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Original poster

Call the midwife BBC

23 replies

Ghanagirl · 10/02/2019 21:30

Aibu to find this evenings episode with the young women being examined by consultant with male medical students watching very upsetting.
Was it really that awful and degrading for women in the 1950’s?

OP posts:
Lymphy · 10/02/2019 21:41

Yep pretty much, my Nan had 10 children in the 50’s/ 60’s, straight after the birth of her second ( her first was sadly still born) the doctor immediately went downstairs to my Grandad to pour him a brandy and they both enjoyed a drink together, my Nan was left upstairs alone post birth!
It does show that the nurses and sisters back then began to push for women only services and that things did begin to change. Access to termination, contraception for all ( not just married women!) but a sad state of affairs back then, I think we still have a way to go

BestIsWest · 10/02/2019 21:44

Yes. DM has told me many times of having a vaginal exam as a teenager in front of a roomful of medical students - without her consent. She is still mortified about it.

Mammajay · 10/02/2019 21:46

Definitely was. And the consultants with a god complex

pootleposeyperkin · 10/02/2019 21:46

It's exactly as it was

YouBumder · 10/02/2019 21:46

It was very upsetting

SoupDragon · 10/02/2019 21:47

This series in the early 60s rather than 50s.

isseywithcats · 10/02/2019 21:49

i love this series and yes having had my eldest in 1974 and been the mom to be in the room with the young male trainee doctors (how else will they learn) i can tell you it was very real

Ragnarthe · 10/02/2019 21:57

It's early 60's now in CTM. It started in 1957.
It is very realistic in terms of attitudes and the development of the NHS.

Aeroflotgirl · 10/02/2019 21:57

Poor woman, with all those men looking at her like that, dident ask her permission if the students could be present.

Belleende · 10/02/2019 22:02

Never seen this before but caught an episode a while back. It blew my mind. A feminist show in the Sunday cuddly slot on the BBC? I love a bit of subversion

Original poster
Ghanagirl · 10/02/2019 22:04

I love the series and the way it reflects the changing population in East London but it can be really sad, last weeks episode about back street abortion was an eye opener as well.

OP posts:
2birds1stone · 10/02/2019 22:24

It makes me realise how lucky we are compare to our parents /grandparents and how far equality and respect for women has come.

I had a junior doctor present during my labour (he was my cheer squad bless him ) I was asked and was fine (same as having student midwives there) as I know that the best way to learn is to see something for yourself and not just read a book.

However the way it used to be done is disgusting and I am glad there is a programme reminding us of it and showing what our nurses and medical staff have done for us and continue to do for us.

BarbarianMum · 10/02/2019 22:28

Upsetting and realistic. And certainly typical far into the 1970s according to my mum.

MinistryofRevenge · 10/02/2019 22:56

Up to 1988 in my case; I was asked if I minded, but given I was out of my tree on pethidine at the time, there's no way I could have given informed consent.

Moooooooooooooooooo · 10/02/2019 23:00

My first was born in 1978.

When I was pregnant I had an internal towards the end of my third trimester (for whatever reason, I can’t remember now). As I was about to roll off the bed and go behind the screen to divest myself of my knickers, the NURSE said “oh just lift your bottom a moment” and I, like a fool, not realising what she was about to do, helpfully lifted my bottom only for her to whip my knickers down over my knees whilst I was still flat on my back. I’d had my internal before I could even take in what had just happened - but at least she kindly pulled them back up again too!

You’d be astounded at what went on back then Sad

PooleySpooley · 10/02/2019 23:01

I had this happen in the 1990s Hmm

CountFosco · 10/02/2019 23:07

Never seen this before but caught an episode a while back. It blew my mind. A feminist show in the Sunday cuddly slot on the BBC? I love a bit of subversion

It's brilliant isn't it. Although my Y5 watched an episode with me and of course it had to be the one with the mother having the abortion. Lots of pauses to discuss the history (she knows the facts of life but didn't know about contraception or abortions). Of course she now thinks it's brilliant and wants to watch more but she's too young really.

Nothininmenoggin · 10/02/2019 23:12

I am a midwife and I sat and cried watching that awful sceneSad It has come a long way from that thank God.

2birds1stone · 11/02/2019 06:25

There are still doctors out there with a bed side manner of a brick however these are far and few between and the UK is do much better than other countries

Handprints2018 · 11/02/2019 14:05

It was awful. As was the termination one last week, Trixie speech was bang on in that.

The worst episode i watched for god like doctors was the consultant who dismissed the pregnant mum who begged for a stitch in her cervic to stop premature labour and still birth, something she had had before due to cervix failing. She lost her baby and he gave no shits.

Women were dismissed and seen as ignorant and hysterical for wanting choices and a say over their medical treatment.

Gth1234 · 11/02/2019 18:50

I thought the assumption that the motor mechanic and nurse would fit together was rather lazy. Just like on coronation street when any lesbian is (or was) automatically a match for sophie.

isseywithcats · 11/02/2019 18:54

agree you could see the mechanic who is tall dark and handsome falling for the young same ethnicity pretty one getting together, but loved the twist where she got all glammed up and he turned up on a motorbike with a side car

CountFosco · 12/02/2019 18:03

Is Helen George pregnant again? Her waist seemed a bit thicker in this episode.

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