This is such a great history lesson! I know I want to learn more about all of this!
7 Likes
My oldest boy was born in the UK. Back then you stayed in the hospital for a week also. The baby was brought to you when it was due to be fed then placed in a nursery in between feeds. If the baby cried they let them cry. I could have brought him into my room but it was discouraged. The most important thing was that mother got her rest.
Australia where my second son was born was completely different. I was out of the hospital within 24hrs of having him and he was with me right from birth. Both boys turned out just fine 
6 Likes
I had an emergency csection, so I was in icu then in the hospital for a while recovering, it was all a blur because of pain meds. I always felt bad that I was too out of it to care about them too much at that moment. I barely remember anything from the hospital.
3 Likes
My first 3 kids were home at a day old. I was 18 when I had my daughter. She was born on Thursday morning. I went home Friday morning. Then I took that one day old baby to my brother’s high school graduation that evening. My second baby was a day old but we just went home and stayed. My third was about 21 hours old when we left the hospital. We went straight to the daycare that I worked at to show him off to everyone. My 4th was adopted, but I’m pretty sure he went to his first home at a day or two old. And my 5th was a preemie. He struggled to breath. So he was in NICU. But even that puny little guy went home at 7 days old. As for me, I had him at about 4:00 in the evening. Then I rested for about 2 hours then walked all over that hospital for the next 20 hours, visiting the baby in NICU and mom mom who was dying in MICU. The doctor would have discharged me around 10 am. But they couldn’t ever find me to get the paperwork done because I wouldn’t stay in my room. 
6 Likes
Wow! I am very impressed. You were brave newborn(s) momma.
2 Likes
Wow, so different! Babies born to moms who get C-sections with progressive doctors now usually get nasal swabs from moms vaginal secretions to introduce the flora they they missed coming down the birth canal. They actually want to introduce the moms “germs.”
4 Likes
My third was born en route to the birthing center in the front seat of our vehicle, never even stopped the vehicle, just kept driving. Then once we got there we only stayed a few hours and went home with her. It was the best experience of all. The first two I had to stay in the hospital for 2 days but I never let my babies out of my sight. Even when they took them for hearing tests, I went with them.
3 Likes
My son in law even went with them to watch my grandson’s circumcision. The nurses were shocked when he asked if he could watch. They said “nobody has ever asked that. But sure, if you want to.”…sorry but nope. That’s something I didn’t care to watch with any of my boys. 
6 Likes
That was just the first one. The second one was born in a civilian hospital. I only got to see her every so often (don’t remember the times). I had a spinal headache and was flat on my back for most of the stay. So, I wasn’t able to take care of her.
The third one was born in a different city and of course, a different hospital. It was so excellent. I had the baby all the time except for night, I believe (He is almost 40, and the memory has faded a little.) Anyway, I loved having him with me. No problems. I had C-Sections for all 3. I had asked my OB about having a vaginal delivery for the second one as I had read about people doing that. He told me that any Dr. who would even try to allow a Mom to do that had never seen a uterus rupture. (This was in the days before they started cutting a different way. Now they can.) Also, they had “Dinner in the Oak Room” for the parents. It was so nice. A very nice menu. They were really good there.
It is so interesting to read about different Mom’s experiences. All pregnancies are different and all births, etc., seem to be different as well.
4 Likes
Yeah, a lot has changed over the years. In the 90’s, there was a push towards evidenced based practice and that has changed the way a lot of things are done. It’s taken a few decades to really take hold but most medical practice, from what the doctors do, to what nurses do, even all interdisciplinary teams, is based on the body of research on how that research translates into practice. There is still room for doctor’s preferences of course but most lean towards doing things the way that research has proven to be the best way because if things go wrong they will have a body of research against them when trying to prove they did what was best for their patient. It’s revolutionizing healthcare in a good way in my opinion. As a nursing student, I have done most of my projects on how EVP has benefited the nurse in being a patient advocate by putting the research in the hands of the nurse so that she or he has grounds to advocate when doctors or other health care providers are not making decisions in the best interest of the patient. It’s very powerful. I’m happy to be a part of a healthcare system that allows me to really stand up for my patients this way.
@Katinafleming we didn’t circumcise so I didn’t have to even consider watching it. I don’t think I could watch my baby go through that either.
5 Likes
I had a horrible horrible delivery. To this day I hate to think about it.
My hospital took the babies’ going home pictures right AFTER the circomcision (sp) so my son’s picture is a forever reminder of the event. (He is extremely agitated in the pic). He is grown now and jokes that that’s the time they cut his p***s off.
6 Likes
Ahhhh, so what do they do for that???
My son was a forceps delivery. His head was about 3 ft long. I worked at the hospital where i delivered. When people came to visit -this was when he was behind the glass in the nursery-I asked my husband does he have a hat on? I walked like Benny Hill for weeks. 
My back was completely black and blue, I’ll spare the rest of the details. Returned to work and had to sit on a donut. Absolutely horrible.
4 Likes
That makes me so sad.
Is this still how it is done?
I went home 12 hours after I delivered with my first three, and had to stay 2 nights with my youngest because he was born early (five weeks) but I was in the nursery with him or he was at bedside and the nurses had to do bedside care. I kept them nice a naked most of the time and on my chest, even while I slept.
Do they do it this way so you can rest and heal?
Are you allowed to deliver at home?
Are you allowed to deliver naturally if you choose?
It is so interesting how every culture and country does the same exact thing but in different ways.
Do babies get mixed up often? That pastry tray full of babies looks yummy but gives me anxiety!
3 Likes
My first son was born in England. At the time they didn’t do circumcisions. Although the decision to do circumcisions kept changing by the year. He was 4 months old when I moved to Australia with my Aussie husband. (Divorced now). So my son wasn’t circumcised. Which turned out to be a god send. He had a bend in his manhood and I was told the skin was too tight and he never be able to work his manhood properly without surgery. They were able to use the foreskin as extra skin. Almost like adding fabric to a dress that’s too tight. Apparently at the time it was the only skin from the body that could be used. No hair grows on the foreskin. I’ll never forget my husband’s face during the doctors consult. It was screwed up like he was sucking lemons listening to the description of the surgery. Buy the end of the consult my husband was almost in the fetal position lol
7 Likes