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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Were you born at home or in a hospital?

188 replies

Spangles1963V · 27/02/2018 17:24

And what year was it? I was chatting to some friends a few days ago and I was surprised to find that I was the only one born at home. This was in 1963. Three of my friends are the oldest child,whereas I was the youngest,which explained why they were born in hospital. Back in the early to mid 60s,it was common practice to have your first baby in hospital,then subsequent ones at home,providing there were no health issues or problems with the first birth. Another of my friends said she was born in hospital even though she was the youngest,but then she was born in the late 70s. I remember my DM saying that she didn't want any of her babies at home,she'd rather be safe in hospital,but the doctor wouldn't hear of it! Said she was fit and healthy so it had to be a home birth. I also recall her saying that the midwife who delivered me wouldn't let her sit or lay down while she was in labour,insisted she keep upright and moving around. This seems contrary to what I've heard about a lot of deliveries,where the mother was told to stay flat on her back when she would rather be upright. Any MNers got any stories about when they were born?

OP posts:
sinceyouask · 27/02/2018 17:48

1981, in hospital. I was my mum's first child, she was 25. I was born by crash section after a very long labour. My mum did not want a home birth and was quite surprised that I chose home birth with my second and third children.

BigYupFromMe · 27/02/2018 17:51

One of 3.

1977 - Maternity Hospital
1979 - Hospital
1981 - Hospitel

susurration · 27/02/2018 17:53

1988, hospital. My two younger sisters also born in hospital in the early-mid 90's. Same for my husbnd and SiL too.

Out of our parents, all four were born at home between 1955 and 1967. All of them are the youngest child with only the eldest siblings born in hospital or the maternity home.

Rufustherenegadereindeer1 · 27/02/2018 17:53

Well i suppose it might not be obvious

We might've been twins

We're not

EllenJanethickerknickers · 27/02/2018 17:54

At home, as planned, mid 1960s. I was the third and my older siblings were both born in hospital.

My third DS was also born at home, completely unplanned. In retrospect I should have planned for a home birth as my labours got progressively quicker. I only live 10 minutes from the hospital but my DS3 was born 20 minutes after my waters breaking woke me up!

Roomba · 27/02/2018 17:54

76 - in hospital. My mother was so doped up on diamorphine (to help her sleep apparently!) that she dozed most of the way through it, wondered why on earth the other women were making such a loud fuss, and had to be woken up at the end to push a bit and then again to hold me!

My sister - 1979, same hospital She was a 9.5lb footling breech, vaginal birth. My mother says she then understand why all the other women made such a loud fuss! A consultant had to be dragged out of the staff Xmas pantomime to assist - he ran in still half dressed as the back end of a donkey Grin. No diamorphine involved this time so it did actually happen and wasn't a hallucination...

My cousin had a home birth in 1988 and was viewed as a crazy hippy by most friends, family and medical professionals she encountered.

hedwig2001 · 27/02/2018 17:55

First baby, my sister, born in hospital in 1958. I was born at home in 1965.

Dinosauratemydaffodils · 27/02/2018 17:56

My Gran had one in hospital in 61 (breech) and one at home in 63. She'd previously had 3 more at home in 43, 44, and 47. All the ones born at home were born on the dining room table.

One of my friends was born at home in 77 as a first child. I was born in hospital the same year.

kaytee87 · 27/02/2018 17:57

Scotland, 1987 in hospital.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 27/02/2018 17:58

1975 Mill Road hospital, as was my sister It's demolished now and incidentally my sister now lIves exactly where the hospital used to be.
Its really strange.

7to25 · 27/02/2018 17:58

1959 nursing home.

Mulberry72 · 27/02/2018 17:59

1972 in Hospital, 1st born. Whisked off to foster care shortly after.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 27/02/2018 18:00

In Liverpool, btw

SparkyTheCat · 27/02/2018 18:01

1979 at home. Midwife lived next door but one, and I'm named after her.

nobutreally · 27/02/2018 18:02

'71 - at home. I was a first born.

AmaDablam · 27/02/2018 18:04

1977 in hospital, as was my younger sibling, DH and his 2 siblings, all between 76 and 81. I think it was very much the norm then, none of my peers were born at home that I know of.

Roselind · 27/02/2018 18:04

Hospital 61. Honestly cannot remember single instance of relative/school friend who was born at home or cousins (most were 10 years+ older than me) having babies at home in the '70s. When I first started work a colleague asked me if I had been born in the town where my parents then lived (I had not) as her daughter and I shared a birthday and she thought she might have met my mother in hospital - did not seem to occur to her I might have been born at home.
I do find this an interesting point since, judging by Call the Midwife, loads of babies still being born at home. Maybe the area I grew up in was an early adopter of encouraging hospital only births. Certainly by the time I had my own children I had formed the view that home births simply did not happen in the '60s and '70s....

rosesandcashmere · 27/02/2018 18:05

83 but 12 weeks early and placental abruption so hospital, I think she’d been in a while before that too!

spagbol11 · 27/02/2018 18:06

1988 hospital mothers second child
I had both mine in hospital 2009 & 2015

restingbemusedface · 27/02/2018 18:06

86 - maternity hospital
My sister in 91 - home

PurpleWithRed · 27/02/2018 18:07

1958, private nursing home (posh, me!). 3rd baby but very elderly mother: she was 38.

AWhistlingWoman · 27/02/2018 18:07

Hospital in 1979.

Three of mine were born in the hospital but didn't get there in time with fourth so she was born at home!

eggsandwich · 27/02/2018 18:08

1964 at home by the fire

belgiannun · 27/02/2018 18:08

Home 1960 first born

woodhill · 27/02/2018 18:10

Born at home

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