What happens to a woman's body after that many kids?

[Arielkay]

I have two babies. I had to have a hysterectomy at 30. My youngest was two. She did a number on me. They didn't find a major problem, but enlarged uterus and slight prolapse caused a lot of pain when walking that they couldn't relate to anything else. After the hysterectomy, it isa lot better. I'd always had really bad periods anyway. I certainly don't miss them!

And yeah, she'd lose her shit big time.

[ScaryMagdalene]

At that point it wouldn't be her consenting, it would be Jim Boob. Hmmmm

[AnnieC 305]

Hearing all of this makes me so grateful that I can't have children.

You and me both, sister.

[SunnyAndrsn]

Do you think she'd even consent to a hysterectomy? We've seen that she values her fertility over everything else.

Jim Bob would. He'd lie about it to the public though to save his ATI image. Despite everything, I think he really does love Michelle.

[ScaryMagdalene]

If she pulls off a full term pregnancy at this point I'll eat my socks. If she gets pregnant again, I think it will be catastrophic. She looked really ill on that morning show.

[LadyBlue]

I've had 4 kids over 10 1/2 years. First was a cesarean, other 3 vaginal. Definitely have a few issue from the cesarean. Newest baby is only a 3 weeks, so no clue about anything long term, but the pregnancy was definitely my roughest & I think it's due to age/wear. And I'm just 38 & spaced my kids.

Oh, and all you ladies who mentioned kegals might want to read this post http://mamasweat.blogspot.com/2010/05/p ... e-not.html & http://mamasweat.blogspot.com/2011/06/s ... egels.html

[Silver Springs]

I have 4 kids as well, ranging in age from 16-almost two. I had 3 C-sections and one vaginal birth. All was fine and dandy, even with the middle 2 "Duggar-close" in age (#3 was born when #2 was 18+ months old). When I had the youngest by C-section, both doctors told me that I should not have another child, as my uterus was "paper thin" at the lower part when they went in to deliver him (he was born just a few days before his due date). At the time I did think (and maybe even said out loud LOL) "If my uterus is that thin, what must Michelle Duggar's look like??" Both doctors warned me that there could potentially be very serious consequences if we had another.

Now, we went into it knowing that he was our last, but I still get the itch every once in awhile, I do love being pregnant. But I'm 42 now, and aside from that I can't imagine purposely putting myself and another baby in danger. Uterine rupture, though rare, would be a possibility for me (mine is "old & tired" to quote my OB that day :lol: ) and it's not a risk I will take.

[bubbabearzle]

I know the bladder control issues must be big, and ma duggar (at least) apparently has a frankenuterus at this point. In fact, I wondered if she might have lost Jubilee because her placenta might have had trouble trying to attach to so much scar tissue.

I can only imagine about some of the effects, but I know that my poor Gram had boobs that saged belowher beltline after having had 12 kids! :o

[2xx1xy1JD]

I've had 3 c-sections, with the last 2 being 21 months apart. There was no comparison with my 1st and last - the 1st was a total breeze, the last was a nightmare with tons more pain and bleeding from the incision that lasted a full month. I had refused a tubal ligation prior to the surgery, but afterward my body was pretty much screaming "SHOP'S CLOSED".

There are some health benefits to larger families - but many of these benefits actually come from extended breastfeeding, as opposed to a constant stream of babies without a break. More years breastfeeding reduces the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer. The risk of ovarian cancer is also reduced if you do not ovulate often: pregnancy stops ovulation for 9 months, but extended breastfeeding can also stop it. Not having a period can reduce iron deficiency - but many women become iron deficient during pregnancy due to the increased blood volume and possible loss of blood during delivery. So yes, my hubby's grandmother had 11 living children and lived to 102, but she also breastfed each kid for 2 years, didn't eat processed foods, and lived in a walk-up apartment that forced her to do some major stair-climbing every day.

The other thing is that the families with fertile old matriarchs like this were the ones where the women hadn't died in childbirth. It's a matter of survival of the fittest.

[ellerigby]

I'd like to thank all of you for this. My husband and I have been thinking about trying for our first kid sometime soon, and this thread makes for excellent birth control (even though I only want to have 2 kids, 3 at most). Perhaps not as effective as an aspirin between the knees, but still.

:mrgreen:

[PBrooke]

I've had 4 kids over 10 1/2 years. First was a cesarean, other 3 vaginal. Definitely have a few issue from the cesarean. Newest baby is only a 3 weeks, so no clue about anything long term, but the pregnancy was definitely my roughest & I think it's due to age/wear. And I'm just 38 & spaced my kids.

Oh, and all you ladies who mentioned kegals might want to read this post http://mamasweat.blogspot.com/2010/05/p ... e-not.html & http://mamasweat.blogspot.com/2011/06/s ... egels.html

Very interesting, and far more intuitive, in my opinion.

[Tempehst]

I've had 4 kids over 10 1/2 years. First was a cesarean, other 3 vaginal. Definitely have a few issue from the cesarean. Newest baby is only a 3 weeks, so no clue about anything long term, but the pregnancy was definitely my roughest & I think it's due to age/wear. And I'm just 38 & spaced my kids.

Oh, and all you ladies who mentioned kegals might want to read this post http://mamasweat.blogspot.com/2010/05/p ... e-not.html & http://mamasweat.blogspot.com/2011/06/s ... egels.html

Holy crap! Those links are AWESOME! Thank you so much for posting those! I use to do squats a ton before I had my first child but then I had a kid. Then I had two kids and my PF is shot. I "do kegels" but I've never thought I do them properly and I feel like I just don't have a good grasp on how to do it especially without moving the other muscles. Squating is so much more easier for me and if that also helps, then I'll definitely do those!

Now for the thread: What happens to a woman's body after having a metric ton of kids? She turns into a shriveled, hollowed out shell of a woman. After so many years of being pregnant, breastfeeding not getting enough sleep, (in all likelihood) not eating a perfect diet, your body is probably sapped of nutrients. Fetuses and Babies take everything they need from the body and you get whatever is left, if there's anything left at all. I'm not surprised the J'uterus has had gallbladder issues. I'm not surprised she looks like she's shrunk in recent pictures compared to years ago when the first special came out. The pessimist in me also thinks that she's had years of her life sucked off of her as well.

[lilwriter85]

Even if Michelle or Kelly had problems, they would not allow the public to know.They want to convince women that their lifestyle is problem free. It doesn't matter to them that having numerous children is not healthy for most women. It doesn't even matter to them that their daughters might be unable to carry as many pregnancies to term without problems. The only thing that matters is advancing their cause.

Michelle has not had problem free deliveries or pregnancies. Kelly has to take progesterone to carry her children to term. Plus, they are both in their mid forties. So many pregnancies, so close together is not something most women can handle.

This. I agree they would not let the public know directly about any problems. Sometime back in another thread it was speculated that Michelle might have osteoporosis because it seems she shrunk. Someone said she that mentioned to taking calcium supplement on the show. She either may have osteoporosis or knows she is at risk, but she will probably never say that is connected to her numerous pregnancies.

[longskirtlotsakids]

I don't know if this is true, but I read on another forum that every time you are pregnant, the placenta has to attach to a different part of the uterus because the previous attachment area gets scarred. Maybe someone here knows more about this than I do? If it's true, I hope Michelle has been warned by her doctor. What a tragedy if she continues to have late miscarriages/stillborns.

I read that from Doc Sharon here, too. I asked my OB about it (shes really damn good, publishes a bunch, women love her, and she is employed by a major medical research faciility) She gave me a funny look and shook her head. I tried to clearly explain it- as some type of mark or scar on the uterus with each placental attachment, but she told me there really was no such thing. Huh. Seh assured me that the uterus cannot run out of healthy tissue to implant in if the uterus and pregnancies are healthy, and that only infections or trauma results in scarring like that.