Oct 31

“You Know They’re Only Letting You Take Him Him Because He’s Going To Die…”

“You know they’re only letting you take him home because he’s going to die, right?” – L&D nurse to mother who gave birth to a 36 week baby and was taking him home. This was in 1964.

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There are 20 comments to this post.

Dreamy had this to say, Oct 31, 2012 @ 4:38 pm (Quote)

Um… a 36-weeker? I don’t care if this was 1864 (of course, then he wouldn’t have been born in a hospital anyway)… No.

Maybe a 30-weeker In 1934. Maybe.

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Crystal had this to say, Oct 31, 2012 @ 5:57 pm (Quote)

If this weren’t so terrible..I’d be rolling on the floor!!

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v had this to say, Oct 31, 2012 @ 6:04 pm (Quote)

…UHhhhh..??
My mom was born at almost 34 weeks in 62. Right at 4lb. And well, she’s my mom…lol.
There we’re kids born earlier who survived way earlier than this! I’m so baffled.
Unless there’s a medical problem causing the baby to be a but early, a disease/disorder of some sort or stemming from the birth, why would anyone even think this?

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Rachel had this to say, Oct 31, 2012 @ 6:17 pm (Quote)

I had a 35 weeker and although the hospital kept him for 7 days (not that they needed to they didnt’ do anything special… just made me a basket case)he would have done just fine if I took him home after he was born.

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mel had this to say, Oct 31, 2012 @ 8:11 pm (Quote)

My Father in law was born almost 3 months early in 1957 weighing just under 2 lbs. This is ridiculous even then.

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Heather R had this to say, Oct 31, 2012 @ 8:20 pm (Quote)

The problem with prematurity in those days was hyaline membrane disease, which affects the lungs. Nowadays there are treatment options, but there was basically nothing then, except a humidified warmer, which didn’t do much more then skin to skin. However, even then the rate of hyaline membrane disease was only 25% at 30 weeks, and decreased thereafter, so prematurity, while creating difficulties was not a death sentence.

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Angie had this to say, Oct 31, 2012 @ 8:29 pm (Quote)

My aunt and uncle (twins) were born at roughly 31 weeks in 1947 and survived. (aunt still living, uncle just passed 8 months ago). My grandpa could slide his wedding ring all the way up their arms to their shoulders when they were born, and they came home in shoeboxes.

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Bonita Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 1:12 am Bonita(Quote)

My great-great grandmother was born extra small. The story is that her first bed was a cigar box placed near the stove to keep her warm. The family also talks about how she wore doll’s clothes for the first 2 years of her life. I believe it since she never cleared 4ft as an adult. I don’t know if that was prematurity or possibly some kind of genetic disorder, but my grandmother told me it was how prematurely she was born.

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Kathryn Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 3:43 pm Kathryn(Quote)

My grandpa’s older brother was born in 1922 (he just turned 90 a few weeks ago!) and was under 2lb at birth. I know he was premature, but I don’t know by how much. He was their first baby. My grandpa said his dad told stories about carrying the baby to church in his coat pocket that winter to keep him warm. My grandpa was the second baby, and he was about 11 pounds…as were most of the other 11 children! One was almost 13 pounds!

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mommymichael had this to say, Oct 31, 2012 @ 11:11 pm (Quote)

I also had a 35 week baby. Went home with her 2 days later. No special care needed thankfully.

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Shadow had this to say, Nov 1, 2012 @ 6:45 am (Quote)

My mother was 4 weeks early in 1941.
She was sickly for the first few years, but survived with a reasonable amount of care.

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Toni had this to say, Nov 1, 2012 @ 6:54 am (Quote)

My aunt was 6 weeks early in 1955. Was small at birth, obviously, but is still alive and in good health.

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Carolyn had this to say, Nov 1, 2012 @ 8:05 am (Quote)

Aside from the fact that this is BS, it is a horrible way to deliver this news to any parent. There is a huge difference between making sure the parents know the prognosis and just being cruel.

I hope the OP is this baby posting for his or her mom.

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himom had this to say, Nov 1, 2012 @ 12:32 pm (Quote)

My step-grandma was born in 190? a couple of months early, at 3 pounds and change, in a two room cabin on a farm in Nebraska. In winter. Like others, she was kept in a box by the stove to keep warm, and survived. I know that was probably not the norm in that time, but there is no accounting for determination and miracles.

Also, I was born in the same era as the baby in the OP’s post, at 36 weeks. My mom was told to take me home and feed me every two hours round the clock and I would be fine. Guess what? I was. She probably would have punched someone who said what this nurse said.

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Stormy had this to say, Nov 2, 2012 @ 11:01 am (Quote)

This was said about my uncle. He is still alive today, and just had another birthday on October 10th. The nurse said this to my grandmother as they were checking out of the hospital.

The nurse was a b****!

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Tee Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 6:27 pm Tee(Quote)

Out of curiosity, did your Grandma believe the nurse?

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SarahB had this to say, Nov 2, 2012 @ 11:37 am (Quote)

My mom was born in 1957 and was a 3 lbs 30 weeker and she’s still doing great 55 years later. My 31 weeker wouldn’t have survived back then because of some issues he had when he was born but my 33, 33.5 and my 37 weeker have all done wonderfully and needed very little extra care.

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