Were you born at home


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I had a sister 4 years older than me who sadly passed away a couple of years ago. Being the first child, she was born in hospital, the Firs I think. Anyway when I came along in the mid 1950's I was born at home in the front bedroom at our house in Radford with just the local midwife in attendance. In those days when the first child was born without any problems further children were usually born at home. I don't know when this changed but births are nearly always in hospital now although some are in a rush and pop out in taxis etc. I recall a few years back a lot of talk of bringing home births back but this seems to have gone away and hospital births are the norm.

The subject of my birth circumstances came up recently as I've started to write a brief account of my life particularly early times. This sounds rather pompous but when I tell my grandsons about outside toilets, frost on the inside of the bedroom window and a bath once a week etc they think I'm making it up. So I'm sure no one will be interested in the account other than perhaps my descendants in years to come when I'm gone. I know very little of my fathers life and wish I had such an account he'd written. 

Were you born at home or hospital and I know we have members who live in different parts of the world so what's the situation on births there.

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My daughter( born 1970) was born in hospital, my son ( born 1973) at home. I was born in Barrow in Furness in North Lonsdale Hospital so was my brother I think. 1942 & 1945. 

Here in Italy it seems to be that you can choose the birthday of your child. Nearly every woman in our family who's been pregnant has had a C section. To my way of looking at it they are frightened of pain. My DIL in Nottingham at that time waited a couple of days in labour. Nurses at Grantham said they had to wait 72 hrs before they could induce or operate. She had a pretty bad time but immediately after the birth of her son she asked nurses ( who were stitching her) how long before she could have another child. 

She now has 3 children.

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Myself and two sisters were born at home...my children were born in the city hospital,the hospital has changed a lot since then.I was kept in for ten days each time,now they send mothers home as early as next day.

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I hatched in Newark hospital, moved to Nottingham at 8months, me sister came 4yrs later and I can remember going with my dad to collect her from pym st hospital in my dad's Sunbeam Talbot 90 or maybe 100.

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I have a vague feeling this has been addressed on another thread, but anyway.  FWIW. I was born in the hospital in Mansfield.  I don't know why.  I wish I'd asked when me mam was still alive.  I wonder if it was something to do with war measures.  It was 1944.  Family was all in Nottingham Netherfield area.  They didn't live in Mansfield.  Part of the unexplained.  I doubt I shall ever know now.

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I was born in a house on Hereford Road, Woodthorpe in 1945.  Apparently, a doctor was there during/after my birth - I wonder how much my parents had to pay for this pre NHS...

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Both my younger brother and I were born in the Firs, we lived in Netherfield at the time.  Mum had a few problems during pregnancy so I suppose dear Dr Cochrane wanted to keep an eye on events.

What has changed a lot since those days is the length of time new Mums spend in hospital, although I have no idea how long my Mum was in the Firs for.  When I had my two boys (41 and 38 years ago) I was in hospital for 7 days and 5 days, even though they were straightforward births.  Nowadays even a first time Mum and baby are turfed out in a day or so.  

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Born on Leybourne drive Bestwood estate at my Aunts in 1945.........even remember moving to Andover road aged 2 in 1947......in fact its my earliest memory, being behind my Dad who was carrying a big old radio down Hove rd.........Mam said i was a difficult birth....probably why she she took another 11 years before having my brother who was born at home in 1956............

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I was born in 1939 at what was later renamed The Firs - in my day it was Collins. Fast forward thirty years and Mrs C was in there, now The Firs, and I went to visit her one evening and as I walked in I heard a baby crying. I stood in a corridor, just me, and quickly a nurse came out of  a door with a swaddled baby and put it into my arms. The first words she heard was 'Welcome to the world, Barbara'.

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1 hour ago, Jill Sparrow said:

I was at Manning with  a girl named Denise Chambers. Her parents kept a butcher's shop in Coventry Lane, Bulwell. Denise was born at The Firs...in the lift! :blink:

 

Wow! She went up in the world fast.  Or was it down.  ;)

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I was born in an attic in Nottintone Place Sneinton, so was my brother and my other siblings at the city hospital.

My son was born at home, A614 Calverton, but not after some drama with the doctor. He was  a Chinese guy at Burton Joyce which even at breakneck speed meant a possible long wait for him to arrive, add that to the fact that he tried insist that she gave birth under hypnosis and refused to release her as a patient when we wanted another 'proper' doctor. He took quite a bit of persuading to let her go, tipping his desk upside down might have helped.

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Brew, I had my first child under hypnosis in 1967... a wonderful experience.  Made me chuckle when I heard fairly recently on TV of the 'new' idea of ' hypno-birth'.  

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I was born at home in the front bedroom of the house I live in now.  My son was also born at home same bedroom as myself, my husband was way so I went to stay with mum.  He was not supposed to be a home birth but he decided to make an early entrance.

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Gem,  I bet that brought back the memories for your mum.  I think it sounds nice giving birth in the same room you were born in!

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1 minute ago, MargieH said:

Gem,  I bet that brought back the memories for your mum.  I think it sounds nice giving birth in the same room you were born in!

Mum delivered him !!! the ambulance arrived 10 minutes after he was born.  Mum had also phoned my doctor who arrived same time as medics, they wanted to take me to hospital but doctor said no need he would look after me.  Son's first night was in a wicker  clothes basket as I had nothing at mums for him.

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I was born in St Ann's the place that they said was unfit for us humans but I'm still here. My brother also born at home and the midwife was a Nurse Phillis, when married lived in St Ann's and my first son was born at home but Nurse Phillis was again the midwife and this was to be her last delivery, coincidence or what as my bother was 20 when my first son was born. 

Next son again born at home but delivered by hubby as you did not have mobile phones or house phone so it was down to the red phone box with your 4d pennies. When he went second time to red box he had ran out of pennies in those day dial O and you could get the operator she was great told him not to panic and put him straight though,

When midwife arrived her comments were (its just like shelling peas is 'nt it )

no more to say

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9 hours ago, MargieH said:

Brew, I had my first child under hypnosis in 1967... a wonderful experience.   

 

Has it wore off yet, Margie.:rotfl:

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My mums family name was Ellis and were situated in Arnold where they had a successful bakers shop that is now Birds on Front Street. Last year my cousin came over from Bristol and we met up with another cousin and visited a few places of relevance to the family from way back including Birds. The shop is much altered and expanded but the old part above where they lived and my grandmother and her sisters were born has apparently barley changed. We asked if we could look but they told us it was used for storage and quoted health and safety. Walking in off the street I could understand that so I asked and got the email of Bird's boss and wrote to her saying we would sign a disclaimer that if we slipped on an ice bun etc we wouldn't sue but a very sharp 'no way' came back. They could have been nicer about saying no. Rather frustrating and I don't go to Birds anymore. Greggs coffee is nice and cheaper.

My mother was born above the shop next door but one to Birds and is now a ladies hairdressers. They couldn't have been more helpful and showed us all around although the place has been altered so much it was hard to imagine. Thumbs up for them though.

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