1 week Ago By BuzzFeed
There are so many things about pregnancy and childbirth in 2025 that seem wild to me, but when I hear stories about the realities of motherhood for my mom and my grandmas, it completely blows my millennial mind. Recently, older people on Reddit shared their stories about how much certain things have changed, and I was really shocked by a lot of them. Here are some of the top comments: 1.
"My mom’s obstetrician was smoking a cigarette when he checked in on her room shortly after giving birth to me." — Funnygumby "My grandma had seven babies in the '50s and '60s. She was one of those women who could just give birth and not skip a beat.
So she would give birth, get out of bed right away, and then get up and walk the hallways while smoking a cigarette." — elphaba00 2. "I think I cost my dad about $100 with no insurance, including a week in the hospital.
" — Gwsb1 3. "My grandmother always told me that at two weeks postpartum, they would allow ladies to sit on the edge of the bed and swing their feet. They'd tell them, 'At two weeks you can dangle!'" — The_Motherlord 4.
"My dad told me about his cousin being born in Hawaii just days before Pearl Harbor happened. At the time, it was thought to be dangerous for women to get out of bed for the first month, so the nurses were apparently freaking out about having to evacuate all these postnatal moms without damaging them." — Creative_Energy533 5.
My first child was born on a military base in an Army hospital. No epidurals allowed 'unless we have a student who needs to practice.' I had a long, rough labor, and at one point, a nurse popped into my room to let me know that my groans were annoying the doctor and I would need to stop making so much noise.
" — Hexagram_11 6. "My great-grandmother was a famous Appalachian midwife. She delivered over 2,000 babies in her home throughout her career.
These were very poor women who could not afford a hospital, nor did they think a hospital was necessary. Tough women. During the last week or so of pregnancy, the expectant mother would move in with my great-grandmother.
She stayed in the birthing room. This was because getting a ride to her house was tough. Abject poverty, people didn’t own cars, and had to rely on others.
So the women stayed with my relative to be ready when the time came." "I was present for a few births. I didn’t help out, I was only ten or so, but I heard and saw things.
Once a woman went into labor, my Granny would have her do chores around the house. Sweeping, work on the farm, things like that. Apparently, it hastened labor.
During the actual birth, Granny would rub a lotion on the woman’s vulva to help with the process, making it less likely the woman would tear. There was some screaming, but not a lot. Most of the women were fairly silent.
Like I said, tough as nails. My great-grandmother was featured in both People and National Geographic. She got a lot of recognition for her work.
" — LyricalWillow 7. "My mom, after a difficult birth, was told by a nurse, 'Put some makeup on. Your husband is good-looking.
You need to look good for him.'" — Redsquirreltree 8. "We were cautioned about over-the-counter drugs, smoking, and alcohol, but nothing like mothers today! So many foods are on the forbidden list now.
I feel sorry for pregnant women. Too many things to worry about. Also, everyone today knows how many weeks along they are.
We used to count in months. Ultrasound was new, and my doctor was very cautious about it. La Leche League was big.
It met in people’s houses. And Lamaze was strongly encouraged." — Sparky-Malarky 9.
"Hospitals used to give away a lot of free stuff courtesy of baby product companies. With my first baby, they gave us a diaper bag filled with things like a changing pad, pacifiers, formula samples and coupons, a grooming kit, diaper and wipe samples, and coupons. The hospitals near me now don't give any of that now, and you even have to bring your diapers and wipes because the hospital doesn't provide those, either.
" — Mammoth_Ad_4806 10. "I was born at a Catholic hospital in 1968 that didn’t allow epidurals or any other pain relief for religious reasons. My mom had been induced, and they needed forceps! She switched to the non-denominational hospital two years later to have my brother and said the epidurals felt like a miracle!" — stealthpursesnatch 11.
"My mom had all her kids in the '60s. She said you went to the hospital, you were prepped, and when it was time, you were sedated. Then you woke up from sedation, and they handed you your baby.
She had no memory of the actual births of any of us. She said given how much it hurt afterwards, she was glad for the pharmaceutical help. Neither she nor I could understand why anyone would choose to give birth unmedicated.
" — Lollc 12. "In 1982, my 33-year-old mother was regarded as a very much geriatric pregnant woman. Yes.
At 33." — Cepsita 13. "In 1979, my dad was the first father allowed in the operating room at the hospital where I was delivered via C-section.
" — squishyg "Our first child was born in 1968. Fathers were relegated to a boring waiting room. I wasn’t allowed in either the labor room or the delivery room.
A nurse would come out every once in a while with an update. My wife was in the labor room for 14 hours, so it was a long day. I didn’t see her until she was being wheeled out of the delivery room into recovery.
I didn’t see our new child for about an hour as they cleaned her up and put her in the nursery behind a glass wall. It is a lot better these days with the partner involved through the birth." — oldbutsharpusually 14.
"Had my first in 1960, second in 1962. First time, I had no real idea what to expect. When I asked my doctor beforehand, he (old-fashioned) replied, 'Don’t think about it, mother, I’ll do the work.
' I was completely unprepared. The nurses couldn’t give me anything for pain without the doctor, and he wasn’t there. The nurses tied my hands to the bed to keep me from getting out of bed.
The doctor finally showed up and had to use forceps on me. It was really traumatic in the true sense of that word. Next time was with a different doctor, and nitrous oxide for pain, much easier.
" — madqueen100 15. "In 1969, my mom asked her doctor about drinking while pregnant with twins. He said, 'Just don’t drink so much you fall down!'" — Jaded_Primary_2361 16.
"My mom took diet pills while pregnant with me. Doctor approved in 1964." — NotAgain1871 "I was born in 1971.
My mom was told to absolutely not gain more than 10 pounds at any point in the pregnancy. She was a normal weight before, on the slender side, but healthy. She gained like 5 pounds, then I was born at over 9 pounds, and when a few days passed, she ended up 10 pounds less than she started and underweight.
" — rabidstoat 17. "When my mom had me, the nurses actually pushed her to use formula and kind of looked down on her for breastfeeding, even though my mom was a walking milk fountain. When I gave birth, they really pushed breastfeeding even though I couldn't produce enough for my kids.
I actually wanted to breastfeed, but I just couldn't do it." — Dull-Geologist-8204 18. "In 1991, my labor was screaming hard.
It felt like my back was being broken. I was in the hospital because of mild fetal distress and going on my 18th hour since my first contractions, when I BEGGED for an epidural. I was interrogated about HOW I even knew what an epidural was.
I still had to wait until the next day because the ONLY anesthesiologist that could administer it had pulled a long shift, was sleeping, and couldn’t do it until the next day." "I was in labor for a total of 48 hours. And then, they only gave it to me because they thought they would have to do a C-section.
After my pain dropped, I got some sleep, and my baby decided it was finally time to come out. The icing on top was that my insurance refused to pay because it was deemed unnecessary. Best $6,000 I ever spent.
" — Crafty-Shape2743 19. "My mom was told to feed me orange juice in my bottle at 6 weeks. The doctor's note is in my baby book.
Also, my mom’s generation was told to use evaporated milk mixed with Karo (corn syrup) when formula was not available." — carriecrisis 20. "I have two sets of twins, born in 1975 and 1987.
Both sets were full-term. I did natural childbirth with no medication both times. With my older twins, I knew I was expecting two babies in my 4th month after having an X-ray.
The second set of twins was a surprise; we didn't know there were two babies until the first one was born. Ultrasounds were done then, but not routinely. My OB just missed the signs.
Nowadays, multiples are often a mandatory C-section. Going without an epidural or pain meds isn't super common nowadays either." — Single-Raccoon2 21.
"When my mother gave birth in the '50s, she was strapped down to the table. She was a nurse, and back then they thought the woman would get so hysterical she might try and pull the baby out herself." — FunStuff446 22.
"When I had my son in '89, moms were encouraged to put babies on their stomachs to sleep, which it was subsequently discovered puts babies at greater risk for SIDS." — common_grounder 23. "My great-grandma, who was just 19, had her first child alone in her bed during a storm.
Her husband had to go 5 miles to get his mother to help. No car, electricity, telephone, or running water, and by the time he got back with help, the baby was already out. Can’t imagine how scared she was.
Great grandma had her last of 6 kids in the hospital." "My mom had my first sibling out on a gurney in the hall because the hospital was full. A doctor told her she wasn’t dilated enough and left.
20 minutes later, my mom told my dad to find someone because she had to push. A nurse came and told her to squeeze her legs together because there wasn’t a doctor available. Mom said it’s coming out regardless.
A young resident heard the commotion, came over, took one look at my mom, and delivered the baby 10 minutes later." — Tardislass 24. "My mom said that when she gave birth to me and my sister, there was a refrigerator on the maternity unit with dark beer in it for nursing moms.
The idea was that it encouraged the milk to come in, and that there were nutrients in the beer. In my day, we got to stay in the hospital for five or six days to recover from childbirth and to rest up while someone else looked after your newborn." — WilliamTindale8 25.
"My kids are 30, 34, and 36. Epidurals were one and done. No topping them off like they can do today.
So they made us labor for longer before they’d give it to us, so it wouldn’t wear off before the baby was born." — BoogerbeansGrandma 26. "My mother was 38 when she had my youngest brother in 1955.
(I was 11-1/2 and the oldest) He was the planned fourth child. She wanted to have a spinal block and watch him be born. My father thought that was dangerous and took the doctor aside and told him to put her out.
She was so angry when she woke up. That's how it was then. Women had almost no say in things.
" — OrchidLover2008 27. "My mom said she was alone in the labor area for hours when she had me. No one was allowed to be with her.
No TV. Nothing to do but watch the clock." — fishchick70 Do you have a story to share that shows how different pregnancy and childbirth were back in the day? Share it with us in the comments or via the anonymous form below:.
