Addresses in Birth Certificates.

[Stephen49.]

I have just scanned an old sepia photo. On the back someone wrote, in other words, 'this is the house where my father was born'. He was born in 1915 in West London. Then I suddenly thought, was this Really where he was born ? Meaning he was not born in a hospital or nursing home.
I wonder how many babies were born at home.
On my own Birth Certificate the address given was, at that time, a nursing home for expectant mothers.
But for my parents generation and before, their Birth Certificates nearly always show births took place at home. Was this usual ?

 

[peter]

Almost all babies were born at home prior to the 1930s.

 

[emjay]

Almost all babies were born at home prior to the 1930s.

My youngest sister was born at home, 1956. I remember it well, came home from school and there she was. Could have been a short labour/quick birth I suppose.

 

[Carla]

I was born at home. In fact my parents live just around the corner from that house now, and regularly point it out, and the front room where the birth happened I do hasten to add this is from the outside! The actual address is also on my birth certificate. My brother, on the other hand, was born in hospital as my mother had a 'difficult time'.

 

[AnneC]

I was born in a Maternity Home, but my younger brother was born at home. I remember that the midwife turned up on her bicycle in the middle of a snow storm, and was only just in time for the birth!

 

[Liberty]

I was born at home (1955). My two elder brothers had been born in hospitals, without problems, so I guess it was OK for a home delivery.
My brothers apparently woke up in the morning to find they had a sister, so my mother must have been pretty quiet about it!

 

[Tim]

All 5 of us were born at home, the last one being 1967.

 

[Norman]

My eldest daughter (2nd child) was born at home in 1974.

She wasn't supposed to have been but by the time the midwife arrived there was no time to call for an ambulance. Neighbours were watching with alarm as I went to the boot of our car to fetch a rather large adjustable spanner. The Entonox (gas & air) cylinder had run out and the midwife couldn't undo the nut to change the bottle.

 

[Alexander Bisset]

Weren't you boiling water and getting towels. Wasn't that what midwives sent fathers to do at that time?

 

[Liberty]

Weren't you boiling water and getting towels. Wasn't that what midwives sent fathers to do at that time?

I did love Norman's anecdote. I just had a vision of him pulling his spanner out of the car boot and crying cheerfully, "Won't be long now!"
I believe the water boiling was just something to make the fathers feel useful and get them out of the way. Something tool-y is obviously even better, and in this case more useful.

 

[Jeremy Wilkes]

With regard to Peter's answer, it may be noted that the home where the first child was born was often that of his or her grandparents. This can sometimes be deduced from census returns.

 

[peter]

With regard to Peter's answer, it may be noted that the home where the first child was born was often that of his or her grandparents. This can sometimes be deduced from census returns.

Sorry, I should have been more explicit - when I said "at home" I meant not in a hospital or infirmary - Jeremy's quite right about first time mothers often going to stay with their own mother for their confinement.