As the second oldest of nine children I often helped my mom look after my younger siblings including feeding the babies their bottles.
My sister Rosemary was born November 1 ST 1958 the year I was 14. Rosemary’s birth was an extraordinary event because my mother’s Doctor, Dr. Noel told her that she may have a difficult pregnancy and delivery because it had been five years since her last baby.
My Mother was very worried about this and being a woman of great faith she started praying daily to St Gerard Majella the Patron Saint of Expectant Mothers. St Gerard was a Redemptorist Brother who was born in 1732 in Muro, a little town in southern Italy.
After nine months of a normal pregnancy my mom felt she was ready to give birth to Rosemary. So Dad took her to St Joseph’s Hospital very early in the morning. Dr. Noel was already there as he was planning to attend the 6 AM mass at the Sisters of Charity Convent attached to the Hospital.
Dr. Noel said to my Mom. “Marge you are two weeks early, you're not ready to deliver. I am going to mass in the convent and I will check you over when I return then we will send you home.”
My Mom said “Dr. Noel this is my eighth child and I know the baby is coming now!” “Oh, no Marge, you are too early. I will be back in a half hour to check you over.”
Dr. Noel left the room but he had not even reached the Hospital elevator when a nurse came running after him to say “The baby was born in the blink of an eye and without any labor pains!”
Mom said to one and all Rosemary was her Miracle Baby and because she was born so close to Christmas she was a real Christmas gift for the rest of the family.
“Thank you St Gerard!”
I was eager to learn how to feed my baby sister Rosemary her bottle and mom happily taught me. She taught me how to warm up the baby’s bottle in a saucepan of water on the kitchen stove. Mom also demonstrated how to test for the best temperature of the baby’s milk by squirting a few drops on my wrist.
I would be up at 6 AM. My first chore was to take the oil bottle from its rack near the back of the stove and go to the woodshed to refill it from the tap of a fifty-gallon barrel lying on its side on a wooden rack.
I then carried the oil bottle to the kitchen stove and holding the handle around the bottles’ neck I turned it upside down placing the top in the oil receptacle and securing it in the supporting brace. A maneuver that took some skill. When that chore was done I washed my hands carefully to get rid of the smell of the oil.
Then I went to the back door to bring in the four bottles of whole milk the milk man left on our steps.
Sometimes in the winter the below zero temperatures would start to freeze the milk pushing the cream on the top up and lifting the cardboard seal up a couple inches.
I must admit I sometimes ate the frozen cream before I placed the milk in the fridge. It tasted really good.
When the baby’s bottle was ready I went into mom and dads’ bedroom to take Rosemary from her crib as mom and dad slept soundly. I wrapped her in a baby blanket and carried her to the kitchen.
We had a wooden rocking chair near the oil stove so I made myself comfortable in the rocking chair appreciating the warmth from the stove and started to feed the baby.
Rosemary drank eagerly from her bottle. I paused her feeding after she finished about one third of the milk as mom had instructed me. I placed a towel on my left shoulder then placed Rosemary on the towel on her chest and patted her back gently for a few minutes to burp her before the next round of milk.
Mom was careful to caution me if I don’t burp Rosemary after giving her the first third of the bottle before you give her the second third she may burp all over me!
I would quietly put Rosemary back in her crib and start my own breakfast and get ready for school. I took great satisfaction from helping mom look after my siblings.
When Rosemary was old enough to eat strained baby food mom explained that if Rosemary resisted eating her strained carrots I should taste them to show the baby they were good to eat. When it came to strained peaches which I loved, I sometimes ate as much as Rosemary did!
Jacqueline, my youngest sibling was born on my mother’s birthday December 21 ST 1959. What an exciting Christmas that was with our second Christmas Baby. I also fed my sister Jackie her bottle so my mom could sleep in on those cold winter mornings.
I enjoyed feeding my baby sisters. There was something very satisfying about holding a baby while watching her beautiful eyes looking at me as she drank her milk.
I remember when Jackie was old enough to grip the side of her crib pulling herself up she would be waiting for me bouncing up and down with her smile, sparkling eyes and excitement on her face on seeing me coming to pick her up.
SO………
Growing up in a large family has its Joys and Challenges.
Raymond Pierce is a Storyteller living in Toronto, Canada
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