Mothers discussing rectal temperature taking.

My mom had a conversation with another mom and a friend at the front door letting them know both know that I was sick and couldn’t play. Behind her on the table was the thermometer and Vaseline. She let my friend Brian go say hi as long as he didn’t get up close and that should be right up to take my temperature. Brian Told me I was about to get my temperature taken and made it look like it was going to be in my butt. He was nervous and left pretty fast yeah I was so embarrassed

I never heard my mom discussing my temperature with anyone

Mom would take a add out in the news paper.. not really but she would tell my aunt her sister everything .. I had my temperature taken on a family vacation in the butt because I wasn’t feeling well. the only thermometer was the one my aunt had packed for the baby in the diaper bag

I remember my sister once talking with her friend. My sister’s kid was sick as was her friends’. I know they talked about “temperatures“ but I don’t specifically remember hearing any reference to rectal temperatures or thermometers.

Very likely back then, late 60s such discussions which occurred may well have included discussing let’s say the nuances of, such as….” He/she/ they don’t care for their temperature being taken!” or “ he/ she /,they see the jar of Vaseline , they know what’s coming!” Might be a discussion today amongst young Mothers.

Personally I prefer and have been in such discussions where the topic of getting one’s temperature taken rectally was open and honestly, especially with young adult females!

In the late 50s/ early 60s a pre “ educational” TV there was a show called “ Ding Dong School,” aired live out of Chicago. One episode directed at young mothers with children featured a live on air rectal temperature taking place demonstration with a nurse and a very young child from an area foundling hospital.

Mom and my gram used to do that, say something like “Oh I took his rectal temperature, he has been sick". Or, ”Yes he got a suppository, before we went to the doctor, etc". I also recall my mom saying to my friend's mom, “He is always so good about rectal temps, suppositorys, and enemas”.

It was implicit in my family that all temperatures were rectal. The only question was self-taken or taken by an adult. I don't know if it was discussed, e.g., “is he old enough to know how to do it himself ?”.

In my world is was discussed with other mothers often.

My mom was a pediatrician.

Mom would discuss our rectal temperatures with her friends, the Pediatrician, and even the babysitter. We were embarrassed by it.

I did an internship in a corporation back in the early 90's and two women were in a coffee break room. I went in to get coffee and overheard one of them talking about how sick her daughter was. She told them that she tried a new digital oral thermometer but wasn't satisfied with it. She said “I tried it a few times and just went back to rectal”. I remember being really embarrassed and quickly leaving the room.

No on rectal temps, but a friend of mom spoke on a few occasions about giving herself and her daughters enemas. She started my fascination with enemas.

While I don't remember rectal temperatures being discussed by mothers, as a topic I do remember when my rectal temperature was taken, once the vaseline was wiped off the thermometer and read, it was announced to everyone in the room. This happened at home or in a medical setting.