Our Mums' Birth Stories

[mandspice]

I thought it’d be interesting to hear how our own mums’ birth stories, to see how different things were “back in the day” (further back for some of us than others!). Also, in my case I’m hoping, hoping, hoping the labour experience is genetic!!

I’m 31 and was born 2 weeks early during a snowstorm. My parents live in a village in Norfolk and in those days a lot of people in the area gave birth in a maternity home (as opposed to a hospital) around 15 miles away. My mum went into labour in the evening but the snow was so bad my dad’s car couldn’t make it out if the driveway….they called their friend who had a 4X4 and a shovel and somehow made it to the maternity home….there was a power cut when they arrived and the generator was down so my mum was taken upstairs (private room and this was all NHS!) and given candles!The story goes, although I think she may be exaggerating a little, that the midwife popped downstairs and I popped out within half an hour of arriving…..and, I quote my mum “it didn’t hurt, I don’t know what all the fuss is about” – and this was with no pain relief! She did tear however but apparently didn’t really feel it.

She then stayed in the maternity home for a lovely 10 days while the nurses helped her look after me and pampered her! Even though the birth was uncomplicated apparently they used to keep you in much longer in those days….and the place was nearly empty to they were in no rush to throw her out. She had a similar experience with my brother……sounds heavenly compared to most people’s birth experiences today!

Anyone else know the story of how they arrived into the world? xxx

 

[xkikix]

Oh I hope you dont mind me butting in from tri3...

My mum had been in hospital since 36 weeks with pre eclampsia, and was being induced at 38 weeks. They induced her and sent my dad home as they told him it would be a while before anything happens and they'd ring him to let him know of any updates. So off my dad went to pick my elder bro up from our nans.

As soon as he left the hospital my mum was pushing and 15 mins later I arrived! This was before the days of mobile phones so it was around an hour later that my dad was notified his baba had arrived! I hope my bubs comes that quick!!

Great thread hun xx

 

[Strangeness]

I was my mum's 4th baby and after my brother shooting out in 20 mins she thought I would drop out! Well after her waters leaking all day and a few twinges she thought she had better go in. She was told nothing much was happening and they sent my dad home. This was about 11.30pm. Well I was born just after 12am so she went from nothing to birth in just over half an hour Also I was apparantly spinning around inside her cos they had a cord attached to my head and they could see it turning around

 

[MissSara]

It was my mum and dads first holiday together they had just got engaged and were in Cornwall and my mum was 30 weeks pregnant.

She woke felt her waters break and knew i was coming early, she was scared and so was my dad as i was 10weeks early and knew they had to get to hospital, i was born weighing 2lb 8oz and had to be sent to the special care unit in truro, cornwall.
All my family lived in Sheffield ( a bit of a way ) and had been told and were trying to find a way to come down and see me ( it was the miners strike and my nan and grandad were totally skint) They had to get a loan just to make the journey to see me.

I had to stay down Cornwall for 8 weeks before i was allowed home, it was a struggle for my mum and dad paying for a hotel for all that time, being so young and not being able to come home to get to work, but a woman from a B&B heard my mum and dad discussing what had happend and put them up for 5 weeks for free, she even used to come and visit me when my mum and dad weren't there......... bless her, i would love to have met her one day, such a kind woman.

And thats my mums birth story.

 

[bhe101]

I dont know what exactly happened when my sisters were born but they both came early.
My oldest sister was born at 33 weeks(the same as my daughter!) and my other sis at 35. I on the other hand was over a week late!!
I think she was feeling uncomfortable for a few days then at about 11pm she was in bed, sorting out bills and stuff I think when her waters broke. The hospital was only 5 minutes away so they went straight there. Luckily my nan was staying so she was watching my sisters.
I think by the time they got to the hospital my mum was in complete agony and ready to push. I was born at 11.58!! Doubt it'l be that quick for me though!

 

[JoAnn&Aimee]

A week before I was due my mum had a scan. It was a student that was doing the scan and announced 'I've found a second heartbeat.'. My mum said she nearly had a heart attack as she wasn't told about twins. Thankfully the superviser assured my mum that the student only meant that out of everyone she had scanned so far today it was the second one she'd found. I would loved to have seen my mums face! hehe

My mum went into labour with me 4 days early and it was a quick labour. My dad arrived at the hospital on his motorbike in a panic as the hospital told him to get there ASAP, he thought there was a problem and the midwife gave him into trouble for wearing his leathers in the hospital. He was handed a gown and ordered to get us leathers under the bed before the doctor seen him. My mum was given an epidural but 5 minutes before it started working I arrived! So I was a pain right from the start!

My brother was born 2 years before me and he was a month premature. There wasn't anything interested about his birth apart from my uncle having to pretend to be the father so he could stay with my mum while she was in labour as my dad was 50 miles away! My dad said the midwife was confused when he turned up and my uncle went to the waiting room!

 

[mandspice]

Seems so far like most of our mums had quick labours...I wonder what they did that we don't do now..? Maybe it's because the pregnancy police didn't exist then (now it's No Alcohol, No Cheese, No Diet Coke, No Coffee etc etc.....= more stress??!)

 

[debecca]

My mum lost her first two baby girls at 22 weeks due to an incompetent cervix. The first was born at home (my dad delivered her) because they were scared and didn't really know what was happening. The second was born int he back of an ambulance on the way to hospital - where they asked my mum to stay in for observation and she got chucked out for being rude to the doctors and telling them it was their fault etc. Which to be fair, it was.

Then they put a stitch in her for me and I stayed to full term (was due on 29th Feb oo-er but came on 21st) - she went into labour during the Two Ronnies (about 9pm) and I was born at 6.31am. I was born ASLEEP which to my mind is madness!!!

My brother arrived at 34 weeks in less than an hour, and he shot down the delivery table.

 

[JP]

I'm one of three and this is what I know....

Me...... Came on time, 8 pounder.

Sister....... Came on time, 8 pounder, my dad missed her birth as my grandad thought it would be the same as his 10 children were, long time that is. So when my dad finally got to the hospital to be told here is your daughter. Mum said he asked if it was his daughter because he wasn't there to see her come out.

Brother..... 2 weeks late, close on 10 pounds. My mum had to be induced as my brother really didn't want to come out. She told me that there were about 8 women all induced in the morning. One by one they had there babys and went off to the ward. My brother made it to the next day and was delivered using a birthing chair which is very similar to a toilet. That does explain why he can spend over 2 hours on the toilet and in th end have the door kicked in on him cos he took that long. That's another story tho

 

[abcd1234]

theres 3 of us
i was pulled out on what they thought was my due date though my mum is ademant i wasnt fully cooked, they thought i wasnt growing so induced my mum and pulled me put with forceps (not good)

My brother was 3 weeks late, he tore my mum again by putting his hand up whilst coming out, apart from that it was very straight forward.

My sister was 2 weeks early, my mum had planned home birth but was feeling dizzy, went to hospital and went in to labour that night, she shot out after just over and hour and spend 10 days in SCBU because she breathed in gung and so wasnt breathing when she popped out.

I also know that "baby daddy" was late and also had to be pulled out with forceps, so im quite possibly looking at a crappy birth. Oh well it'll be worth it, and could all go smoothly

 

[andreaaa]

I don't know too much other than I was 2 weeks late and on the day my mum was due to be induced she went into labour naturally. It all went well up until the pushing stage where my big head got stuck

They were arranging to transfer my Mum to a different hospital for a C-Section but when everyone had left the room my Dad helped my Mum to sit up and out I popped My dad then ran to find the Nurse shouting that "the bloody thing fell out"

 

[lfc_sarah]

My mum had a c-section for both me and my brother...

Thats all i know really

 

[justanothergirl26]

great thread! My mum's birth story has been told many a time and here it is for all of you.....

My mum found out she was pregnant when she was working in London as a Nursary Nurse, and she actually went to get the result from the chemist with about 8 kids in tow who she was looking after. The chemist took one look at her with all these kids (of all different ethnicities and races!) and said 'i'm very sorry Mrs Rogers but it's positive' lmao. My mum was estatatic as she obviously loves kids and always wanted to be a mummy.

The pregnancy went quite well apart from my mum was huge and at only 5 foot looked hilarious and my mum apparantly banned all photos being taken (i've never seen a pregnant pic of her). Now she did complain to my Nan of feeling lots of movement and all over her tummy and my nan (her Mum) said very matter of factly 'i'm sure you've got twins.' We have seven sets of identical twins in our family and my aunts are twins so my Nan (my mums mum) had twins herself. Ovviously the skipping a generation doesn't always ring true!

So anyway at a late checkup a student doctor thought her detected two heart beats but the actual doctor dismissed him and said no just an echo. As they didn't do scans my mum just accepted what the actual doc said. She was admitted to hospital with high blood pressure and it was turning into toxemia (??) so they tried to get her into labour where my mum was pushing for this 'big baby' for about 12 hours. Eventually it became an emergency situation as she was pushing and the baby was stuck so she was rushed to theatre where they gave her a general anaesthetic and got to work.

Some time later my Mum woke up to see my dads face and said 'what have we got?' Dad said 'we've got two Jan' ahhhh! We were born Dec 18th 1981 weighing 5 and half pounds (me) and four half pounds (my twin) and taken to intensive care as my poor sister had been kicked in the head by me and we were pushing to get out! We were both fine and my mum saw us the next day where she says despite not being put together she 'picked us out' in the nursary and hoped we were hers.

Having a twin is just wonderful and I love that story!!

Emma x

ps just one in my tummy-been checked!!

 

[nickilubs]

My oldest brother Gary enjoyed the Guinness my Mum was TOLD to drink(it was good because of the iron but this was 36 years ago)! So he stayed for a good couple weeks before they decided that it was time for him to leave and even then he didn't want too! So she had a long labor....he was a long a thin baby! And hes tall and skinny now and owns a brewery and lots of pubs and still loves Guinness!

My sister was pretty easy she was a week late and was a biiiiig baby...(and shhhh but shes still fairly big now) shes 34 now.

My older brother Darren gave my mum hell during her pregnancy she was really ill and kept fainting all the time and he arrived a week late he was born about average sized with big shoulders but not too long, and now he is built like a brick poo house but hes not tall just really muscular!

I was about a week late too, mum sang the Star Trekking song whilst having me because it was no.1 that date I was a small baby and now Im a short arse!

My younger brother Adam was born a day early I was convinced he was a she and even when Dad told me it was a boy I still said and told everyone I had a little sister!! Addy was a big baby too and now hes HUGE hes tall and well built hes 15 now and twice my height!

We all still have the tendency to be late all the time except Addy who's always in a rush!

 

[Sydneysmum]

Me and my elder brother were born by C section - my mum is tiny and my brother was posterior (like my son was) and back in those days they didn't let you have a natural birth after a C section.

My younger brother was born when I was 14. Mother was suffering from pre eclampsia so the visiting midwife prescribed bed rest at 36 weeks. Mum was naughty and kept getting up so on the Saturday morning Mum was sent in for hospital bedrest. We went to see her in the evening and she was fine. The next day I went out with my brother and when we got home we were met on the doorstep by our stepdad who said that we'd just had a baby brother born by emergency C section! We were shocked but utterly delighted. Apparently my mum and my brother were in serious trouble which was why he was delivered in such a hurry - his name is Nathan which means 'gift' in Hebrew.

 

[Sydneysmum]

Meant to add: Nathan was 3lbs, 2 oz when he was born and could fit in the palm of my hand. He was a fantastic fighter with a constitution of iron. He's now 18 and no different