Were you born at home or in a hospital?

[Spangles1963V]

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?

SockQueen Charming name isn't it?! My own DM was termed as an 'elderly multigravida' because she was 36 and I was her third child.

wailing

My older DBro was born in hospital early 70s, then me and younger DB a few years later, both at home.

I did the same with my DCs from 2000-2006. Hospital birth was awful, two home births lovely. However, I was very aware of people's judgment that I wasn't having them in the 'safety' of a hospital. My mum certainly never mentioned any stigma around HBs.

1980 - maternity hospital.
My mum wasn't allowed a home birth, it wasn't an option. When he had my brother in 1975, she was considered an elderly primagravida at the great age of 30. The decision was made that she'd need an assisted birth. She had no choice in this.
She ended up labouring very fast, so that my dad missed it as he'd been sent home. They'd just had time to give my mum an episiotomy and my brother shot out before the doctor had got his forceps out.
For my older sister and myself, she was told she had to have episiotomies as it was "too dangerous" not to.
I, apparently, made such a quick appearance that the midwife hadn't had time to give my mum an enema. The doctor was disgusted.
Times change.

I was born in a private nursing home in Dublin in 1976. My mother stayed there for two weeks after the birth, I was brought to her every four hours for a feed and then taken away again. She said it was great and I slept through the night from when she brought me home

My sister - maternity hospital 1978
Brother - maternity hospital 1980

I dunno... I guess funds ran low between '76 and '78

Although she was on the private ward naturally

Born at home, 1963

I was born in hospital in 1982, as was my sister in 1984. Brother was born at home though, 1991.

Not sure about my parents but I reckon my mum was born in hospital. She was a twin but her brother was stillborn. I'm not sure if they knew beforehand she was pregnant with twins - this was 1954.

Early 60s. Born at home. My mum's second child. I don't know why I was born at home rather than in hospital but I don't think it was a sudden/really quick birth. I'm guessing she wanted to stay at home.

81 in hospital first born so was my sister in 83

At home, 1986.

93, on a ferry I came a bit earlier than my mum was expecting.

Hospital for me!

1975 home, eldest of three - all homebirths. I had four c-sections!

Maternity Hospital 1980. None of my friends do the same generation were born at home. Both my parents were born at home and so were all their siblings (40/50’s)

I was born in hospital but my mum was born at home January 63, she was delivered by a police man!

91 at hospital. I'm the first born.

Both of mine were born at home though, as we're most of my friends children, so I'd say it's coming full circle.

I should add that my Gm couldn't get to the hospital as it was the great freeze.

79- hospital

Both my parents were born at home in 1940 and 1947 and I had both mine at home in 2010 and 2017.

This article on changing maternity policy explains it all: www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/choice-policy-and-practice-in-maternity-care-since-1948

In hospital, emergency c-section 1984. I was the first but my younger sibling was also born by emergency c-section, both times my mum was under general anaesthetic and woke up not knowing what had happened, we’re all lucky to have made it through alive!

Hospital in a coal mining village in NE England 66

I was born in 1961 at home. Two older brothers at home in 1959 and 1960. Stillborn sister at home 1962. Younger brother in hospital in 1965. Stillborn brother at hospital 1967.

1983 - born at home!

1985 in a hospital.

My DD was born in 2015 in a birth centre at a hospital.

I’m currently heavily pregnant and have decided on the birth centre again. I was disgusted however at my last midwife appointment, in which the midwife was constantly trying to bully me into having a home birth. No doubt it’s much cheaper for the NHS, and I wouldn’t be ‘clogging up’ one of their beds for 24 hours, but it’s just not for me. It’s 2018, not a scene from ‘Call the Midwife.

1981 in hospital on my due day. I still hate being late now!

My mum was a c section in 1953 and my dad was a home birth in 51

Early 70's - home - 2nd child.