Were they drugged for eighteen years? Because you've got plenty of time to bond with your kid.

Can't argue that point. Of course, there must have been other contributing factors, but my friend really thought the drugs had an impact in her particular case.

Can't argue that point. Of course, there must have been other contributing factors, but my friend really thought the drugs had an impact in her particular case.

I just dislike the idea that "bonding" is some magical ILM special effect that sparks between mother and child when their hormones are properly aligned.

It's something that happens when you get up at 2am to rock the baby to sleep after it wakes with a racking cough. It's putting down your book to play Candyland for the umpty fucking thousandth time. It's something you earn by being there, every day, and being present, and putting yourself aside.

It doesn't happen in a moment. It happens because you always show up.

We have less damaging drugs today than we did in the 60's, but the infantilization of pregnant woman and medicalization of childbirth is still very much the norm.

Yeah, I have a friend who was always leaning that way, but firmed up her plans to have her baby at home after being in the hospital with her sister giving birth a few months earlier.

The prison guard/his wife/lack of baby just killed me.

I am also feeling the lack of Joan! But enjoying the subtlety of these episodes.

We also didn't get any followup with Peggy and her fun!Roomie. Hopefully next week!

We also didn't get any followup with Peggy and her fun!Roomie. Hopefully next week!

Noo!! Too painful.

Twilight sleep, I expect, was basically roofie-drugging the woman so she didn't remember it later.

I think I had twilight sleep when I had my eyelid operated on and, like Betty, I could hear the doctor and nurses perfectly well and I remember everything. I guess it could affect people different ways though. (Unless it wasn't twilight sleep. That I don't remember for sure!)

I'm pretty sure they called it twilight sleep when they gave me nitrous for my wisdom teeth removal. I was goofy for a minute and then don't remember anything.

I'm pretty sure they called it twilight sleep when they gave me nitrous for my wisdom teeth removal.

That's what I had for my wisdom teeth do but I did remember everything! I didn't care about any of it happening though and time was very compressed.

My colleague says that he was also given twilight drugs when he had his cornea operated upon, but he remembers everything.

So, I dont watch Mad Men but I did take the Bradley training course last summer. We watched two twilight sleep birth videos and they were very upsetting. Even in the one where the woman was more alert, they wouldn't let her touch the baby because she wasn't sterile.

That's such a creepy phrasing, "twilight sleep" anyway.

I don't think they gave that phrasing for my wisdom teeth, although I was definitely awake and aware for all of it. The best bit was that I was reading "War & Peace" at the time, which the surgeon (my friend's dad) remarked on. To this day there are some bits in that book that I remember that aren't, in point of fact, in there.

It just seems like such an awful way to go about it all.