What It Was Like to Be Your Mom
By Cheryl Harbour

As we approach Mother’s Day – it’s a good time to remember Mom. Things have changed dramatically since we grew up, so what was life like for our mothers?

She probably didn’t work while pregnant. According to the U.S. Census Bureau only 44% of pregnant women worked in the early 1960s and even fewer before then. It was common to think – and was written in Mother and Baby magazine -- that “Expectant mothers can be less sensible and capable [at work] than they normally are.”

She probably didn’t exert too much creative energy deciding what to name you. The most popular names for boys in those days were David, Michael, James, John, Robert, Mark, William, Richard, Thomas or Steven and for girls, Mary, Susan, Linda, Karen, Donna, Lisa, Patricia, Debra, Cynthia, or Deborah. Of course, that changed for some in the 1960s, when the peace/love generation exercised more creativity with names such as “Moonbeam,” “Harmony,” and “Willow.”

According to Mother and Baby magazine, many experts advised against having dads in the delivery room because men might experience “vicarious anxiety and suffering.” Awww…

Most of our moms didn’t breastfeed. The rates of breastfeeding steadily declined in the 1950s and 1960s and didn’t resurge until the 1970s. Experts also advised the mothers who did breastfeed that a few sips of beer or wine helped “maintain the natural milk.” Many experts advised starting babies on solid food (well, some kind of mushy cereal glop) in the first month. 

Mothers who felt a reduced desire for sex in the weeks and months after giving birth were labeled as having “postpartum frigidity.” (Maybe it was from watching their husband’s “suffering” in the delivery room.)

Smoking was considered acceptable around children, except maybe while breastfeeding.

Chances are your mother drove the car with you on her lap. Cars weren’t required to have seatbelts until 1968 and passengers weren’t required to wear them until 1984. (Some states still require only front seat passengers to wear seatbelts.)

In a book titled “Generation of Vipers,” author Philip Wylie blamed “middle-aged overweight mothers” for coddling their sons and turning them into “namby-pamby princes.” What did he think was the cause? Mothers not having as much housework as they used to have – so they had too much time on their hands. Some experts told mothers not to pick up and cuddle their babies too often or they’d be spoiled. We can only hope our own mothers ignored that advice.  

Advice was abundant for our mothers in the 40s, 50s and 60s – and much of it is laughable today – but what about Mom’s advice to us as we were growing up? Does any of this sound familiar?

"If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

"You catch more flies with honey than vinegar."

“Save for a rainy day.”

“Actions speak louder than words.”

“Do onto others as you would have them do onto you.”

 “Horizontal stripes make you look heavier.”

“Sticks and stones can break your bones, but names can never hurt you.”

“Don’t give in to a boy or he’ll never respect you.”

“Count your blessings.”

“Be home before dark.”

Mother’s Day is a good time to give our moms a little credit. After all, we turned out okay.


If you enjoyed this nostalgic look at mothers of baby boomers, read these articles from the DailyMail and The Bump.




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