Moms Then and Now

Imagine sitting in a waiting room at the pediatrician's office holding your brand new baby in your arms, and striking up a conversation with the woman next to you. She, in turn, is cuddling a newborn and humming softly. You start off with the typical banter concerning the babies' sleeping and eating habits, and as you continue to chat, you can't help but wonder where she's from. For instance, when you mention that your obstetrician was also expecting, the woman shakes her head and says, "A female obstetrician. Now that's something. I've lived in three states and my OBs were always men. I never met a woman OB-GYN."

OK, that could just be an aberration, but then she mentions that she never had a single ultrasound. Just when you're beginning to think that things couldn't get weirder, she tells you that she has no memory of the labor and delivery of her firstborn: She was knocked out cold and woke up to find out she'd had a healthy baby boy. The final shocker comes when she describes feeding her second child rice cereal when he was just 4 weeks old!

What is wrong with this woman? Is she pulling your leg?

No. She's the baby's grandmother, and she's describing the life of a typical new mom more than 30 years ago.