My mom didn't breastfeed. But both my husbands mom did and his grandmother. They said they were all looked down on as being odd. Apparently they were told breastfeeding was unhealthy and didn't give the proper nutrition to the babe. My mil says it was a week in the hospital after birth and that they got special meals and it was a Catholic Hospital so the nurses/nuns gave them massages everyday. She said it was like a holiday. Lol

Maybe things were different in the UK, my mum had us all naturally (awake with all of us) and only bottle fed us because she didn't want to breastfeed at all. My boyfriend's mum breastfed him. I am 37 and my boyfriend is 41.

My mom was born in the late 50s on a farm and she was given cow milk with sugar in it because breastfeeding was so discouraged back then.

They put my mom to sleep. They didn't give her a choice . She was so mad when she realized later that she didn't have to be. That was in 89 and 90....... everyone was saying 20 plus years and I'm over here thinking 1990 was not long ago then I realize it's been 27 years ?

Wow I really couldn't even imagine not having my baby in my room with me!! I never sent my boys to the nursery unless they needed to go for tests, vaccines, bath etc. my boys both slept and were in my room the entire time I was in the hospital. My girlfriend on the other hand she sent both her kids to the nursery!! I just couldn't imagine that. Carrying them for 9mths then just leaving them nowhere in sight!! That just wasn't for me!! Also my mom got a shot in the hospital to dry up her milk. I don't think my dad was in the delivery room I'll have to ask her. She also had my twin and I completely natural no meds, epidural or c section and I was breech!!! She's my hero lol. That was 35 years ago

Im surprised so many people are surprised by this. Prior to formula, "wealthy" women used wet nurses so they didn't have to nurse their own child. It seems that as the prevalence of wet nurses died down, formula feeding became more prominent.

Yikes!! Makes me wonder if my grandparents are really my grandparents ?. I do kinda know since I look like my grandma. But I have uncles and an aunt that don't resemble either of my grandparents. None of my moms siblings looked alike at all except maybe my mom and one of her brothers.

Back in the way back bf was for poor people and if you had money you ff because the drs pushed that ff was best for the babies and had everything they needed bf they didnt.

My grandma told me that almost no one breastfed back then, my dad was born in the 70s. Hospitals encouraged using formula.

My grandma had twilight births. She also didn't bond well with her kids, didn't breastfeed because it was "weird."

My mom told me that my nana didn't bf her or her siblings (50's) because back then it was looked upon as being poor. Weird. ?

That's crazy. I didn't know they would knock you out. My 3 uncles and father were all 9+lbs and they encouraged vaginal. She said she got the epidural but she remembers it.

My mom got a shot to have her milk dry up and that was only 25yrs ago! ? she didn't bf me or my sister because she went right back to working in the fields as soon as her dr cleared her.

We sure have come a long way! My grandma also told me about the twilight birth. Basically women were knocked out to be unconscious during labor and delivery. Scary!

I remember when my little sister was born & the first time I went to go meet her my mom had to call the nurses to bring her to the room, and she didn't stay very long before the nurses took her back. I want to say it wasn't that long ago but I guess it was 20 years lol, I'm getting old ?

I am the youngest of four, and I am the only baby that my dad was present for during the birth. With my oldest brother who is 15 years older than me and born in 1970. my mom said they put her in twilight sleep. She never talks like it's a bad thing, but from what I've read, it seems awful. She doesn't remember anything until like an hour after birth. I couldn't imagine going to give birth without my husband there. How scary with no support. So glad things have changed.

I've also read that it was normal back then to just knock them out for delivery. How crazy I'm glad we've come a long way since then.

It truly amazes me that breastfeeding didn't really happen back then because lots of families were one income and I'd think they'd do it purely to save money if for no other reason haha I was born 28 years ago and they gave the pills then to, but they've been found to cause cancer :/

Yep. Sounds about right ? my grandma was like will dan be waiting in he waiting room during labor. I'm like no...things have changed since the 50s. Both my grandmas breastfed though. But one only for a few weeks or maybe months. And the other for a year which was really strange for that time.

Wow. I knew ff was the normal way back then but I didn't know that there was pills lol.

My grandmother and mother also had the pills to dry up their milk. But they did see their newborns in the hospital. They were brought in at intervals then taken to the nursery at certain times to sleep and for mom to rest.

The pills aren't that old. I know they were still using them when my cousin was born 17 years ago if you wanted them.

She said that's probably why switching and stealing babies happened so much. When the baby was born they'd take them to the nursery right away. She said she never knew what her kids looked like until she was leaving the hospital. It's crazy what was acceptable back then.

This was like 50 years ago. Breastfeeding was not normal by any means. It might've just been her hospital (south Boston) but it was just in the pills they gave her after giving birth. She said breastfeeding was just unheard of. With all 4 sons the youngest being 12 years younger than my dad(oldest).

That's so weird. I could not go that long without my newborn. Did she tell you if they asked if she wanted to breastfeed or not? When I was discharged my OB gave me a prescription for norco. I never filled it. I was just fine with only using ibuprofen and didn't want to take something stronger since I didn't need it.