Being born-something we all have in common!
I'm always amazed how interested people are in how and where they were born- myself included. The hospital I was born in used to be an old Workhouse building in Manchester, and terrified me when I had to go back there as a child to visit a poorly relative.
This page tells the story of Crumpsall Hospital and how it started as a workhouse
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Manchester/
My Mum looks upon childbirth as being incredibly straightforward. She was blessed with a very simple birth, and I managed to be born without any additional support needed from the hospital. I arrived so fast the nurse barely had time to call for any support! My Mum had my Grandma with her, as my Dad was working on a building site and didn't have a mobile phone back in the 80's, so he didn't know I was on the way.
The building is really imposing, and was designed originally to house some of the poorest in society at their greatest need. I had just done the Victorian era in school for history and had read all about Workhouses. When I went to the hospital with Mum years later, she showed me the room I was born in. I was amazed it still looked like a workhouse even though it was a hospital when I went back as a child.
My Mum stayed in hospital for a week, whereas now I believe you get out much quicker. My Mum is still very proud that I was the baby they chose to show all the new mums in the ward how to change a nappy on because, Mum says, I was so well behaved (probably I was the least wriggly!). Mum loved this as it meant she barely changed a nappy in the first week of having me.
Mum also told me the Matron came in each morning and asked how the 'little redhead' is doing. My Mum insisted on replying that I wasn't red, it was strawberry blonde. I was ginger Mum, you're fooling no one.
This is the building I was born in. It is still used as a hospital today in Manchester
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Manchester/Manchester7.jpg