THIS ONE’S FOR MOM As we prepare to honor mothers all across Connecticut on May 11, our minds turn back to April 29, 1636: the day that David Gardiner was born in the Saybrook Colony. According to many sources, this was the first recorded birth of an English child in what would become known as Connecticut, thereby unofficially making Mary Willemson Deurcant the first mother in Connecticut. Of course, the land “beside the long tidal river”—or “Quinnehtukqut,” as it was called by the Native Americans—was inhabited for centuries before bouncing baby David came along, meaning there were plenty of moms before Deurcant. Native American mothers were a lot like their traditional Colonial counterparts in that they were in charge of child care and basic domestic-type chores, such as cooking. They also often toted their babies on cradleboards on their backs, not so different than the child backpack carriers of today—which only confirms that Connecticut moms have carried their families on their backs for ages! Key Dates in Connecticut Mom History 1937: In order to help her son who suffers from severe allergies, Margaret Rudkin bakes her own bread—it quickly gains popularity and bakery giant Pepperidge Farm is born. 1949: Tired of washing cloth diapers, Westport mom Marion Donovan creates the first disposable diaper. 1971: Catherine Pollard of Milford begins the legal process that takes 14 years before she breaks the Boy Scouts’ gender barrier and becomes the first female scoutmaster. Some of Our Favorite Fictional Connecticut Moms • Angela Bower of “Who’s the Boss?” • Lorelai Gilmore of “Gilmore Girls” • Amy Gray of “Judging Amy” • Jessica Tate of “Soap” By the Numbers 36,539: Births (and new moms) in Connecticut in 2012. 53.2 per 1,000: Fertility rate in Connecticut women aged 15-44.