Crazy Times

I used to laugh when i listened to my Mother and Mother In Law talk about how it was when they were having their babies. To me, it sounded so rediculous, and old fashioned.


When They were in labor, they were given chloreform, ether and gas. Sounds a little like over kill does`nt it? They were totally knocked out and had to wait to regain consciousness before they knew what they had given birth to. Their hospital stays were about 10 days, give or take a day or two. Once they had given birth, it was several days before they were allowed to dangle Their feet, imagine that, dangle Their feet from the bed! Giving birth was time consuming to say the least.


Now, years later, 35 years after i first gave birth, i`m not laughing so much, it`s my kids who think those days were rediculously old fashioned. they cringe when i tell them how drinking while pregnant was not bad for babies then. Or so we thought.


I gave birth to 4 babies. I have never had an ultra sound, nor have i had an epidural, the only thing remotely related to pain killers, was one hypo i had one time with my firstborn. That pretty much just relaxed me enough to take the labor pains away so i could start all over again, which is why i only had one.


It seems so strange when i look back at those times now. Like it was a differant planet.


I remember the morning after i had given birth to my first baby, i was laying in bed, the baby was in a little bassinet across the room, when Dr. Walker walked in to examine me, he was holding a lit cigarrette. You could`nt find a NO SMOKING sign back then if your life depended on it. The oddest thing was, we thought nothing of seeing a Dr doing his rounds with a cigarette in his hand.


But, God forbid if a relative tried to walk into my room. No Allowed. My parents, and Inlaws had to stand outside the window of my room to see the baby. She was born in Febuary, it was a little chilly looking in!


Then, when it was time to leave the hospital, the nurse carried the baby to the car, and handed her to me, into my arms, there were no car seats. Off we drove.


We raised 4 kids and never owned a car seat. We have been so incredibly lucky with our kids.


My, How times have changed.............Thank God.