ALT-GENEALOGY-L Archives

From: Gabrielle <>
Subject: Re: Had to get married? - tiny babies
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2002 12:03:38 -0700
References: <8d.1140a536.2953f1a1@aol.com>, <u25miedtkjj257@corp.supernews.com>, <KO0V7.8869$AG.3727@news2.bloor.is>

My second husband was a 3 pound premie in a home birth in 1934. His father sat
with him beside the stove and dripped whisky & honey in his mouth. I've always
wondered if that is what set him on the road to becoming an alcoholic.

When an uncle came to see the tiny baby the next morning, he took one look at
the tiny bundle and exclaimed, "My gawd Beth, my wife coulda done better by
herself."

Gabrielle

Jane wrote:

> My mother was premature and only about 4 lbs at birth. That was nearly 94
> years ago, and she's still going strong. Her mother also kept her next to
> the stove to keep her warm, so it may have been a fairly common practice.
>
> Jane
>
> "ShirleyEllen" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > Neat. Maybe using the oven door was what women naturally knew to do with
> > these small babies. My uncle was always kind of sickly as a child but he
> > lived to be 80 which is old for the men in our family.
> >
> > Shirley
> >
> > <> wrote in message news:...
> > > In a message dated 12/19/2001 10:38:44 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> > > writes:
> > >
> > >
> > > > I just thought I'd add as for the possibility of the infant surviving
> I
> > > > believe it is possible. I had an uncle that was only 3lbs at birth. In
> > the
> > > > early 1900's women gave birth at home. His mother put him on the oven
> > door
> > > > (woodstove) to keep him warm... old fashioned incubator.
> > > >
> > > > Shirley
> > >
> > > This brought to mind my grandmother Katherine Lamb Boosted who was born
> in
> > > October 1904. She wrote a brief autobiography and in that said,
> "Weighed
> > in
> > > at 2 1/2 pounds [at birth]. I was pre-mature, wrapped in cotton and
> > blankets
> > > and laid on the oven door to keep warm. My mothers wedding ring fit
> over
> > my
> > > hand. The doctor came the next morning after I was born at home. My
> > mother
> > > said 'did you come to see my dishwasher?' He said 'I didn't think you
> > would
> > > have a dishwasher this length of time.'"
> > >
> > > My grandmother died just 2 or 3 weeks before her 90th birthday. I guess
> > you
> > > could say she beat the odds.
> > >
> > > Gini
> > >
> >
> >

This thread:

• Re: Had to get married? - tiny babies by Gabrielle <>