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[sad_goat]

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2009/12/11/michelle-duggar-gives-birth-th-child-months-prematurely/?test=faces

On the one hand, I feel really sorry for Michelle Duggar.  On the other hand, I continue to think:  what in the hell are they thinking?

Is the female uterus designed to withstand so many pregnancies?

As someone who is having difficult conceiving, I wish the joy could be spread around a little more equally.

I can't help but follow some of these stories--they are just so surreal.   

It wasn't designed. It just sort of fell together after an odd combination of tree-mold spores and copper dust interacted in a peculiar way.

[elsie]

Every time I see anything about the Duggars, I can't help thinking about that research that argues that the more older brothers a man has, the more likely he is to be gay.

[gennimom]

Every time I see anything about the Duggars, I can't help thinking about that research that argues that the more older brothers a man has, the more likely he is to be gay.

Then why, of the 5 gay men related to my family, have 2 been only children, 2 were the oldest of 2 sons, and 1 was the younger of 2 sons? Oh, and my 3 brothers are all straight. Yes, I know this is just a small sample, but it just seems there is more to it than that.

[alleyoxenfree]

Have they said anything about how the baby is doing?   They said the baby was 4 months premature.  That is dangerous territory.

[_touchedbyanoodle_]

I am so sad for that teeny tiny baby. I hope there's no suffering in her life. Odds are that she will survive; I just hope she survives to live a life that isn't... well, what's the appropriate word? *sigh* I hope there's no suffering in her life.

Damn Duggars. If this isn't the end of their quest to produce crotch fruit, I'll go insane. It should be a crime to pursue such high risk pregnancy, and come on, a uterus that has been used that many times is high risk. Mrs. Duggar is old, too, damn it.

[zarathustra]

Ouch! That's all I can think when I hear about so many pregnancies.  Ouch!

[elsie]

Every time I see anything about the Duggars, I can't help thinking about that research that argues that the more older brothers a man has, the more likely he is to be gay.

Then why, of the 5 gay men related to my family, have 2 been only children, 2 were the oldest of 2 sons, and 1 was the younger of 2 sons? Oh, and my 3 brothers are all straight. Yes, I know this is just a small sample, but it just seems there is more to it than that.

From what I understand, which is just based on news stories and a BBC program with John Barrowman, that particular line of research argues that it's based on the number of pregnancies the mother had with male children, so that it's not just about living brothers but would also include pregnancies that didn't come to term. The researchers argue (and I wish I could remember who they are) that with each additional pregnancy the mother develops antibodies to her sons.

[omgacademe]

Every time I see anything about the Duggars, I can't help thinking about that research that argues that the more older brothers a man has, the more likely he is to be gay.

Then why, of the 5 gay men related to my family, have 2 been only children, 2 were the oldest of 2 sons, and 1 was the younger of 2 sons? Oh, and my 3 brothers are all straight. Yes, I know this is just a small sample, but it just seems there is more to it than that.

From what I understand, which is just based on news stories and a BBC program with John Barrowman, that particular line of research argues that it's based on the number of pregnancies the mother had with male children, so that it's not just about living brothers but would also include pregnancies that didn't come to term. The researchers argue (and I wish I could remember who they are) that with each additional pregnancy the mother develops antibodies to her sons.

The easiest way to understand it is that some mothers build up antibodies to male hormones with each pregnancy with a boy.  One big influence on sexual orientation is exposure to hormones prenatally.  Since these males fetuses are not exposed to the same hormones as their older brothers, they are more likely to identify as bisexual or gay.  It is just a correlation, though, and there are many, many exceptions to the rule.

[collegekidsmom]

Probably hard to find a good sample to study where two parents have had so many male children in a row. I forget how many she had in a row during one stretch-but I think she has 10 boys total now. The last few have been girls. I, too, hope the little baby is OK and hope they have good health insurance for all of the care a one and a half pound baby will need.

[mended_drum]

The baby's name is Josie Brooklyn.  Brooklyn is too trendy for me, but of all the J names they've used, I think I like Josie the best.  I'm hoping that the baby survives and is healthy.

[spectacle]

Damn Duggars. If this isn't the end of their quest to produce crotch fruit, I'll go insane.

Okay, "crotch fruit" is basically be the best thing I've read all day.  Fantastic.

I hope the tiny Duggar is okay. 

And to chime in on the thread, I agree that they can do whatever the hell they want; I wouldn't try to forcibly sterilize or take their kids away, of course.  But also as long as they throw themselves in the limelight, I reserve the right to think that they're creepy and weird and that that they're making horrible choices for themselves and their children.  I think the same thing about Octomom and Jon & Kate. 

[fiona]

...And to chime in on the thread, I agree that they can do whatever the hell they want; I wouldn't try to forcibly sterilize or take their kids away, of course.  But also as long as they throw themselves in the limelight, I reserve the right to think that they're creepy and weird and that that they're making horrible choices for themselves and their children.  I think the same thing about Octomom and Jon & Kate. 

Yes, and this is why we need celebrities. Everyone around my way is depressed (bad weather, bad economy, Christmas stress), but everyone perks up to talk about the Duggars and especially about Tiger Woods. We need celebrities to make us feel superior or take us out of our own woes. I hope the Duggars will stop. And too bad for the Tiger family. But at least I don't have their problems.

The Fiona

[spectacle]

...And to chime in on the thread, I agree that they can do whatever the hell they want; I wouldn't try to forcibly sterilize or take their kids away, of course.  But also as long as they throw themselves in the limelight, I reserve the right to think that they're creepy and weird and that that they're making horrible choices for themselves and their children.  I think the same thing about Octomom and Jon & Kate. 

Yes, and this is why we need celebrities. Everyone around my way is depressed (bad weather, bad economy, Christmas stress), but everyone perks up to talk about the Duggars and especially about Tiger Woods. We need celebrities to make us feel superior or take us out of our own woes. I hope the Duggars will stop. And too bad for the Tiger family. But at least I don't have their problems.

The Fiona

I don't know if we need them, but they certainly help. 

[gennimom]

Every time I see anything about the Duggars, I can't help thinking about that research that argues that the more older brothers a man has, the more likely he is to be gay.

Then why, of the 5 gay men related to my family, have 2 been only children, 2 were the oldest of 2 sons, and 1 was the younger of 2 sons? Oh, and my 3 brothers are all straight. Yes, I know this is just a small sample, but it just seems there is more to it than that.

From what I understand, which is just based on news stories and a BBC program with John Barrowman, that particular line of research argues that it's based on the number of pregnancies the mother had with male children, so that it's not just about living brothers but would also include pregnancies that didn't come to term. The researchers argue (and I wish I could remember who they are) that with each additional pregnancy the mother develops antibodies to her sons.

The easiest way to understand it is that some mothers build up antibodies to male hormones with each pregnancy with a boy.  One big influence on sexual orientation is exposure to hormones prenatally.  Since these males fetuses are not exposed to the same hormones as their older brothers, they are more likely to identify as bisexual or gay.  It is just a correlation, though, and there are many, many exceptions to the rule.

Okay. I can understand that line of thinking, even if I don't know if it works in the instances I know of. It just seems to be interesting that my sisters each married men with gay relatives. In the case of the two oldest, it was brothers. My youngest sister married a man whose oldest son (sister's stepson) is gay, and both of his siblings (brother and sister) each have one gay son. I don't really know about the number of pregnancies, boys or girls, in any case.


As for the Duggars, I come from a family of 7. My parents did NOT set out to have that many. My mother says if she knew then what she knows now, the last 4 of us would never have been born. She also told me that my father was angry at her the entire time she was pregnant with me (as if he didn't have something to do with it?), but as soon as I was born, he went around all puffed up with pride! But knowing the difficulty of raising 7, I can't imagine 19. For some reason, I can't believe that they all get the attention they could really use from their parents. And getting on TV is just using their situation for selfish reasons. The kids aren't old enough to decide for themselves. They're going to have enough notoriety just for existing. The parents aren't helping.