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Oh yeah my grandpa was in the military and they would only knock you out to have babies!

My mom had me via c-section and the dr let her have a cigarette RIGHT AFTERWARDS, IN THE HOSPITAL.

Not a lot has changed since my Mum gave birth. Or I can't remember anything super crazy that she's told me.

One of my grandmother's, her first child was a preemie and at the time the parents weren't allowed to see the baby if they were whisked away for whatever reason. I think it was close to a week before she or my grandfather could see my aunt.

I just learned that one of my great-great grandmothers had a pro-lapsed uterus while having a home birth, wasn't able to get to a hospital or see a dr and hung herself 3 months later from the pain. I told my grandmother after she told me, Good effin' lord am I EVER glad I was born in this day and age!!

For my OB class in nursing school we had to interview someone who had given birth over 25 years ago and in the last 5 years to compare. It was fun!

My mom had my brothers in 1969, 1973, my sister in 1977 and me in 1984. Even between us things were different. She was knocked out in 1969 but not purposefully, they just gave her too strong of pain meds. My dad wouldn't have been allowed in the room but he was out of the country in the military anyway. He had to fight to be in the room in 1973, and the dr wanted to induce her when it was convenient for HIS schedule and was mad when she wouldn't agree and was very mad when he had to come in in the middle of the night!

Then by the time I was born it was more like today. My mom could basically stay as long as she wanted in the hospital (she was in about a week with each of us). She said breast feeding was NOT the norm and they had to find a nurse to teach her how to do it!

Wonder what will change when our kids have kids!

My grandma told me that for her first baby, she tried to breastfeed and that the doctor told her 3 months was plenty, but she hated it so much she decided not to for her next two girls. Apparently to help the milk dry up they gave her some sort of drug and then bound up her breasts! She said it hurt worse than labor!

I'm finding these posts really interesting. My mom had very modern day sounding experiences in 1981 & 82. She had an epidural with my brother and delivered me unmedicated because I came too fast,, almost in the parking lot. She BF both for 12 months or so. The hospital she delivered me at had a test program with doulas although my mother didn't have one and the program was not expanded.

My mom did save her labor kit and brought it to my shower. The only thing that really stood out to me was the inclusion of a card with slots. It held about 12 dimes so your husband could call the family and announce LO's arrival.

Oh, DH and I both have pictures of us as babies in the hospital being held by our dads in suits and ties because they were on their way to work the day after we were born. No paternity leave then.

My grandpa always used to tell me how when he had his first son, he was at work, got a phone call informing him that his baby was born and that was it.

But then by the time his second son (my dad) was born he had to be at the hospital for the whole process, which he described as being a huge pain.

(This is sad, and I'm not trying to be a downer! It's interesting though)

My mom was 5 weeks overdue with her #1, because unbeknownst to anyone her cervix was double-layered or something and wouldn't allow her to birth naturally. Unfortunately the baby didn't make it. Thank goodness they don't let you get that far anymore!

My grandma had those knock-out births. So weird. My mom had an epidural with me in 1984, that they messed up: she ended up being unable to move or feel from the neck down, and I was born asleep due to the high level of medication.

@swurlygurl: my hs boyfriend's mom said he was that way - she was really young and uninformed and the baby went super late like that, but luckily turned out fine! she had some gross details about how he had super long fingernails and stuff. not sure how that came up in high school??

my mom had 2 pretty easy (as labors go) natural labors. she always says everyone she knew went natural then (early 80s so maybe 70s vibe hanging around?)

I know for my grandmother, she got super drugged up and almost had a switched at birth incident (since they all went to the nursery then), she just happened to be just lucid enough to realize it. scary.

@Rubies: Weird... he wanted a rooster instead of a dog...

This thread!

My mom's births don't sound that crazy compared to now, but DH's grandmother tells about how she had just moved to a new town, had to find a new doctor at almost full term, and ended up having the baby before she even thought to call her husband at work. He also never changed a single diaper over the course of their 4 children (she has said this many times. I don't know if she is implying I'm making DH do too much).

My own grandmother lost a baby because no one was there when she was born, in the hospital. They said she still had a long time to go and didn't believe her, and I'm not clear on the details but the baby died a few days later. She was also told she probably wouldn't have any more kids but she had 5 more.

I don't understand how women gave birth completely knocked out ... Did they reach up and take the baby out???

My grandma was put into "twilight sleep" for all 4 of her babies. My mom said the episiotomies were standard when she had me and my brothers. Of course, I had one too so... Yeah.

@hellobeeboston: I have heard they were almost all forceps deliveries.

My nana, 1950s-1960s:
She said you stayed in the hospital for an entire WEEK after giving birth. On the second day you were allowed to dangle your feet over the side of the bed. Otherwise, you laid down the entire time. My nono wasn't present for the birth of any of their 5 children. She delivered two breech baby's.

My mom,1980s-1990s:
She didn't have an ultrasound with my brother and I (80s) but it became routine by the time my sister came along (90s) but it worried her that something was wrong! No dopplers, and I remember going to one appt with her & hearing my brothers heartbeat through a stethoscope! She had a natural delivery with me (by choice) and with my brother (he was born in the hallway...) & my sister (by choice).