Did you have a baby in the early 1980s?

[biscofftruffle]

My mum died over twenty years ago so can’t ask her. I’ve recently had a baby and I’m wondering how our hospital experiences might have compared (obviously I know no one can tell me what it was like for me personally!)

Were babies kept with mum?

How long were you in hospital? I was born via c section.

Was breastfeeding encouraged? I don’t think I was breastfed for long.

Were dads present?

At home, were babies put in their own rooms?

Where did you buy things like prams and cots?

My husband and I were born in 1981 & 1983. My husbands mum (Northern Ireland) stayed in hospital for a week!!!! My mum didn't even stay in 1 night but I was her second and she was keen to get home. She stayed in 5 days with my sister.

My mum breastfed both me and my sister but only for 6 months and 4 months for me. Husbands mum didn't even consider breastfeeding!!

My mum had us in our own rooms immediately- put to sleep on tummy for my sister, side for me with rolled up towels either side!

Sorry you can't ask your mum these things, hope you're enjoying your new baby 💐

My wonderful DM used to love telling me this story.

I was born in the very late 70's and my mum stayed in hospital for 10 days with me, no medical need apart from that's what they did. All babies were cared for in a nursery on the post natal ward at night so mothers could rest. Apparently I would scream so loud and wake the other babies up so was put in a room by myself until the mums woke in the morning and were able to go collect their babies. Mum could never find me as I'd have been moved somewhere out of earshot, and would hear the other mums gossiping "did you hear that baby screaming last night?" Yep, it was me.

Looking back, DM says it was great that they could bond with baby in the day and have a good nights rest. But it was a shock when she went home as I would still scream at night and there was no night nurse or some distant room I could be put in.

My mum has told me about my birth I was born 1980. She was in hospital for 2 weeks, because she had stiches. The babies were in the nursery brought out to mothers for feeding. Bottle was most common method but I was breastfed. It was very ridge like 10 mins each breast every 4 hours. They got a lot of help with how to care for baby compared to now. Very different experience.

Had my second daughter in 1984.

Were babies kept with mum? Yes.

How long were you in hospital? Almost trouble-free delivery - born just before five on a Sunday moring, home mid afternoon same day.

Was breastfeeding encouraged? Yes but I'd already bf previous daughter for 2 and a half years, and I found it easy so I didn't need any support or encouragement.

Were dads present? Yes.

At home, were babies put in their own rooms? Not in our case but I'm sure some people did.

Where did you buy things like prams and cots? I think cot was second-hand, pram was prob a gift from ILs. Mothercare was the go-to on the high street though for all things baby-related, for a time they almost had a monopoly. No internet shopping! You bought local and everywhere of a reasonable size had a Mothercare.

My previous daughter was born in '74 - very different! Ten days in hosp despite no issues, bf not encouraged (but I was a rebel) etc etc. A lot changed in that ten years, plus I was an active feminist so I never necessarily did what I was told or was expected of me.

Sorry you can't ask your mum these things OP 💐.

I had babies born in 1984 and 1985. 1st one I was in for 6 days and 2nd 2 days. It was me that had to stay in with the 2nd as I had pre eclampsia and blood pressure was still high, otherwise would have been home the during day after giving birth in the night. They seemed to think if it was your 2nd you knew everything.

Encouraged to bf but no pressure if using formula. Babies slept in same room as us till about 3 months.

Pram was bought from Mothercare and was used as a carrycot too. 1st buggy was bought 2nd hand when I needed a double one and then a lightweight stroller I got them from the small independent shop in our local town, just seemed easier with 2 small ones than trekking to a big town to look in boots and Mothercare.

I've enjoyed looking back at my memories for this OP so anything else from those days you'd like to know just give me a shout 🙂

I had a baby in early 1980 - was given an enema and pubic hair shaved on arrival at hosp. Virtually no help with breast feeding.

Esther Rantzen did a tv programme where treating women like cattle at maternity clinics was shamed (we would all sit around for hours waiting to be seen by the superior and disdaining doc) and when I had my next 18 months later there was no shaving and no enema - I was livid - so they'd put women through that (remember you are probably in labour at the time) for decades then not so much as an apology when they changed the rules.

Aww I remember mothercare in our town centre.

Then it moved to retail parks then closed

Thanks for the answers, these are great!

I had my first baby in 1985, hope this helps:

Were babies kept with mum? My baby was in a cot next to my bed, but I could have left him in the nursery

How long were you in hospital?* 10 days, I had a normal birth*.

Was breastfeeding encouraged? It wasn't discouraged, but there was free formula!.

Were dads present? Yes

At home, were babies put in their own rooms? I put my baby in his own room because he was quite a sniffly baby and I couldn't sleep.

Where did you buy things like prams and cots? Mothercare

My mum gave birth at hospital with my dad with her. She stayed for five days and was shown how to bathe me, feed me etc. She bf'd but was encouraged to stick to a 4hour feeding cycle. She stopped bf-ing at 4 months (refuses to see the link between the rigid schedule and the reduction in supply). No idea where she bought the furniture from etc but there was a big out of town Childrens World near us which sold all that stuff so maybe there. We slept in a rocking cradle in the lounge during the day then in a crib in her room for the first few months then into our own room.

My first was born in 1985, my husband was with me and I stayed in for 5 nights - but hated the noise. She slept by my bed in a plastic crib but I know they took her away one night and gave her a bottle of formula even though I wanted to breastfeed exclusively.

I went on to breastfeed for 8 months but it was much more 'private' then - I often felt under pressure to sit in another room if we visited/had visitors, rather than sitting and chatting.

She went into her own room when she was just a couple of weeks old, it was quite normal then.

And nearly all her baby equipment came from Mothercare. I loved my bright red pram and pushchair combo. But I am horrified now to remember that babies travelled in cars in their carrycot, which was held in place by straps which I think were screwed in somehow. If we'd had a crash she would have been thrown around the car.

With my son 5 years later we had car seats, one night in hospital and lots more acceptance of breastfeeding in public. But, he slept on a sheepskin (yes, a real one, with no sheets), and on his tummy.

Enjoy every moment of your new baby. We have a new granddaughter due in August, and I'm so looking forward to her arrival.

Hello I had a baby in the early 1980s :)

It was a lovely experience, DC was born in a small separate maternity unit. It was a SVD, with minimal stitches. DH was with me all the time.

Baby was in a cot besides the bed all the time. I stayed in hospital for 5 days. Lots of cups of tea were offered throughout the day, there were stricter visiting times than now, all mums were encouraged to do pelvic floor exercises daily and to have bed rest for an hour after lunch everyday. Curtains were drawn and it was a quiet time.

I have happy memories of this time. We were also shown how to bathe a baby and how to fold towelling nappies. I felt confident when I went home. The midwife visited daily until DC was 14 days old, then the HV took over.

Yes, breast feeding was encouraged, I fed DC for 9 months. I bought a second hand cot and pram and had lots of lovely hand knits given to me by family and neighbours.

I was born in 1982 and my mum had to stay in hospital for about a week afterwards, which was the norm then. I wasn’t bread fed and my DM says it wasn’t really encouraged then as it is now. My DF wasn’t present at the birth, he was in the hospital with her but outside in the corridor.

My DF was a very hands on Dad from the start which I think was fairly unusual then. He used to get up and do night feeds and change nappies and stuff.

Had my first in 85.
Stayed in hospital for a week.
Dh was there.
Breastfeeding was encouraged and help was offered, but yes rigidity with a feeding schedule was encouraged.
I had the option of a night nursery.
Solids were recommended from 12 weeks.

My mum had my sister in 1985. I remember her telling me how rude all the nurses were to her for not being married, I was astonished it was still considered such a big issue.
She told me that they had assumed she wouldn’t want to BF but she did and had no issues. And that my sister was kept with her. Don’t know how long she stayed in for.

I was born in 1981. My Mam was in hospital for 5 days and I was breastfed for 6 weeks. My parents lived in a tiny one bed flat so I was in the room with them. I was put to sleep on my side, my DH was born late 70s and he was out to sleep on his tummy. Dad's were generally not at the actual birth.

I had my first baby in 1982, fortunately in a renowned London NHS Hospital. On admittance I was taken to a lovely room, with soft music, low lights. There I was shave, given an enema and had a bath.
Then I went to the delivery room, with a fabulous view over London.
After 6 hrs of Labour I had an epidural. 6 hrs later my baby was born.
My DH was with me throughout.
I stayed 7 days in a 4 bed ward, baby was with me after 1st night, he was born at night. Breastfeeding was all that was allowed, but everything for baby was provided, nappies, creams, little sleep vests etc.
It was like staying in a 4* hotel, all meals provided.
3 years later with baby no 2, what a difference, no lovely reception room, in for 2 days then home.
But, still all babies needs provided for and still only breastfeeding rule. The medical staff were wonderful on both counts as I needed micro surgery after both births.
My DILs have had very different experiences.

So sorry that you can’t ask your Mum OP .

I had my babies in 1980 and 1983.

Were babies kept with mum?
Yes, in a cot by my bed.

How long were you in hospital? I was born via c section.
About 3 days each time until well and rested enough to go home. Both were vaginal births with gas and air as I initially didn’t want anything more. However I ended up accepting pethedine for one as I wasn’t coping with the pain. I have to say, it wasn’t particularly helpful in that regard, and I stuck to gas and air for the second (more difficult) birth.

Was breastfeeding encouraged? I don’t think I was breastfed for long.
It was encouraged but not very effectively. Most mums were happy to at least give it a try. I breastfed on demand for a couple of months, and in total for 6-8 months, at which point they were also having some solids

Were dads present?
I didn’t want my then partner present, he would have been no help at all. I don’t recall any others do anything other than visit briefly after the birth. Some women had their Mums with them but these tended to be the younger (teen) ones, older ones just got on with it. The idea of “birth partners” wasn’t a thing.

At home, were babies put in their own rooms?
My babies stayed in a cot by the bed until a proper feeding routine was established (I had to get a freestanding radiator for the bedroom for comfort as it was cold with no CH). After that, their own room. I was lucky enough to have separate rooms for both.

Where did you buy things like prams and cots?
Secondhand by word of mouth. I paid for very little though, most was given. All I bought was nappies and babygros really. I was also given a great number of beautifully knitted gowns, caps, shawls and so on.

A few other things: I used terry and muslin nappies. Disposables were relatively new and expensive and I only used them rarely for example if travelling. I found a playpen really useful and both babies played happily for long periods in it. (There wasn’t the pressure for parents to continually entertain their children in those days.) Once on solids they ate pretty much the same as me, mashed or puréed. (I don’t add salt during cooking to this day, only once food is on the plate.). Most toys and clothes were secondhand. We travelled everywhere by public transport, so travelled light. We rarely ate in cafes or restaurants, it would have been far too expensive and when we did it was a real treat. I’m still amazed by how normal it is for my grandchildren to eat out.

Enjoy your baby OP x

My eldest DS was born in 1982, a straightforward labour & delivery then baby straight into the nursery, brought out by the nurses for his 4-hourly feeds. I dont remember being welcome in the nursery but my memory might be playing tricks here.

I stayed in the Home (a small cottage style maternity home separate from the local hospital) for 10 days, my few stitches hurt such a lot & I struggled with breast feeding. This all hurt so much more than I expected, the latching wasn't working & the day before I came home the Matron very crossly told me to just put him on a bottle, I had no milk. I remember too having one of those blow-up doughnut things to sit on to ease the discomfort from my stitches.

DS was sleeping on his tummy most of the time & wrapped firmly in a nappy keeping his arms snugly down. Strict 4 hourly routines & told by the Plunket nurse to let him cry himself to sleep (self settle?) to learn.

Quite different. I felt very incapable of looking after this new person in those early weeks. And yes we bought milk powder & bottles & a dummy/pacifier on our way home with him.

Not UK.

These are lovely - thank you for sharing!

I was born 1979 and my brother in 1982. This is what I know from what my mum's said.
Were babies kept with mum?
My brother was, I was mostly but not entirely.

How long were you in hospital? I was born via c section.
10 days with me which she hated. Her bp was too high and she was insistent it was high because hospital stressed her out. She only stayed one night with my brother who was meant to be a homebirth but was a bit early.

Was breastfeeding encouraged? I don’t think I was breastfed for long.
No idea if it was encouraged but it's what my mum just did. Neither my brother or I ever had a bottle.

Were dads present?
Yes

At home, were babies put in their own rooms?
Don't know this one

Where did you buy things like prams and cots?
Yep, Mothercare! My parents kept their cot and my DC and my niece and nephew have all slept in it. That's value!

My husband and I were both born in the 80s. My mum spent a few days in hospital with me, I think my mil was only in for a night. Both dads present. We were both breastfed for a year. I think we were both in our parents room at first but in our own room pretty early. I was sleep trained with CC at six months, I don’t think my husband was. My mil would wait a couple of minutes to see if he settled but never left him crying for long.