To wonder how we got having a baby years ago.

[IsItSummerYet2018]

This is totally light hearted.
But reading some people on other sites/ threads/forums saying about things for example : perfect prep machine for milk.
Saying how they couldn't live without it. When its 3am boiling up a kettle is a faff etc.
Don't get me wrong it is and time Consuming when you have a crying baby and sleep deprived.
However they haven't been around forever and everyone just got on with it before hand.

please note I'm not Having a dig it's just a general wondering

Can anyone think of anything else that we have now but didn't before... But just can't live without?

grannytomine those silk slings do sound lovely!

I would have loved a bit more community support TBH. The very first nappy that I changed was my own newborn's, and I'd only ever held a baby perhaps half a dozen times before I had my own

If a neighbour or aunt had had a small child for me to practice on when I was growing up, I would happily have made them a meal or done some washing for them in return

No husbands allowed in delivery room when I had my first. Where we lived there were 3 hospitals that had maternity units and only one allowed dads to stay. Seems really weird now.

My Gran had 12 kids, she used Terry nappies and washed all clothes and nappies by hand in the tin bath tub outside.
It really is ok to enjoy the convenience of life been easier these days. A lot of women choose to work and run a home rather than be a housewife now too, anything that makes it easier gets a thumbs up from me!

LRD I had one in 81, one in 82 (i know) and one in 85. I do remember when i tried bottles with my eldest, being advised to rub salt in the teat when cleaning it. When i cleaned my friend's baby's bottle this way a couple of years later, she yelled 'what are you doing? We've been told not to do that!'

different cultural norms (she had two school jumpers to last all week)

That's still the norm surely - or one.

iPads. I applaud anyone who is parenting a child without the use of an iPad

I don't think there was really ever a golden age where most families could 'live comfortably on one income'. A particular subset of generally MC people could, 30-40 years ago. Many more couldn't, and the mothers had the double and triple burden of children/housework/job without gadgetry and maternity leave.

My username notwithstanding, I only had my first 13 years ago and I'm not sure a great deal has changed since then. Alcohol guidelines, perhaps. Oh, and peanuts. I heroically stayed off peanut butter five years straight of pregnancies and bf because there is asthma in the family. And then they changed the bloody guidelines.

I remember going for an anti-natal appointment and walking past a heavily pregnant woman standing outside smoking. Mind you, I thought that shocking at the time, as I am sure most people did.

I was in hospital for 3 weeks with high BP before the birth of DC1. Believe it or not, the TV room was also the smoking room.

I have only just realised because of this thread that I had children in three different decades.

Wow MrsDV that's quite remarkable.

Who else remembers being given a bottle of beer when in the ward after having baby? You could choose between Guinness or light ale. I chose Guinness. I believe it was to build up one's strength.

First two at the beginning of 90s, two in the 2000s and last one at the beginning of the 10s
That counts as three decades doesn't it? My maths is rubbish.

I love this thread for all the interesting stuff I'm learning. It's also a real eye-opener in the way that we all react differently to the written word. @NotAnotherEmma is getting lots of criticism about her comment (e.g being smug) I thought it was funny! It made me smirk.
I didn't take it as any sort of criticism or smug comment.
Anyone else in the 'it was a funny comment' camp? I'd never be quick enough to think of something like that.
I combine fed. You know those little tubs that you could put three measures of artificial formula in? I still use mine 12 years on. Brilliant for camping. Coffee, hot chocolate and sugar go in each section.

Also smartphone cameras. Always having a camera in us has clearly changed the way we live.

I look at family albums and there are a handful of pictures of my parents (born in the 50s/60s) as babies. There aren't any videos.

There are more of me (born 80s) - but still only 1 or 2 albums and two videos. My cousin (born in the 90s) is probably about the same.

I think I probably have about 1,500 photos and 100 videos of DS and he's not even 2! It is lovely to look back on them all though.

From a practical point of view. I have lots of photos/videos of stuff I've shown to midwife/health visitor/doctor when I've been worried about something. I've also got screenshots of grobag clothing guides and practical info like that so I can find it quickly.

For those asking about the boredom of cluster feeding without internet, I sat through the India / England Test cricket series in the summer of 1986 with the result that I completely understand the “follow on”.

Labour was made much worse by the enema and pubic shaving (we all had full bushes in those days). A whole week in hospital after the birth. Terry nappies, no washing machine and a nightmare to dry in bad weather. Baby clinic every fortnight.

The thing I'm most grateful for is that there were no scans in 1975. I so wanted a girl and it would have taken the shine off my pregnancy if I'd known I wasn't having one. When I looked at his face I didn't care.

Who else remembers being given a bottle of beer when in the ward after having baby?

Now that sounds like something to bring back. I would have had a Strawberry and Lime Cider.

Of course I don't have perfect tits like the breastfeeding bore...

What a stupid thing to say.

She was being humorous but the point was serious. Breastfeeding is one way that some people used to manage before gadget parenting.

Breastfeeding isn't about "perfect tits" FFS

FFS - Emma was clearly joking! Fuck me, you make a flippant comment about breastfeeding and get jumped on around here sometimes.

@MistressPage buy a thermos flask and fill it with boiling water before bed. Take thermos, Pre measured powder and bottles (half filled with water) upstairs and you won’t even need to go to the kitchen to boil the kettle

I was hospitalised a couple of times, due to anaemia with my Ds (born in 1979) & was given a bottle of Guinness a day whilst on the Ward.

I agree the poster is getting a lot of nasty, unnecessary flak over a harmless comment.

I think she meant it nastily actually