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Home Births

gibbo

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#1
Hi,

Would there be any specific mention on a birth cert. that states the child was born at home. There is a address on the where born section of the cert. could this possibly be a home address if the child was not born is a hospital?

gibbo
 

susanwillis59

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#3
have come across this before, i was born at home and it was just the address my nannas, but ive found relatives in the 1800s same thing place of birth is given as the address.just like to make this family history just a little bit harder for us what.just out of interest i wonder when it became complusory to have your baby in hospital must have been in the late 60,s or early 70s. my husband was born in 1961 at home.suex
 

nainmaddie

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#7
Hi All
I did say I would reply last night to the above questions, but my brain was exhausted with the trail and trials of Vegemite against Marmite !!

In the 1700 -1800 period women would give birth at home with the woman in the nearest place called midwife, not trained but most probably with many children, and very often drunk. The rich folk could if they could find one , paid for a doctor to help.

In London, the 1st Lying In Hospital was founded in1767 to help women give birth. It was later called St Thomas's Hospital. Barts and the Middlesex started about the same time and many others around the country. There was a charity called the Lying In Charity which helped women give birth at home.

Wet nurses were quite often called to help with the feeding of the baby in middle class and sometimes the richer families, but the quality of the milk provided was inferior due to bad diet.

Puerperal fever was a great cause of infant mortality due in main to the lack of hygeine at home and in some hospitals

Australia started a Lying in hospital in Melbourne in the 1890's
The Midwife Act came in to being in1902
The Midwife Register started in 1905

The National Health Service came into being in1947 when anyone could get free treatment. My father in law started work in the West Country having been in the War , and trained at the Middlesex Hospital. He found many strange notions were still appearing in the country areas. Inter cousins marrying, and incest were rife. Back street abortions were still rife, as they were in London where I worked. I remember some horrific injuries to women even in the early 60's, and we had to operate and hope that they would make it through.

The Abortion Act came into being , and changed all that horror. I know that some of you will disagree but unless you were in theatre and clearing up the mess you don't know the half of it. I had Roman Catholic nurses working for me, and we came to a certain agreement that we all abided by.

The idea of home births came back into fashion, rather than having your baby in the hospital, purely for the relaxation of being at home. I am not going to get into any arguments for or against. I know that I wouldn't have 3 fantastic children if it hadn't been for the swift intervention of the midwives and doctors.

This is not a lecture, but to give you some idea of what happened. There will always be for and against, and as I said and will repeat I will not comment on that. I have my own opinions but will not share those, it is for the individual person to choose.

Nainmaddie
 

leefer

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#8
A very good read Maddie....interesting about a subject i know Zilch about...one thing is for sure and that is that through the generations luck and fate played a big part in us being here today....regards Lee.
 

nainmaddie

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#10
Hi Gibbo

I forgot to answer the original question on addresses.
I understood from my classes that the address on the birth certificate was where the birth took place.

Maddie
 

gibbo

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#11
Hi Gibbo

I forgot to answer the original question on addresses.
I understood from my classes that the address on the birth certificate was where the birth took place.

Maddie
Thanks Maddie. That would explain why i couldnt find a hospital at that address etc.
Your insight into the homebirths was interesting. My first child and i owe our lives to quick thinking nursing staff and a great doctor. It was a close call and after 2 weeks in hospital we went home healthy. I swore i wasnt having any more kids but 2 1/2 years later had my son and we were home with 48 hours. For me im glad i was in a hospital otherwise my daughter and i would not be here today.

gibbo
 

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