to share a hospital room. She was amazed at the private hospital rom I had and that my husband could stay the whole time. </p> <p>DH's grandma had fertility problems in the 50's and underwent a procedure to "widen her Fallopian tubes", I don't even want to think about how they did that back then!</p> <p>I was pumping in an airport bathroom once and attracted a whole gaggle of older women who were amazed by the pump. They said no one had pumps back when they had kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1453207 Thu, 27 Feb 2014 09:12:10 +0000 regberadaisy 1453207@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both my mom &amp; grandma gave birth in very rural China in a tiny small village. There are no doctors so when they gave birth it was all natural as you can imagine. There's usually one "midwife" in a nearby village that someone will run to get when they're in labor.</p> <p>And oh the nearest town was like 2 hours car ride away and NOBODY in the village owns a car so formula? Ha! Yeah. Those were for the extremely wealthy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1453193 Thu, 27 Feb 2014 09:06:30 +0000 Mae 1453193@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: omg that "formula"! My mom and her siblings were just powder formula babies. Apparently my grandma said in her time they were told that science had improved on breast milk so formula was actually healthier and that breastfeeding was like, icky and barbaric. Like why would you let a child suck on your BOOB omg. She never really got over that mentality and thought my mom was so weird for wanting to breastfeed us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1453135 Thu, 27 Feb 2014 08:39:58 +0000 JerricaBenton 1453135@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's interesting how different all these experiences are! My mom had pretty 'modern' births in the early and mid eighties. She labored with me for 3 days but ended up with a csection. She attempted a vbac with my brother but also ended up with a csection. She breastfed us both for years.<br /> I don't know much about my grandmother's births but I know she had one of her ovaries removed without her knowledge and, to hear her tell it, without knowing if it was really necessary. She was able to have more children but it took her longer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1453068 Thu, 27 Feb 2014 08:03:07 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1453068@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Again my grandmother wasn't encouraged to BF but instead use formula. I forget why but I think she said at one point they were making their own "formula" with raw cows milk (or very lightly pasteurized) and a raw egg for protein. Shaken up in the bottle. </p> <p>Luckily my grandmother loves BFing now and loved to hear stories about me BFing my daughter because she really wishes she could have done it with her boys. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1453044 Thu, 27 Feb 2014 07:33:57 +0000 Charm54 1453044@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My grandmother told me I should only put water in MOTN bottles so the baby would learn to STTN from day 1! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1451317 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 14:29:35 +0000 spaniellove 1451317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The bizarre things they told parents back in the day - my mom had a c-section because at 42 weeks her amniotic fluid was really low, but they told my dad that the fluid being low could cause me to be all scratched up coming out. No matter how many times I try to explain it now he doesn't believe me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1451304 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 14:25:43 +0000 spaniellove 1451304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rubies: Weird, because I know someone who actually had an abortion to avoid having a 1981 baby and had a 1982 baby instead! Every time something happened to me she'd mention the birth year thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1451278 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 14:17:24 +0000 swurlygurl 1451278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: Hahahaha - no kidding! Brown paper bag, I guess?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1451274 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 14:16:50 +0000 Mae 1451274@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stargal: @swurlygurl: dear god I hope it doesn't have to be refrigerated…? That could get awkward at work... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1451265 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 14:15:23 +0000 swurlygurl 1451265@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stargal: What? So if you have an afternoon appt you have to carry around a cup of urine all day?! Haha - that sounds ridiculous! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1451224 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 13:59:18 +0000 stargal 1451224@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: haha yup my dr's practice wants first of the morning urine too, I HATE carrying it into the dr's office. so so gross. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1451136 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 13:26:47 +0000 ShootingStar 1451136@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When my mom was pregnant with me (in '78) she went 18 days past her due date. Can you imagine? That's almost 3 weeks overdue! I heard this story my whole life and never really thought much about it until I got pregnant. Turns out she had irregular cycles and they were usually around 6 weeks long, so she probably ovulated 2 weeks later than her LMP would put her. But no one really worried about it then. She told me doctors just watched for when you dropped. </p> <p>She did have a natural birth with me, which she said was popular then. And she breast fed me for 6 months. She totally doesn't get the whole pumping thing and told me last night that she only ever put formula in bottles, which they heated up in the microwave, lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1451132 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 13:25:01 +0000 looch 1451132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: get out, I had no idea! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1451118 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 13:19:28 +0000 Mae 1451118@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Ummm some places STILL do that! I saw a different doc for my 28 week appointment because my regular doc was out on vacation for the week and the nurse gave me a sample cup to take home and said I was going to have to start bringing my urine in with me in a cup every time to save time (the 90 seconds it takes me to pee and wash my hands???) at the start of the appointment. But then I asked if that was a practice-wide policy since I was just seeing this doc that one time and she said no, just her (that nurse) policy to make her life easier. ??? Sounded crazy to me. So glad I don't usually go to that doc/nurse combo! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1451026 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 12:52:59 +0000 theotherstark 1451026@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, this thread is amazing!! It makes me want to ask my parents what they know about their own birth stories :) The only thing I know about my mom's births is that she has mentioned to me several times how they didn't know the genders - she had no ultrasounds. She also had a super quick labor with me; I was essentially crowning as she walked from the parking lot into the hospital. But that has nothing to do with different practices. </p> <p>One thing that always makes me chuckle is that, when she was pregnant with my husband, my Mother-in-Law was told by her doctor that she should have a glass of wine every night with dinner, to help calm her nerves ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1450940 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 12:29:38 +0000 looch 1450940@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know anything about my grandmothers' births, but they were all abroad and probably at home. My father was born at home and no one really knows his birthday, they just "picked one" when they registered the birth.</p> <p>My mom told me that when she was pregnant, you had to bring your urine to the doctor's office and they tested it there....can you imagine? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1450939 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 12:29:22 +0000 illumina 1450939@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In 1948, my Grandmother gave birth to my Dad at home--apparently that was quite normal then. It was also rare for the Father to be present.</p> <p>In 1982, my Mum was knocked out and I was born by c-section--general anesthetic was commonly used then.</p> <p>In 1985, my Mum had my Sister via another c-section, this time with an epi. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1450934 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 12:27:35 +0000 anandam 1450934@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@oliviaoblivia: Catching nervousness from milk! Crazy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1450923 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 12:24:31 +0000 anandam 1450923@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mamimami: @hellobeeboston: @irunforfun: Yes, routine massive episiotomies and forceps. They thought all that was necessary/safer, and obviously it was easier to slice somebody and shove giant spoons up her if she wasn't fully conscious.</p> <p>I cringe to think how my grandmother gave birth. Recent Mexican immigrant, spoke no English, 1949. I can only imagine. Only funky thing about my mom's deliveries are kind of similar to some places today - routine enema/shave/episiotomy, and immediate separation/bathing/baby to the nursery. Those are starting to seem barbaric in this age, I think. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1450856 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 12:05:53 +0000 rachiecakes 1450856@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: totally! for a while DS wouldn't really take anything throughout the day, so when I'd come home, I'd be BFing every hour on the hour including overnight, then I'd get up to get presentable for work. I remember telling her how exhausted I was and she was like, "oh yeah, I remember those days.. " uh sorry, no you don't, haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1450819 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 11:56:45 +0000 Mae 1450819@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@rachiecakes: Lucky her that she had no issues! I think sometimes our moms don't quite understand the realities of working if they didn't. My mom was a SAHM when I was a baby and she EBF and said no one she knew had a pump. If you want to feed the baby, you just breastfeed! She thinks the whole pumping this is sort of odd but it's like… sort of the only option if you plan to bf after returning to work! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1450752 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 11:43:27 +0000 rachiecakes 1450752@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know about my grandmothers but my mother had a medfree birth, breastfed for a year, wore us in slings and did BLW.<br /> She thought it was crazy that I developed pre-e, she had totally uncomplicated pregnancies, didn't understand pumping/breastfeeding issues when I was back at the office when J was 7 weeks old - she was a SAHM and breastfed for over a year with both my brother and I, didn't understand why I would buy puree pouches when I can just make babyfood - woman I work 40+/week there aren't enough hours in the day!</p> <p>Kind of funny that it's backwards, hehe </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1450689 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 11:29:11 +0000 mdf106 1450689@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In 1980, my mom has a quick natural labor, she was ready to push as soon as she got to the hospital. She did not know she was pregnant until into her second trimester, she kept getting negatives on the pee tests. She had to find a new doctor to do a blood test.</p> <p>In 1982, my mom was induced by having her water broken, and gave birth vaginally to a breech baby drug free, in the operating room in case of an emergency. My mom had an ultrasound because of a suspected ectopic pregnancy.</p> <p>My dad was in the room for both, and both were breastfed for a year. My mom said all her friends breastfed at the time. My mom also took a pregnancy nutrition class, although she was told to eat liver. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1450672 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 11:25:09 +0000 oliviaoblivia 1450672@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My grandmother got pregnant with my dad immediately after a MC. She was 44 weeks pregnant. The doctors didn't believe her and told her that she just didn't know how to count in Spanish (dad was born in South America). My uncle was due around Christmas and was born at the end of January. God knows what was going on.<br /> She was told not to BF any of her kids because she was a nervous personality and the babies would catch that from her milk.</p> <p>My mom had three un-medicated births and BF'd us all. No surprises there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1450572 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 11:00:41 +0000 littlebug 1450572@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was 2 weeks late. When my mom went to leave the hospital and told the nurse she was putting me in a car seat, the nurse YELLED at her - "I would never let my baby sit somewhere other than in my arms in the car!" </p> <p>My sister, who is 4 years younger than me, was 23 days late. Yes, TWENTY-THREE DAYS. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1450548 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 10:55:37 +0000 skipra 1450548@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow crazy stories here! I saw on that Ricki Lake documentary (The Business of Being Born?) that women used to be tied to the bed and given that twilight sleep for the entire labor. Totally insane! I have no idea about my grandmothers' birth experiences in the 1930s &amp; 1940s. My mom went into labor with my oldest sister probably a couple weeks late (early 1970s) and labored in a room full of other women. She said that the pain was so bad she pulled the curtain separating the beds down. Then they overdid it with the epidural so she felt like a floating head. She thinks she had undiagnosed GD because my sister was big and her shoulders wouldn't fit so she got yanked out and has shoulder problems to this day. After that my other sister and I were scheduled c-sections and she was put under general anesthesia. My dad was in the waiting room for all 3 of us. She didn't breastfeed any of us but said it was because my oldest sister was in the incubator for blood sugar issues so she couldn't and then figured since she didn't bf the first time she wouldn't at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crazy-practices-of-yesteryear-our-momsgrandmas/page/2#post-1450033 Wed, 26 Feb 2014 05:03:15 +0000 daniellemybelle 1450033@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This thread is cray! </p> <p>My mom had me in a hospital with a midwife. She labored in a tub &amp; overall had a great natural birth! (1987)</p> <p>My brother however was like something out of a horror movie. He was born in Japan in 1991 &amp; their birth practices at the time were barbaric, pure &amp; simple. I won't go into detail because it was very traumatic for her &amp; it's not my story to tell, but both my mom &amp; brother got sick after from the unsanitary conditions. </p>