What was it like, when you were a mother to a small baby?

My first baby was born in 1969 and we were already buying our first home, a 3 bedroom semi. Few had CH back then but things were improving fast. We had a baby belling to boil terry nappies and a twin tub gas powered washing machine. I sterilised bottles in a Mothercare plastic box and washed all surfaces including floors with Milton. I consulted " Dr Spock" book daily ( alternative to google) and my babies survived . Mothercare was an important baby shop back then, it had everything I needed. More baby foods were coming onto the market to support home cooking and were great for those first tastes.

For those early terry nappies, I bought liners, huge safety pins, a water proof pant with elasticated legs and I had a system of initial sterilisation before boiling and thoroughly rinsing before hanging on the clothes line. Until I got a tumble drier!
Otherwise babies are still the same. They wants lots of love and care and protection from germs grin

This was in 1965.

The first time I took my eldest child in his pram round the corner to the newsagents, I parked the pram outside, went in and when I came out I walked nearly all the way home without him. The pram and baby were still there when I ran back.

Had my first son in 1977. DH was in the services and we were in Germany at the time, so no family around to ask for advice. Was in military hospital for 5 days then DH collected me and baby, dropped us at home then returned to work. He came home that evening to find me sitting on the stairs with baby, both crying our eyes out.
Terry nappies which when changed ended up having to change all the bedding as well because it took me quite a few days to realise I had forgotten to use the plastic pants over the nappies. Soaked in buckets of Napisan then boiled in a large saucepan on top of the cooker. (Same saucepan eventually went to university with son!)
Baby used to travel in a carry cot on the back seat of the car, carry cot strapped in but not the baby.
Second son born in 1980 was a lot easier as by then knew more what to do. Happy days!

My first baby was born in 1976. We lived in a flat in Germany and I had no family for support. I had a twin tub washing machine to wash the nappies but had to dry them on radiators, so they were hard. I only had 12 nappies so it was a constant worry that I would run out of clean ones. There were disposables available but I couldn't afford them. My first pram was a carry cot that sat on wheels. when out in the car we put the carry cot and baby on the back seat. No safety harness! When our baby was six months old we came back to UK. My mum bought us a gorgeous Silver Cross pram, and my dad bought us a Britax car seat. Life certainly picked up then.

My boys were born 1965,67,69. Twin tub washing machine, terry nappies (two in nappies at one time). The three of them had a nap from 11 a.m. - 12.30 and that was when I did what I needed to do. After lunch we went for a walk to the village, one in the pram, one sitting on the pram ( a lovely coach built one which my father bought for us) and one in my hand. They were all tucked up by 7.00 pm.m so we had the evening to ourselves. I was as happy as a sandboy, but of course I did not work. We were never in debt but found it difficult to make ends meet.

My first was born in '87 after 10 yrs of trying. This was quiet late compared to some of you. We were fortunate to be living in a 3 bed semi with a large garden. We're still there now.
H was working shifts so was around to help some of the time. I also had my mum 10 min drive away.
I had a c-secection and was in for 10 days. I tried breast feeding but had no milk. DH loved to bottle feed her and was usually the one to make up the bottles.
I used terry nappies for her and DH was very adept at changing her. I would wheel her into the garden to watch me whilst I hung the terries out to dry. I could never get her to nap in the garden though. She was a good sleeper and slept through the night from 6 wks of age. Mum had knitted matinee coat bonnet and mits sets in different colours, she also knitted a beautiful circular shawl and adapted a pattern to make a long jacket to match the shawl which she wore for her christening.
I had passed my driving test a couple of months prior to being pregnant (DH has never learnt) so mum bought us what would now be called a travel system for the car. Horrified now to think that I would strap the carrycot in the back using the seat belt with DD laying in it
I did home assembly work from the time she was 8 mths. This involved screwing chunky lumps of plastic (think big lego) together, DD would sit in her highchair watching me and playing with the pieces.
I took her to mother n toddler from about 12 mths and made a circle of friends who would meet at each others houses for coffee and play dates. No meeting at Costa or where ever back then.

I was born in 1948 and remember well the babies that came after me, three sisters, and also my own experience. No central heating, no washing machine, no fridge, one car which Dad used for work. Mum never worked. She had a big copper which you heated up with a gas pipe and a ringer, and a hugely long washing line. A marble shelf in the larder to keep things nice and cold, with an open window with a fine grill over it for air circulation. We had coal fires and paraffin fires in the bedrooms and some houses had electric heaters fitted to the walls. The bathroom was no go in the winter as it was freezing. Everyone washed in the kitchen. If we had a bath, the paraffin heater went in for half an hour first! I and my sisters all had big coach built prams which were warm and delicious to ride in. Hand knit clothes, and knitted blankets. and clothes made on the machine. My Mum and my Nan were brilliant at making really pretty white flannel dresses with embroidery all round the skirts and smocking across the front. Mum and Dad sat in front of the coal fire in the evening, listening to the radio, and us children snuggled under our feather eiderdowns and blankets. You could break the ice off the windows inside when you woke in the morning. We had lovely warm blanket type babygrows too. We were happy, but I guess lots weren't. I lived in South London where a lot of bomb damage was around. Great big craters that you had to negotiate with the big bassinett pram. If the sun was shinging, babies always went out in the pram with the apron up and the cat net on, after the breakfast feed. Even in the winter. They slept like logs in the fresh air! Mum could then get on with the days chores, nappy washing, sweeping, Ewbanking (no hoovers). After the morning two hour nap, it would be a quick walk to the shops to get something for dinner, (no supermarkets) just bakers, butchers, greengrocers etc. They all knew eachother and their customers, so lots of time for chats on local matters, and when the ration books would finish. Then back home to prepare dinner and a rest with baby. In my area (Croydon) no one went without and we were all happy!! The local welfare attached to the Doctors saw to it that everyone was OK. We ate things like Herrings and Mackeral, Lamb, Beef and some chicken. Lots of Veg and fruit. Rationing was a pain, but we could sometimes scrape an egg and bacon pie for tea which was a treat. Sweets were rare. and desserts not very often. Custard, tinned fruit and Jelly were about the best you could get.

In the 70’s I had 3 babies under 4 1/2, all planned and it was the best time of my life. I was very methodical and organised, I had to be, and like you took so much pride in my babies appearances with home knitted clothes from both my Mum and my Nan. I would find a lovely pattern, usually out of one of their collections from the 40’s, and within a week it would appear. I passed all their clothes down, my daughter even had her brothers shirts with lace sewn all round the collars and cuffs ! Going out was a military manoeuvre ! Baby in the big Silver Cross pram, won no:2 in the toddler seat on top, son no:1 on reins toddling along at the side. Luckily our big garden backed onto beautiful woodland with lakes, so we didn’t have to go far for walks, the swings, feeding the ducks etc Wonderful days, wonderful memories.

I was born in 1937, in a Cornish village, now famous as the home of Doc Martin, two up, two down. No running water inside and a loo in the yard at the back. Bathed in a small tin bath in front of the coal stove, the only means of heating water and cooking. Only two electric lights were downstairs, put in by the landlord and if we wanted more we had to pay for them ourselves. I remember the parafin lamp that acted as a nightlight upstairs. My parents rented it for 2 shillings and sixpence a week. It's just sold for £350,000!!

Fast forward to 1961 when my first baby turned out to be two....both boys. Born in hospital as I had problems before they were born, Second one made determined efforts to go back to heaven all the first year. No parents within two hundred miles, husband went out the door on a Monday and returned Friday night! Terry nappies....for two....bottle fed...but we did have a single tub washer with a wringer. Second hand twin pram with a baby at each end and a tray underneath for the shopping. They went straight into cots....both second hand as we hadn't room for Moses Baskets as well. We had no central heating, I remember the ice on the inside of the babies bedroom window, and Anthony coughing away and slowly turning blue! Richard never slept through the night til he was 18 months. The one thing I remember above all else is how tired I was.

Next one was born in 1963...a daughter, no problem from the start...pretty much the same routine except that now I had three to push up the hill. Then in 1968 another daughter.....by which time I had figured out what I was supposed to be doing....and also where they were coming from!!! The older ones were at school....it was an absolute doddle after the twins. Looking back I wonder how on earth I didn't go bonkers, but in those days you just got on with things. Now they are 57, 55,and 50 respectivly and I adore them all....and the grandchildren they have given me.

I so hated having to keep washing all those cloth nappies, having them hanging around in a bucket until there was enough to wash and scraping the poo off them!! I think your baby could survive being left in the house or within your sight in the garden though while you hang your washing out! Mine used to sleep in the garden in their carrycot type pram for hours with the dog lying beside her.

My grandmother used to talk of babies sleeping in bottom drawers. They had big solid bedroom furniture so I don't think it would be the same today. She always did home work, lace making and plastic raincoats for M&S. My grandfather called it slave labour. Life got easier when they got a Council house with a coal fired range. The street they lived in called Dag Lane was condemned and pulled down. My mother talked about her mother cooking on a griddle and she bought them their first fridge in the early 1960s (she had to tell them not to tell my father). I remember the old mangle but they had a big garden to hang things out. Life was hard but a lot easier than for their own parents.

My children were born in the 70s, and disposable nappies were just coming out. But I remember some towelling nappies were in a triangle shape,I tried them but they were harder to put on than the normal towelling nappies. Also remember being able to leave baby outside local shop whilst I went in and did some shopping. You wouldn't dream of doing that now.

When I look back to when my first son was born in 1962 it brings back memories of a very hard time in my life.
We rented a room in a large house, it was where we slept did the washing and lived life. The women of the house restricted my use of water.This resulted in me washing my son first and then having to wash his cloths and nappies in the same bath water. We shared the kitchen with the owner and quite often she would stand over me checking what I was doing it was terrible. They didn't allow us keys to the room either and when we were out we knew they came in because things were moved. I also worked part time because although my husband worked we had little money. We had this for a couple of years before a council flat became available. Oh the pure luxury of having my own kitchen with hot and cold water and a bath room. You have no idea what joy this brought us.
It was a very different world in the 1960s I had to lie at interview saying I didn't have a child otherwise I wouldn't have got the job.

I had my children in the early 70s when I was in my 20s. The biggest difference I have noticed is that mums today have money to go out and meet whether for coffee or lunch. Back in the 70s we used to meet in each other’s houses - cottage pie was often the menu - or it would be a coffee morning. There were no decent disposal nappies and when we went to stay with my husbands family I would bring home a bucket with a sealed lid full of dirty nappies! I think we were all a bit more relaxed. I would hand my babies over to my mother and leave her to do what ever she wanted. As a Gran I have always been given lists of times instructions and dos and donts.
I went back to work when my first child was 18 months old and People were quite shocked. I had to find a new post as maternity leave was unheard of in those days.

Well I was born in the fifties and my Mum told me all about it and how she was raised in the 1920s, why not ask your Mum?

pinkprincess you have reminded me with your mention of prices - my basic Maclaren baby buggy was £9.50 and a godsend for going on the bus - inflation was so bad in the 70's though, my daughter's toy Maclaren buggy was £9.50 just a couple of years later ?

My first baby was born in 1969 second and last in 1972. Both boys born by emergency caesarean section under general anaesthetic. I never saw either of them until they were 2 days old which was ''normal'' then you did not question it. No immediate skin to skin in theatre like now. My second baby was introduced to me in the arms of a very young nursery nurse who said ''Here is a present for you'' smiled and left. I am ashamed to say I cannot remember much of seeing my first baby as I was very ill at the time.
We stayed in hospital 12 days, but came home more or less back on my feet with all stitches out vertical wound both times.
Both bottle fed as I was considered to be poorly to breast feed.
My first was born nearly three weeks late, no paternity leave in those days, my DH had booked two weeks holiday around the time of the expected date, but as I was in hospital for nearly all that time he had to return to work the day after I came home.
I had very little help from family, my mother was working full time and my MIL would come to just cuddle the baby then find an excuse to go. I managed though.
When my second son was born DH was in merchant navy and did not return until baby was two months old.
I had a Marmet medium size pram bought new with my maternity grant cost £28 it was lovely pram and lasted for the two of them, my sister gave me her toddler seat when second was born so he could sit onto of it.We had no car and walked miles with that pram.I once carried a vacuum cleaner on it, fastened across the lower end with baby sitting at the hood end, also rolls of wallpaper on the tray by the wheels. This pram was still in perfect condition the I parted with it.
Both babies wore terry nappies, washed everyday, a nightmare to dry in the winter. No baby wipes, I used a damp facecloth, which was only used for washing their bottoms after I had first cleaned them with damp cotton wool, then applied zinc and castor oil cream.I put used nappies in a plastic bag if outside the house to take home to wash.
We were encouraged to start solid food at 3 months, I fed mine with tinned Heinz baby foods and Ready Brek for breakfast which they loved.Both were drinking boiled normal milk from 6 months.
I knitted most of their jackets and hats etc when they were tiny.Ready made little coats and hats were deemed to be extravagant.As soon as you announced you were pregnant everyone started knitting.
As a previous poster said we were not so much in thrall of our babies then. We loved them very much but they were not allowed to rule our lives.As soon as the baby was fed washed and dressed each morning you put them down in pram or cot to sleep in the early days and got on with washing and housework.When they got a bit older they were put in a playpen or sat in a baby chair with toys.It was safe to leave a pram outside the house then and they would sleep in the garden in fine weather.
One of my great grandmothers had seven children born between 1890 and 1902.They were all born and brought up in a tiny three bedroomed terrace house.My grandfather told me she would put the baby in a large wooden cradle with rockers in the bedroom.She had a hole drilled in the floor beneath the cradle and would attach a thick string on the bar between the rockers head it through the hole in the floor which was directly above the living room ceiling where it could be seen hanging. If the baby was heard crying and she was busy with something she would pull on the string to set the cradle rocking until she could go and tend to the baby.
I am now a great grandmother myself and have seen many changes across the generations in baby care. My two great grandsons have been in a nursery since they were small babies as my granddaughter went back to work as soon as possible, something I did not do until my younger son was two years old.

My first was born in 76 ,she only lived 4 days ,Baby 2 arrived 16 months later on her due date,she was jaundiced so we spent a whole week in hospital.I was back at my desk the next day with her in her pram by my side.Self employed so there was no option,dont work dont eat! She came to work with me until she started nursery at three and a half and she was and is the most sociable person .We would leave work an hour before her dad so we had time to get her organised and a meal made .She loved to help in the kitchen and could make simple things before she was 4.Baked potatoesin the microwave or toasties .When she was 6 one of our staff asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up."I'll be your boss" she said ...and she was .My son was born 10 years after his sister and his life more or less mirrored hers although he spent his first 10 weeks in special care .My kids came everywhere with us,to parties,in a carrycot,to restaurants to concerts classical and pop.We are the closest family I know .They are now 40 and 30 and spend their holidays together with their families and speak to each other most days .I wouldn't change how we did things despite some people thinking we had it wrong and I should have given up work .It suited our life and they were very happy children .

I was born in 1949, and my first brother four years later, with four more children culminating in my youngest brother who was born when I was 20. I remember the Napisan bucket under the sink, no central heating, and fetching in the washing in the winter, frozen stiff, and hanging it on a wooden clothes horse around the coal fire. I also remember my siblings sitting in a foldable metal chair hooked over the back of the back seat of the car, with one of my siblings squeezed on the front bench seat, and some of us in the back of the estate car. No seatbelts. I think mothers were more keen on getting their children potty trained earlier- most children seemed to be trained by two, although this sometimes meant sitting them for long periods on a potty. Washing nappies and drying them was a bind.

My DD was born in 1975 and I was in hospital for 10 days - 3 days in a maternity home to try to get my BP down then to hospital to be induced as it didn't work then back to the maternity home as that was where I was booked in. I remember the nurse carrying the baby in the rickety old ambulance between the two places. Then home to no washing machine, no car, no central heating - getting coal in at 5 am to try to get the lounge up to 16 degrees to bring the baby in there when she woke up (her room had a thermostatically controlled mothercare electric heater on all night). That was a rented bungalow - we were a tiny bit warmer when we bought a house the following year but still no central heating - gas cylinder heaters - inconvenient but not as bad as breaking up huge lumps of coal every morning.
Terry nappies in cold buckets of Napisan, hand washed every morning, frozen solid on the washing line in the winter. That's my main memory, the cold and the difficulties of getting washing dry in the winter. Now I look after DGS full time and everything is just easy peasy and convenient - it's a different world and a million times more pleasant.

I had my first child in 1968 and was in hospital for 10 days. When my second was born in 1974 it was just a couple of days. How things change.
We had a big coach built pram as well and walked for miles with our friends and their babies as we couldn't afford to do much else.
I had to have a consent form signed by my husband before I could be sterilised. There was no requirement for him to have my consent if he wanted a vasectomy.

I’ve really enjoyed reading all of these. Thank you.

We were living in the Far East when my first child was born, firstly in a bungalow and then in a large apartment. I, and all other service families, had domestic help, but the one thing I would not let my ahma do was wash terry nappies. I soaked them in Napisan and washed them myself because it was such a horrible job I didn’t want to give it to anyone else. We had no washing machine. It threatened to become an issue between us (she thought I didn’t trust her and threatened to leave - we had tears!) so I conceded defeat, and had to accept that she made a better job of it than I did! She made a better job of everything than I did and adored my son. My second child was born in an American military hospital and on leaving we were issued with packs of disposable nappies, which I had never seen but thought were a wonderful help. I saved them for when we were travelling and used shaped terry nappies the rest of the time because DH could never get the hang of folding nappies! We stocked up via our American neighbours before we came back to England, where they were still not widely available. I used them sparingly! I had a Silver Cross pram which detached from the frame for DS, but because of the difficulties of shipping it, we didn’t bring it home with us. DD had a rather basic carrycot on wheels which was the only thing that would fit into the back seat of our small car! She has seen photos since and thinks she was rather hard done by! Compared to what her own son had when he was born, she was!

Our first baby born 1969, she was born in the night and because my husband was on night duty out in the wilds of Wales I was allowed to stay on the labour bed with my baby for just over an hour waiting for my husband to get back to the hospital, it was the most. wonderful hour of my life , just the two of us. We stayed in 10 days. 1970 our second daughter was born, different hospital, she was taken to the nursery shortly after birth, stayed in 36 hours. Bought a washing machine after second birth, single tub hoover . Brest fed our first daughter, couldn’t for second daughter she was rushed to hospital when 3 days old. Didn’t go out to work, husband was very hands on with nappy changing, bathing . Loved those years .