50 years ago I had a baby in England. It was an illuminating experience after having had 2 previously in (1) Stanford U hospital with spinal block, awake throughout but pain-free (2) a run of the mill Catholic
hospital in New York where usual anaesthesia was given, and when I woke up I had a baby.

Obstetrician I chose, told me to check into a Catholic nursing home in Waterloo on the Irish Seacoast, for a Caesarian the following morning. I had to agree to stay a full two weeks!!!

Was this Victorian style place, hi-ceilinged room to myself, lovely dinner in bed, and then the nursing “sister” suggested a nice hot bath before going to sleep. Was run by a Northern Ireland order of nuns, all midwives.

In the U.S.A. in those days, one did not even take a bath for the last 5-6 weeks — only showers, but they were so overwhelmingly authoritative, and sweet and loving, and the nursing home had such a high reputation, that I just let them do as they will.

Two of them put me into this huge deep old-fashioned bathtub, ran lots of hot warer, let me simmer there for a while, took me out and put me into a nightgown tucked me in bed, broughbt me a pot of tea, and each of them
kissed me goodnight on the forehead, and said a prayer for me. O.K. to ready, but lights out by 11 they said.

I fell sound asleep, but at midnight woke up and KNEW I was in labor. The sisters agreed and off I went to the delivery room. Very low tech, no stirrups, no bright lights I remembered from other two. Anaesthesia? A
cotton ball damped with chloroform that they gave me a whiff of by passing it above my nose now and then. They didn’t even call the Dr., just let him come in next A.M. and be surprised!

Once they got me ready for my nice bed again, they took me to see baby in the nursery. I was appalled — Baby was totally swaddled and put in a room with other babies with windows wide open, curtains blowing. They didn’t
believe in the firm-mattress-sleep-on-the-tummy position favored then for infants. Warm swaddling is what they did because they said baby still missed the comfort and closeness of the womb. Made sense to me!

So try a hot bath, if you have an old-fashioned deep tub and two people to put you in and get you out!

Maggy Simony

ANGELA COMMENTS:

Wow, Maggy! This is GREAT!!!!

Can I post it to the blog? Other women will love
reading this, too.

Am about to go to sleep (took the day off to go shopping and to eat lobster on the coast) but will definitely try the warm bath and tea tomorrow!! And, will make everybody tuck me into bed and give me a kiss, too. That’s the best part of your story!

Big hugs!
Ang

MAGGY RESPONDS:

Sure you can post it.

The water was HOT — heated gradually as I sat in that tub — and I believe those sister midwives did it deliberately to outwit the obstetrician’s plans for a Caesarian. Obviously their estimate of my situation was correct, or I would not have had Maria so easily and quickly. Did he feel foolish the next morning? I can’t estimate Brit’s reactions, but the head nursing sister
surely did have a smug smile on her face. I think it was part upholding the reputation of midwives, and part teaching an American that most people didn’t NEED an obstetrician in the first place! But from my view, 50 years ago we simply would not go to a midwife as the British social medicine system provided for. As an American I didn’t feel I should use their system.

Anyway, I wanted an obstetrician, and head of the local American military hopital ob-gyn department suggested the doctor I chose.

Incidentally, when I left the hospital 2 weeks later, Maria was sleeping (swaddled like an Eskimo in one of those carriers) from around 10-11 PM (big feeding as possible) until 5-6 AM. Those sisters thought the idea of getting up at 2 and 4 AM was just plain funny! (They’d seen it in movies.) They thought my Dr. Spock was funny. So I continued the wrapping-on-the back mode
of putting a baby down. If you think about it, on a firm mattress they can roll a bit, unexpectedly, and perhaps feel insecure enough to wake up.

Just want to tell you how much I’m enjoying reading your blog, side by side with our work together to create my book.

I’m glad that work is helpful and distracting for you (from the pregnancy). Happy to help out!

I trust that Mason will come into the world first, before I get to give the final go-ahead, e.g. approval of my book.

Keep taking care of yourself.

My best,
Dana

ANGELA SAYS:

Thanks bunches, Dana!! Yes, it does help to keep my mind off my ever-bulging belly!

Big hugs!
Ang