AN ARBROATH mother’s trip down memory lane yesterday helped to celebrate 60 years of NHS healthcare at Arbroath Infirmary.

In 1948, with the new NHS just coming into operation, expectant mother Molly Watson, now 79, gave birth in the maternity ward at Arbroath Infirmary to baby Helen.

Both mother and daughter were invited back to join new mother Jackie Hardy and her baby Kara, as well as midwives, at the unit yesterday.

Helping to jog memories were midwives Chris Field and Valerie Parker, who entered into the spirit of the early years of the NHS by wearing old fashioned nurses’ uniforms.

New mothers in 1948 relied very much on the midwives or doctors taking charge of their pregnancy and birthing.

In many cases the expectant mother’s knowledge of what would happen during pregnancy and labour was very limited.

Before the creation of the NHS most babies in Arbroath were born at home as to deliver in a hospital would cost more.

Babies were delivered either by the local GP or by a midwife.

After 1948 all pregnant woman were given free ante-natal and post-natal care and they were encouraged to have their babies in hospital where their own GP would attend the birth and general nurses would give post-natal care on the ward.

It was normal for women to stay in hospital for at least 10 days after the birth of their baby.

New mothers were encouraged to establish a routine with babies, and the advice at the time was only to lift babies when they were needing fed or to change their nappies.