George's Birth

From Reminiscing and Rambling 1992, by Doriene Demond (Nanny)

October 30,1930. "The evening before Halloween, Erma Gardner came to pick me up to go to her house for a party she was having, and invited me to spend the night with her. It was a nice party,--games, food--the works, but I didn't feel much like joining in with the festivities. They did get me to participate in a not-too-active game in which each one chose a slip of paper from a plate and read the fortune. Mine said "At midnight you will drop your coat of mail."

We all laughed, but after they left about 10:30pm I was enduring such stomach cramps that Erma insisted on timing them. she found they were consistently 10 minutes apart, so, taking no chances she also insisted on taking me to the hospital which was located on Euclid and 94Th Streets (Cleveland,OH). So after stopping at the bakery to inform Joe, we arrived about midnight. I had been going to the clinic there for several month for checkups. The CBI (Cleveland Bible Institute} students were allowed free examinations and delivery. One never knew who the doctor would be but we really got excellent care.
I guess they didn't have much room so was put into the delivery room. Nothing happened so about 10:30 am I got to walk around for an hour or sol In the late afternoon the doctor (a real nice, sympathetic young intern said, Pretty rugged, isn't it?" He seemed shocked when I replied, Oh yes, but its worth it all" and said, "Man, we don't hear that very often here."
Baby George made his appearance at 6pm weighing 6lb 3oz and 19 inches long.
In those days they had strange and strict rules for care and kept me in bed for 10 day before letting me sit up in bed, then only let me go home the 14Th day. Quite a session for free delivery and hospital care! According to instructions, Joe had to carry me up the 3 flights of stairs to our apartment on returning home.
George only weighed 5 1/2 lbs when they dismissed me from the hospital and I hardly knew what to do with him. My mind was set at ease when a visiting nurse who came the week or so later said as she watched me bathing him in the kitchen sink, "Don't be so afraid. You can hurt yourself before you can hurt him."
Being alone at night was a bit scary because that was the time he opted to cry with the colic. I finally decided to put warm water in a hot water bottle (good thing we had one), place it on my lap and drape him over it. That usually did the trick. We couldn't afford formula, so was happy to be able to nurse him for 9 months."