Nurse finds grandma’s 1965 Texas hospital booklet with strange post-delivery advice: ‘No car ride for 21 days’

A recent discovery made by a US nurse has sparked widespread amusement online. While going through her grandmother’s belongings, Traci Clark found an old hospital discharge booklet from 1965, which she quickly shared with her followers on Instagram. The clip, which has since garnered over 1.2 million views, has left many questioning the surprising medical advice given to new mothers half a century ago.

A nurse found her grandmother’s 1965 hospital discharge booklet, revealing outdated advice for new mothers.(Instagram/poppielady)

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A glimpse into the past

In the video, Clark explains, “We’re going through my grandmother’s stuff, and I just found her discharge instructions. She was in bed 327A.” The booklet, a three-page document, had been issued to her grandmother after giving birth in Houston, Texas. Clark reads aloud some of the instructions, which range from perplexing to downright bizarre. “When the baby is 21 days old, you may take a car ride. How were they supposed to get to the hospital before that?” she asks, puzzled by the outdated advice.

“And then, I don’t know what this is—118 days old, they may drive a car? Could they drive a car before that? This is so confusing.” Clark also points out another curious recommendation: “At 21 days old, you may walk up and down the stairs. How was she supposed to get into her house before that? This is awful.”

But what truly took the cake for Clark was the suggestion for physical activity. “This is my favourite—special exercises: sleeping,” she said, laughing.

Take a look here at the video:

Online reactions

Clark’s post has sparked a flood of comments, with people reflecting on how far medical advice has come in the last few decades. One user remarked, “At least they emphasised rest, now they expect you to go back to work like nothing happened.” Another chimed in, “This is 10x better than the current hospital instructions, which are: ‘Come back if you die.’”

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Many shared personal anecdotes, with one commenter writing, “My mum was telling me that she stayed in the hospital for a week after I was born in 1965.” Another added, “I was shocked to see how little guidance was given compared to what we have now.”