History of birth

mitchsmom · May 5, 2004

My mom had twilight sleep with me in 1971 and she doesn't remember anything. With my sister in 1975, she and my Dad were the very first couple to go to Lamaze and have the Dad in the delivery room at their hospital, they even had their picture on the wall in the unit. That still included all the prepping and everything. With my second sister in 1988, she had basically the same routine as most moms have now. Quite a span!!

My grandma was gassed and of course doesn't remember a thing, they were in big postpartum wards full of women back then also. I know she has told me more details but I can't remember right now.

This is not really birth related per se, but just a tidbit- my grandfather was born at home in 1917 and then was nursed by some kind of 'help' when his mom got typhoid fever shortly after. They were poor & he probably wouldn't have lived if not for her (I've never understood how they had money for "help," maybe even poor people had general help on farms back then?).

Energizer Bunny · May 5, 2004

I was just thinking about how my MIL plays up having her four kids and she probably doesn't remember a dang thing! She started in 1956, when my dh was born and ended just five years later, so they probably knocked her out cold. OIY! Now, I can just giggle inside when she talks about it! LOL!

nurseunderwater · May 5, 2004

Kristi, I wasn't around then for "twilight sleep" (thankfully) but my impression is it wasn't really a "sleep" Just drugs given that often made the patient "freak out" through her delivery but caused amnesia regarding that time period. I would love to hear from nurses who know more. There IS a nurse who works at my hospital that talks about being "put out" after her first few contractions (for a lady partsl delivery). Her impression is that is was wonderful. Sounds horrible to me.

they used to give scopolamine....causes dlierium in the presence of pain...go figure..