On May 6, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry became the parents of little Archie. Unlike Princess Diana and Kate Middleton, Meghan gave birth at Portland Hospital in London. Diana and Keith chose St Mary's Clinic in Paddington. Otherwise, the birth process for royals has remained unchanged for many years. And only Queen Elizabeth II can see how the world has changed over the years.
If you are watching the TV series "The Crown", then you probably already learned about the shocking features of childbirth during the time of Elizabeth II. In the second season, for example, during the birth of Prince Andrew, the doctor gives Elizabeth an injection, which he calls "Twilight." Read about what it is below.
The tradition of "twilight sleep" or "twilight birth" appeared in the 1850s and continued until the 1960s. Queen Victoria is known to have used chloroform to relieve pain during the birth of two children. It was only in 1903 that the German doctor Karl J. Gauss invented a cocktail that was used instead of anesthesia. The drug thus affected the woman's body, that during childbirth she was simultaneously in a state of wakefulness and sleep. The side effects of the drug were terrifying for the woman in labor, and the childbirth process itself brought considerable suffering to the child.
Fortunately, in the 70s of the 20th century, the use of such a cocktail was completely stopped. In the series, this moment is also reflected - the process of giving birth to Elizabeth's fourth child - Prince Edward - is shown in a different way, childbirth looks more natural.
Looking at such changes, one cannot fail to note how the process of childbearing has changed over the past centuries. And, of course, all the innovations are for the better!
