Childbirth in the 1980s

🌿 My Story — Childbirth in the 1980s

My journey into motherhood began more than forty years ago — in 1981 and again in 1987. It was a very different time. The city looked different, expectations from mothers were different, and people didn’t talk as much about pregnancy or birth as they do now.

I grew up in Matunga, in the heart of Bombay. After my marriage in 1979, I moved to Ambivili to join my husband. Ambivili was then a small town on the outskirts of Bombay — quiet, still developing, and far away from the busy centre I was used to.

I was working full time and my office was in Parel. For those familiar with Bombay, the daily travel from Ambivili to Parel is long and tiring — and it was even more so back then. It would take me about three hours every day to go to work and return. At the time, it just felt like daily life.

🌼 My First Pregnancy — 1981

In 1981, I was pregnant with my first child — my elder daughter. The pregnancy was mostly smooth, but she was born about five weeks early. I was nervous, but the doctors were experienced and handled everything calmly.

At that time, many women left their jobs after having a baby. I wanted to keep working. It wasn’t easy with long hours and the travel. One of our family friends who lived in our township offered to take care of my baby during the day. I would drop her off in the morning and pick her up in the evening after work.

Breastfeeding was very hard for me. There wasn’t much help or guidance then. I wasn’t able to breastfeed, so I bottle-fed both my daughters. At that time, there was not much discussion about these things — you simply did what you could.

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My husband supported me in his own quiet way. We found our own system to manage things day to day.

🌸 My Second Pregnancy — 1987

In 1987, I was pregnant with my second daughter. I was 34 years old then, which was considered an older age to have a child.

In my seventh month, the doctor said the baby might come early. I was admitted to the nursing home and put on strict bed rest with my legs raised. Every day the doctor would say, “Each day is a bonus for you and the baby.” I spent almost a month like that.

Thankfully, my second daughter was born close to the due date. We again managed with the help of the same family friend and our little support system.

🪴 Looking Back

When I think about those years, things were very different for mothers. There wasn’t much help after birth, no one talked about breastfeeding struggles or tiredness. You just went through it quietly.

It wasn’t always easy — long travel, work, and two little children. But we made it work with the support of a few kind people around us.

I feel thankful for the help we received and proud that we managed everything with what we had. Motherhood in the 1980s may have looked different, but it had the same love, strength, and resilience.