Royal Birth

[FredPuli43]

The press are having a grand time speculating whether her husband will be present when the Duchess gives birth and whether the prospective parents know the sex of the foetus. Where was your father when you were born? Mine was playing golf and Prince Philip was playing squash when Charles was born; I think that was the way then. And did your parents know the sex of the foetus before you were born?

[belrec]

Good question Fred

When i was born my dad was caught speeding to the hospital, my mum was already there with my gran i think. the police escorted him and went inside to make sure he was telling the truth!!

As for my two, like craft i was out for my first but my second was elected c-section and hubby was there which was brilliant.

he didnt see anything grim tho :-).

[mrs.chappie]

You used to dangle a ring on a piece of string over your belly. If it swung to the left, you were having a boy. If it swung to the right, you were having a girl.

It was a bit hit and miss but it was right about 50% of the time.

[maggiebee]

I was born at the end of '46 so my parents would have no idea what sex I would be. No idea where my dad was, but certainly not in the delivery room! My three kids were born in 65, 67 and 69. No scans so took what you got. My hubby would have been present at the birth of his son in 1969 if he hadn't fainted in the delivery room and had to be half carried out! Wimp!!

[anneasquith]

if you have a sweet tooth when pregnant, you will have a boy. savoury a girl !!!!!!!!!!!

[maggiebee]

Nice one Anne - my neighbour, when pregnant, bought an ice cream cone and a packet of crisps. She would stick the crisps in the ice cream and eat the lot together. Sweet and savoury resulted in three boys and a girl!

[rockyracoon]

I was born in 67 in a maternity hospital, my dad wasn't allowed in to see the birth so he had to wait outside, it was the same with my brother born in 70. Youngest brother was born in 72 at home so he was able to be there for that.

[Ric.ror]

My husband was with me for both mine despite the fact he had left me weeks before the second was born

[netibiza]

Well my mum was living apart from my dad (although I had another biological father) and in those days (1944) men were not allowed into the labour ward. Even the doctor wasn't there, as I was born in a thunderstorm at 5am (says it all really) being mum's 6th child I just sort of popped out without any warning and the nurse in charge was mortified.

When my daughter was born in 1986 here in private clinic in Ibiza, there was no way they would allow Mr N to be in the room, anway she only took 25mins start to finish, and (I still had my jumper on), Mr N was relieved as he didn't want to see any of it.

[atalanta]

Fighting a war

[friedgreentomato]

I was born in 72, and my father was waiting outside in the corrider - he did not see me until I was cleaned up and dressed about 3 hours after I was born - then he disowned me!!

[woofgang]

I think the foetus/unborn baby thing depends on whether the child is able to survive outside the womb. So a foetus is not sufficiently developed to survive outside the womb even with specialist care, whereas an unborn baby could.

[dogspit]

My old man was there at my birth... and they knew not the gender beforehand.