These 65 Vintage Maternity Ward Photos Prove That Motherhood Is Timeless

Here, a 3-year-old big sister meets her just-born baby brother for the first time at the hospital. Mom, actress Elspet Gray, and dad, actor-manager Brian Rix, watch the rouching moment in awe.

Actor Des O’Conner and his wife, Gillian, welcomed their second child, Samanthan, when their first daughter, Tracy, was just 2 years old. She probably learned quickly that poking a baby in the face was not encouraged.

Here, two happy parents in coordinated tops look at their newborn baby lovingly. An abundant flower bouquet sits near, showing us that event then, people sent flowers to hospitals to express their congratulations.

This scene from the movie A Very Special Favor (released in 1965) shows lead actress Leslie Caron (on the bed) getting a visit from her co-star Rock Hudson and her on-screen children.

Here’s a sweet photo of actress Elke Aberle holding her newborn child in the maternity ward, glowing and blissful.

When my babies were born, I stared at them in absolute awe all of the time — even as they slept. As tired as I was, I just couldn't take my eyes off of them. This gorgeous mom did the exact same thing with her newborn back in 1945.

In July 1958, this mom got her very first look at her newborn immediately after delivery. This view is all too familiar for moms, and just looking at this vintage photo takes me right back to the first time I laid eyes on my sons.

Not every new mom will receive an excessive amount of floral arrangements like the mom in this vintage maternity ward photo from France did, but most moms will spend plenty of time snuggling their new babe in their hospital bed. Doing that surrounded by pretty flowers just makes those already glorious moments feel a bit brighter.

Timeless actor Julie Andrews gave birth to her daughter in 1962, shortly before beginning production for her breakout film role in Mary Poppins. This photo captures a family moment sweeter than a spoonful of sugar as husband, stage designer Tony Walton, takes a photo of his wife and newborn daughter.

The pride beaming from this new mom's face as she holds her newborn truly shines through the pure exhaustion she must have felt in this post-birth moment. Endless diaper changes and around-the-clock feeds can wreak havoc on a mom's sleep schedule, but it is all so worth it.

Scottish actress Elspet Gray, best known for her role in Four Weddings and a Funeral, gave birth to her second baby at the Princess Beatrice Hospital in 1958. Just like so many moms, she introduced her 3-year-old daughter to her new brother right in her hospital bed.

Notice the Christmas-themed snowman blanket? This photo was taken on Christmas Day 1968 of a proud mom in a Denver hospital with her baby born just four days prior. Even in the '60s, some moms were all about holiday-themed accessories for their newborns. She would undoubtedly love all of the Pinterest-worthy baby blankets available today.

This vintage maternity ward photo from 1975 almost looks like a selfie a mom might take with her baby today. I wonder what her hashtag would have been? Would she have gone with something sweet like #loveofmylife or cheeky like #outofwomb? We may never know, but this adorable photo will live on in posterity long after hashtags are no longer a thing.

In this vintage maternity ward photo from 1961, it looks like the newborn is actually waving to the camera. The mom looks so pleased by her child's miraculous ability to pose for a photo. Hopefully she was able to squeeze in a moment to enjoy the fruit plate on her nightstand at some point before they went home.

This vintage maternity ward photo from 1960 captured a new mom and her precious baby in the middle of an itty-bitty yawn.

I'm not sure if this mom is wearing a fancy nightgown or if she's actually in a dress from the era, but nonetheless, she looks flawless. Even back in 1969 when this vintage maternity ward photo was taken, moms received plenty of help from the hospital staff in those precious few first days after birth.

In 2018, the CDC reported just 3,400 triplet births in the United States, making the occurrence fairly rare among the more than 3 million live births that year. Back in 1969, this set of triplets was born in Scotland, and their mom looks like she can finally breathe a sign of relief now that all three of her babies are safely in her arms.

This photo of Priscilla Presley, with husband Elvis Presley, holding their daughter, Lisa Marie, in 1968 is a snapshot of an iconic American family. She may have been sitting on the edge of her hospital bed in a dress with a full face of makeup and her hair perfectly coiffed, but we all know exactly what is going on beneath her glamorous exterior. Even superstars wear mesh undies.

It seems to me that every photo of a woman in the '40s shows them looking subtly glamorous — this 1947 vintage maternity ward photo included.

The fierceness of this photo cannot be overstated. It is not often that five generations of women are photographed together, but the result of this vintage maternity ward photo of a new mom holding her baby with her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother looking on with so much pride is just breathtakingly stunning.

This baby was born on Leap Day, Feb. 29, 1952, and mom looks like she could not be happier to be holding her newborn if she tried. Her mid-laugh pose just oozes pure joy.

This vintage maternity ward photo of a mom holding her newborn triplets was captured in 1983. All three teeny babies fit snugly in her lap, embraced by her strong, loving hands.

You're probably used to seeing post-birth photos of royals posing outside of the hospital where they give birth, but this photo of Princess Birgitta of Sweden with her newborn was taken inside of a Munich hospital maternity ward in 1963.

This mom and her newborn in this vintage maternity ward photo from 1957 look like they're doing exactly what every new mom and baby do during their time in the hospital together — get to know each other, face-to-face. Your baby may have spent nine months growing inside of your body, but seeing them for the first time is an entirely new level of incredible.

Cradling your baby in your arms right after birth is an indescribable feeling. Although it is unknown if the woman standing over the bed is the baby's grandmother, a nurse, or someone else, it is clear that this 1985 vintage maternity ward photo of a mother cradling her baby is timeless.

In 1984, this photo was taken of the first "test tube" baby born at Toronto General Hospital, just six years after the first baby conceived via in vitro fertilization (IVF) was born. Though we have come light-years in fertility treatment since this photo was taken, the joy on this mom's face holding her newborn perfectly captures what so many moms struggling with fertility hope to achieve.

The look of pride on this new mom's face as she holds her sleeping newborn up for the camera to see is so pure. The thrill of showing off your baby to the world is one that has not changed much at all since 1965.

Newborns sleep a lot, so it's no wonder that this baby laying on their mom's lap is yawning. Despite having a sleepy newborn in her lap, the mom is beaming at her child in the way only a brand-new mom can.

Midwife May Guthrie-Lacy snapped a photo of this sweet mother and baby in 1969, the 287th that she helped deliver, to add to her personal collection. We should all be so lucky as to have a midwife who is so invested in her work. I bet she made the entire experience for this mama as enjoyable as she possibly could.

One of the oldest vintage maternity ward photos in this collection, this photo from 1931 features a mom laying in her hospital bed with her newborn, just like so many moms all over the world do and have done day in and day out for decades.

Proud mom and French singer Michèle Torr cradles her newborn in 1967, flashing her brilliant smile and showing the entire world just how precious the life she created is. A smile like this is absolutely contagious because it marks the end of a long, tiring journey known by new moms everywhere.

The look on jazz singer Cleo Laine's face as she cradles her newborn daughter in 1963 is a look new moms know all too well. It's like she's telling the camera, "Hey, look. I made this. I'm a bad*ss. I can handle anything." Crying baby or not, she looks ready to take on the world.

Back in 1969 when Karen Astley, wife of musician Pete Townshend of The Who, gave birth to the couple's daughter, this photo documented the sheer exhaustion of childbirth that even rockstars can't escape. Even though Townshend is the one yawning here, there is no denying that Astley has the eyes of one tired mama.

You know that priceless feeling you get the first time you hold your tiny newborn baby's face right up to your own and snuggle it close? Well, moms and babies have been sharing precious face-to-face moments like this for years, and this vintage maternity ward photo from 1975 proves it.

This vintage maternity photo highlights the pure blissful feeling that comes when you finally get to hold your newborn babe. Swaddled and snuggled close, this baby looks just so serene in mom's arms and mom herself could not be wearing a sweeter smile. Plus, her ruffled nightgown is so pretty.

You know the nurse in this vintage maternity ward photo has seen it all. For as long as women have been giving birth in hospitals, nurses have served as cheerleaders, caretakers, and a solid support system for new moms.

There is no doubt that the mom and baby in this photo are stunning, but the details here are what makes this shot so relatable. The bedside table holds a telephone, drinking glass, a magazine, and a bottle in a bottle warmer (albeit an old-fashioned one) — everything a new mom needs right within arm's reach.

There is no telling what this new mom was in the middle of explaining when this photo was taken in 1985, but there is no doubt in my mind that she is 100% right about it. Don't mess with a new mama in a hospital gown holding her baby. She will win. Every. Time.

Don't you just love the expressions caught on camera in these vintage maternity ward photos? This dad reaching for the baby's hand as mom cradles the newborn is just precious. Their smiles may not be picture perfect, but the love they're all showing one another in this photo is palpable.

This 1965 vintage maternity ward photo of a Denver judge holding her newborn shows the mom dressed in her coat and ready to head home with her new bundle of joy. Both baby and mom look like they already adore one another. Just look at those loving gazes. So pure and so sweet.

This picture is from around 1925, and shows nurses holding babies in the maternity ward of St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London. Fun fact, the hospital itself has been around since before the Magna Carta was signed.

This picture from the 1930s shows fathers holding their babies on baptismal day at the maternity ward at Kramkenhaus Hospital in Germany — one of the oldest hospitals in the country.

This beautiful image of Nurse Aiko Hamaguchi, mother Frances Yokoyama, and baby Fukomoto — taken by Ansel Adams — has a bit of a sad history. This picture, while it encompasses all the warmth and joy of new motherhood, also highlights a grave injustice. It was taken at the maternity ward in the Manzanar Relocation Center in California, an American Japanese internment camp.

Ringo Starr and Maureen Cox in the maternity ward with their son Jason in 1967. That's a whole look he's got going on. But seriously, Maureen looks amazing, and I'm obsessed with that vintage hospital bed.

This photo was taken on Dec. 15, 1956, at the observation window at the maternity ward of the North Shore Hospital in Sydney. The dads, as per time immemorial, are being total dads.

Taken in Sweden in 1977, this picture features new parents Rudi Carrell and Ehefrau Anke Kesselaar with their son. Look at how coiffed they both are. Is that a Swedish thing or... what?

This is a picture of Sydney's first New Year baby, Michelle, with her mother, Margaret Simpson, of Toongabbie, at the maternity section of Baulkham Hills hospital in 1981. This little one was itty bitty, born around 5 pounds, and I love how big of a celebration this was for Sydney that it was documented.

I love the title of this picture: "Triplets And Their Unconscious Father At New York In USA In 1946." Ultrasounds weren't common then, so there's a good chance this dude had no clue he was going home with three babies. His wife probably had an inkling.

No, this isn't a proto version of the amber necklace — it's actually an ID bracelet around the baby's neck. This picture from the 1920s at Bronx Lebanon Hospital shows the newest (of the time) way to match babies and parents. Now we have entire alarm systems.

The title of the image, "Nurse Bringing Newborn Infant to Mother in Hospital Room, Garfield Hospital, Washington, D.C., 1921" says it all, but what I'm drawn to is how home-like that mirror and dresser are. The stuff in hospitals now is so impersonal.

This gorgeous picture from 1987 was taken at Bronx Lebanon hospital, and it shows two parents mooning over their baby in the NICU. As you can see, 33 years later, the gowns are the same.

Audrey Hepburn and her husband, actor Mel Ferrer, welcome baby Sean on July 17, 1960. This would be Audrey's first child. Sean Hepburn Ferrer would go on to become a prolific producer in Switzerland, and I really wish men still wore suits to meet their babies and that hospitals looked like cozy rooms again.

Oh my goodness, this picture from 1967 in Scilly Isles shows what every fan of The Crown believes to be a real myth — a true smile from Her Royal Majesty. Man, vintage maternity wards were just lovely. Look at all the details on that little bassinet! And all the extra pillows!

I love everything about this 1960s photo. The happy dad, the sibling peering through the nursery wonder with a look of awe and OMG, and the nurse's incredible hairstyle with the hat. Just perfection.

I love this photo, and it really conjures up some sweet idea of what it was like to room share or be around other people in the hospital with your baby. Part of me would love it, and part of me would be totally over it five minutes in.

On Mother’s Day in 1964, Josephine Baker, an American-born French singer and dancer, delivered flowers to young mothers in a Paris maternity ward. In this photo, she got to swap a bouquet for a newborn snuggle — talk about celeb perks.

Some people stay up until midnight and drink champagne to ring in the New Year, others give birth. Every baby in this photo was born on New Year’s Day 1967. According to the photo caption, the woman in the hospital bed, Mrs. March, was the first of the group to give birth that day.

Every mom deserves to be showered with armfuls of beautiful flowers after she gives birth, but when someone gives birth to four babies at once, just go ahead and cover the whole bed with blooms. Yes, the beautiful mother pictured here with her husband in 1958, gave birth to quadruplets.

This photo of nurses tending to their patients in a large, open, multi-bed maternity ward was taken at University College Hospital in London in 1943. Copious flower arrangements, drapes across the large windows, tall ceilings, and a personal lamp light over each bed makes the space look way more inviting than I would have imagined a room filled with just-birthed babies would be.

This new mom looks just serene snuggling with her newborn babe, born a mere 59 seconds after midnight on Jan. 1, 1952 at General Hospital in Los Angeles. (And in case you were wondering, General Hospital is an actual place, not just the name of a soap opera.)

Stamping a baby’s footprint after birth is almost like a maternity ward rite of passage. According to the photo’s caption, baby footprints at Forest Gate Hospital were paired on paper with their mother’s thumbprint to help prevent babies from getting mixed up. Maternity ward security protocols have come quite a long way since 1955.

This photo, taken in the neonatal unit of Boston City Hospital in 1989, proves that nurses are actual, real-life heroes. Head nurse Katherine Jorgensen is seen here in a rocking chair tending to a premature, drug-addicted baby with the utmost care and concern.

During the energy crisis in London in 1970, this mother breastfed her newborn by candlelight through a blackout at the hospital. She looks incredibly serene and cozy, but I cannot imagine how stressful it had to have been to give birth during a blackout.

This vintage maternity ward photo shows three lovely new moms posing with their newborn babies. All three were born on Christmas Day 1985 at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary in the United Kingdom.

Taken in Switzerland in 1970, a midwife introduces a new mom her just-born baby. I seriously can’t get over how happy the midwife looks to be a part of such a joyous moment.