Was giving birth really like this??

Back in 1969 there was a TV program called Marcus Welby, MD. 
I use to watch it each week with my Mom. 
It was a series that lasted until 1976. Recently I found a DVD of the first year of this show.

I thought it would just be fun to see the difference between medicine then, and medicine now. 
(The show was produced in cooperation of the American Academy of Family Practice.)
Ohmygoodness times have changed.

No one has time to watch this whole video, 
so just go to 26:27 and you will see how TV portrayed birth back in 1969...

Watch, too, right after she gives birth 
and what they do to the mother when they think the baby may have problems. 
They would never get away with this now!


And if there is anyone reading this who had a baby back in the  late 1960s....
was it really like this?
Just go to 26:27, and and end at 29:25. Let me know what you think.

11 comments:

Susan Anderson said...

That is so dumb. And no, that is NOTHING like having children...at least not in 1975, which was only 7 years later.

Crazy. And the gas mask is scary.

=)

Anonymous said...

Interesting. Pointy bras. Men's belts way up high. Mamby bamby dialog. The young couple were the best looking/dressed hippies ever! All the "old" cars that were gas guzzlers to the max. Everyone wearing heels in their home. Even the mother of the hippie girl looked pretty well dressed. Doctors on pedistals were always right. Who the heck was the lady waiting for the baby to be born? and why is Dr. Welby kissing her? Things were definitly different then. Too realistic now.

Grandma Honey said...

The lady waiting for the baby to be born was Dr Welby's girlfriend. Surprised me because I don't remember him having a girlfriend. Anyway the pregnant hippie was found taking secret refuge in Dr Welby's girlfriend's house. Instead of calling the police, Dr Welby's girlfriend invited her to live with her. There was talk of putting the hippie's baby up for adoption but Dr Welby insisted the baby belonged with the natural mother....which I thought was very odd. This hippie girl had nothing, and a very dysfunctional family ...but Dr Welby wanted the baby to stay with them. Odd times back then.

Anonymous said...

I was born in the sixties.. This is exactly how I was born.. brings back great memories..

Grandma Honey said...

btw, Do I know you, Anonymous? Sounds like you watched most of the video!

Karen Mortensen said...

I hope that that wasn't how it was. I was born at the end of 1959.

Richard said...

That show starred Robert Young and was affectionately also known as "Makeus Sickby."

Becky Jane said...

The thing that was painful to watch was the fact that she was laying flat on her back...what ever happened to letting gravity help...OUCH!

This was funny to watch!

Anonymous said...

The dark ages of childbirth.
darlene

grandmapeg said...

I loved the Marcus Welby series and used to watch it most of the time, however, looking back on this clip, it does show some things that would never happen now like what they did with the mother right after. Oh well, I still like the tv shows from back then just because they were pretty clean.

Connie said...

My first babies were born in 1975. That gas mask was definitely not part of my delivery! However, my Mom said that when I was born, she was given the gas. Maybe that explains lots of things. :)

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