Call the midwife

Re the pill. I got married in 1972, a friend and I went to the Family Planning Clinic together for advice. I was ok, as I could say I was engaged and getting married. My friend, with a steady boyfriend, was prescribed contraception, but was made to feel a bit of a hussy!

We lived in quite a rural backwater, probably city FP clinics were more enlightened

Even at the end of the 60s you couldn’t get the pill without being already married or if engaged giving a wedding date and your new would be married name. Which they used when calling you in to see the nurse. This was in London.1969.

I probably used an incorrect term silverlining48.

I meant ‘The Summer Of Love’, which I thought started with the San Francisco hippies and Scott McKenzie’s lovely SF ballad, in the summer of 67.

I think that free love came later calendar girl. The 60s were not as swinging as people think, apart from the music and fashion it was firmly stuck in the 50s

I like the voice over too, even though Jenny is long gone from Poplar.

While it's past its best CTM is still one of the most enjoyable programmes on TV in my opinion. That being said, I hope they don't drag it out to the point where it starts being ridiculous.

I think Heartbeat went on for far too long and just became a shad of its former self. I'd hate to see CTM going the same way.

Back in 1967, did as many women wear hats? Surely Dr. Turner’s receptionist wouldn’t keep her hat on all day at work? And I know Mrs Buckles is Lady Mayoress or an important local councillor at the very least, but she always has a hat on when on official duty.

I mean, 1967, the year of Flower Power and Free Love, did hats really get such a look in?

I think Vanessa Redgrave voices it as Jennifer Worth the author and I rather like it.

I was just thinking other day too, that despite its popularity back in the day, that the sit- com 'Bread' never ever did a christmas episode.Never..?

I do love CTM but think a lot of the other long run shows have had their day. And why couldn't we have one or two other one- off xmas specials of old well-loved programmes too- like only fools & horses, to show how they're doing now, but without the doom of going under this time? Or a Shakespeare & Hathaway xmas mystery? Ì know its all been harder for them to film but surely we could have had a few more one off specials.Its the least we deserve at xmas when we pay so much for the tv licence.

Isnt the narrative at beginning & end supposed to be the elderly voice of the 'original' midwife who wrote the books? (Voiced by jenny Agutter?) I find it hard to tell what she's saying though, as her voice has become a bit too feeble in old age.

It’s a gentle watch. I much prefer it to the endless game shows, those dreadful dating programmes and reality tv programmes and the absolutely awful “The Apprentice” rearing it’s head again. Can’t abide Alan Sugar, nor the awful contestants, who, I know, are encouraged to behave the way they do to make it “good” and “entertaining “ tv. (Questionable in my humble opinion).
Our tv is off more than on these days.

I love it!

In one of Jennifer Worths books she wrote about what happened to her colleagues in later life which was interesting. I can’t remember which one it was, but they are all worth reading. They all went on to have eventful and interesting lives.

My second child was a home birth in 1970. Was excellent service, had the same midwive throughout for ante-natal checks, often coming to my home to carry out these. I was also in East London, but a different part to CTM..

When I was expecting my third, I moved house into Essex, and was told then by GP that there was no way they could support Home Births. Strange, as it was only about five miles away. In the event she decided to come a month early and I was rushed into hospital. Not the best experience as I had to discharge us both a few days later due to problems at home, and that was a very nasty experience.

The most wonderful Midwive I came across was one who had ruled in that area of Essex for decades, adopting herself six of the babies she actually delivered, very diverse racially.

Many of the local Mums were terrified of her, but on the Sunday I came home from hospital with my twins, (nos 4 & 5) she turned up an hour or two later, stating that anyone who managed to get home from that maternity unit still breastfeeding twins, deserved her immediate support. Some of the stories she told (dating back to the war years), could have been of any tv series/book.
I do watch CTM, but find it rather too saccharine for me to take any of seriously.

Last nights episode was supposed to be in 1967. I am sure the fashions are carefully date checked and as a late teenager at that time remember it all too well.

ayse You we’re lucky, 1973, I was never given the choice, hospital. No good memories. I was left alone in a room on a narrow ‘bed’ just with gas, pain came both in the back and front at the same time for hours. No friendly midwives to help or any encouragement to deliver a 9lb14 baby. I then had to stay in hospital for 10 days. Nothing like the scenes we see on ‘Call the Midwife’.

I was going to say it would be nice to see a friendship develop between Trixie and Sr Hilda as they seem to have a lot in common - wild youths but sensible and reliable underneath.

Then I realised Trixie was never actually wild. She's had a couple of serious boyfriends, whom she finished with for very worthy reasons. She became a bit too dependent on alcohol, but always in the privacy of her bedroom and nipped it in the bud very quickly, and she's been living in Nonnatus House since she was about 20 and is still there in her 30s.

I still think she and Sr Hilda could be good friends though.

Yes Trixie must be at least ten years older than Nancy and also a bit older than Lucille.
I think there's also a more diverse range of young midwives now. Jenny, Trixie, Chummy, Cynthia, Barbara and Patsy were all quite posh ex boarding school types, whereas Val, Lucille and Nancy represent different groups - working class East End, new immigrants, rural Irish.

Last night I thought nurse Corrigan was going to ask Shelagh to foster her daughter as well!

Beswitched I wonder whether the pandemic has meant they’ve had to change the way they film CTM, so we see less of the camaraderie than we used to? Though they do seem less tightly bound together now, as you say. There’s more of an age range now so I guess they wouldn’t do so many things together.

It’s pleasant viewing, though I missed the very beginning last night and had a shock when they showed the lost babies. I assume they gave a warning about potential distressing scenes at the start?

Trixie's wardrobe seems stuck in the 50s. I don't remember anyone dressing like she does in the 70s

That nun (??) doing the smoking presentation obviously had a racy past!

I enjoy watching but just wish the midwives I had were half as nice. I don't think I knew any of their names.

Calendargirl

Trixie is wearing her cape a lot, plus ‘duster’ type coats, obviously hiding her bump.

Yes you could see, in the scene towards the end where she was wearing that yellow and black outfit, that Helen George was pregnant.

I'd love if they brought Tom back just as she was beginning to fall for Matthew and she began to experience a revival of her feelings for him.

Trixie has matured a lot since she broke off her engagement to Tom because she wasn't ready to be a vicar's wife. It would be interesting to see her having to make a choice between him and the wealthy Matthew.

CTM!

I had my second child in 1973. The doctor’s surgery had a couple of midwives and used the local maternity home for deliveries. I had the same midwife throughout. It was like having a very knowledgeable friend. The baby was born very quickly with no complications and I was back home the same day.

Third child was born in a maternity hospital. The midwife I had was very unpleasant and made the process very upsetting.

It was a wonderful service but over time there was pressure for expectant mums to go to hospital. I personally think this was to do with budgets and centralisation not patient welfare.

As for ATM I find it a pleasant and relaxing watch and hope it continues for a while longer.

Still love it and a nice Sunday night drama nit much else on.