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Original poster

13 children and still counting...

55 replies

ginmummy · 07/11/2006 08:47

Apologies if this has already been posted but...

Did anyone see on the news or Inside Out last night about the woman who had 13 and still wanted another? I mean, good luck to her and I hope she gets the silver wedding present she yearns for, but think of all the ironing!!

Apparently she does 50+ wash loads a week and they get through a washing machine a year. It just doesn't bear thinking about.

OP posts:
Bibliophile · 07/11/2006 11:16

Periods nothing to do with cervical cancer - but do affect ovarian cancer and breast cancer. Cervical cancer caused by a virus.
I would be very annoyed (and amazed) if she was getting any NHS fertility treatment at 45 with 13 children.
I think she's mad, tbh.

slug · 07/11/2006 11:17

I shared a room with 3 sisters. Bunks are just so cool when you're 7.

fullmoonfiend · 07/11/2006 11:25

I'd have loved more kids (especially boys ) but Dh really didn't feel he could cope with more. And I love him enough to not want to be without him, so I let him go to the vet's a couple of years ago. I was fine about it but I am very broody now (it's the old biological clock I tell you) and I have even felt that if we won the lottery I'd adopt or foster. We have a tiny house, bugger al garden and no money. The house ain't really big enough for the of of us as it is....

juuule · 07/11/2006 11:28

It says "the couple were prepared to pay for IVF for baby number 14" so not necessarily looking for NHS to pay for it.
Also as regards tax credits. Just think how much they are not claiming in subsidised childcare.
Kelly - I'm surprised you find it too. I don't think you would be happy if someone said about you when you were planning no4 'I wonder how her existing 3 children feelt aht she still isn't satisfied with them and is desperate for no.4.' It could be said about anyone who wants more than 1 child.

3andnomore · 07/11/2006 11:54

Bibliophile...thanks for clarifying this...although, am sure I read that it was cervical cancer...but then it was a trashy magazine...but it made sense...because they linked the higher occurance of cervical cancer to women having less Baby's but more periods over a lifetime...however, if it is a virus, it's probably modern lack of morals that are to blame, eh...!

anniebear · 07/11/2006 12:06

Dh foster sister has around 11/12 children

she moaned because they were not given a house big enough (why have that many then if you dont have the room)

then moaned at the area they were put in

had Social services visit on Christmas day to bring the kids loads of presents from charity's

But thye always manage to have the latest sports gear, new camcorder etc etc

Oh I could go on lol

I would never give to those 'donate a present' collections now because of that

juuule · 07/11/2006 12:17

Whether someone has no children or umpteen children there will always be people who abuse the system. The majority don't...regardless of how many children they have. The number of children they have isn't relevant to the take, take, take attitude that some people have.

mumfor1standfinaltime · 07/11/2006 12:25

One question springs to my mind 'why?'

I find the whole concept of a house completely full of children so bewildering. Especially 13 (or 14)! 50 wash loads a week, yeah ok. Hope they rent their washing machine. Not sure I would be doing any ironing for that lot, don't iron for 3 of us so let alone 13.
Does this couple have the time for making more babies?

Bibliophile · 07/11/2006 12:29

Cervical cancer is caused by a really common virus so you can have sex once in your life with your husband and catch it. Periods are irrelevant. Ovarian cancer is less likely if you have fewer periods as the ovaries are less stimulated by ovulation if you are pg, breastfeeding or on the pill. Breast cancer risk is also reduced by pregnancies and breastfeeding.
But 25 pregnancies aren't fantastic for the human body, usually.

3andnomore · 07/11/2006 12:33

anniebear...that is terrible...but, like someone else said there will be always some people absuing the system! Feel very sorry for her children though, as they obvioulsy don't come first...and then I really don't understand why you have that many Kids
lol @ mumfor1st...well...but then, others can't "understand" why anyone would choose none or only 1 child....everyone is different and wants different things of life!
Personally for me 3 are plenty, and I can't believe just how much work it creates going from 2-3, lol...unbelievable and I really should be used to it by now, seeing that my youngest is over 2y now

mumfor1standfinaltime · 07/11/2006 12:36

3andnomore - how do you know that I 'choose' to have one child?
(A narrowminded view imo)

It just amazes me , the thought of living in a home with so many children and still wanting more thats all.

3andnomore · 07/11/2006 12:40

Bibliophile...just had a read up on Cervical cancer here and I suppose the article that I read a few years ago may have had some truth in it, i.e. pill being a riskfactor, but the "cause" they assumed was the wrong one, i.e. their explanation was that because of the pill women are less often pg and therefore bleed more often in their life...but looks that the pill is a risk in itself...yikes...

MerlinsBeard · 07/11/2006 12:40

not narrowminded, its yuour screen name!

I watched the DIgger(Duggan?) one a while back on Discovery health. The kids have buddies and have to look after a younger one. They have biult from scratch and by hand their new house and are all home schooled,they make their own clothes and their shopping is done with atrolley EACH!! and the system works well for them.

Not for me but if you can get by like that FANTASTIC!

Quootiepie · 07/11/2006 12:41

Duggers

3andnomore · 07/11/2006 12:42

Sorry, of course I do not know your situation and it was more meant in a theoretical way, because you basically asked "WHY" would anyone have that many children, and I turned it round the other way...of course I realise that many women don't necessarily choose how many Kids they have, but I aslo know many that do choose none or 1 and that is a decision they are happy with, which is fine by me...I think as long as you give a child love and are happy, then it's no business to anyone else...iykwim...sorry if I offended you .

Bibliophile · 07/11/2006 12:42

The current thinking seems to be that the pill is a risk factor because a/women on the pill may have more sex with more people than, say, your average nun so are more likely to catch the relevant HPV and b/the pill does not protect against sexually transmitted viruses like a condom does. The pill itself does not cause cervical cancer. If you do have the virus then smoking and poor diet may make you more likely to go to develop cell changes and, eventually, cancer. Esp smoking.

expatinscotland · 07/11/2006 12:43

'if it is a virus, it's probably modern lack of morals that are to blame, eh...! '

Attitudes like this are what kill women, by attaching stigma to a virus that OVER half of all sexually active people carry, which is responsible for 95% of all cases of cervical cancer, which is the 5th leading cause of cancer death in women, yet almost entirely preventable w/safe, effective and relatively cheap treatment.

I've seen women come into a clinic who had only one partner. And a laundry list of STDs from that partner.

But hey, their 'loose morals' may cost them their lives.

[rolls eyes]

3andnomore · 07/11/2006 12:45

expat... I am(well or in my younger dayswas) by far not a moral person, so, wasn't being judgemental...of course I realise that you can pick up a virus due to jsut being unlucky...

3andnomore · 07/11/2006 12:47

Bibliophile,
taken from that link:
The pill
Recent research that looked at a number of studies together shows that the pill could be a risk factor for cervical cancer in itself. It is not clear why this is. The researchers took account of other factors such as number of partners, smoking and most importantly, infection with HPV. Researchers suspected that there was a link, but clear evidence has not come out of the studies until now.

We did think that the pill was statistically linked to cervical cancer because women on the pill are more likely to be sexually active and so more at risk of picking up the human papilloma virus. Also, they do not necessarily use barrier contraception (condom or cap) which could prevent them picking up the human papilloma (wart) virus. But now it seems that it may actually affect risk directly.

mumfor1standfinaltime · 07/11/2006 13:16

I am not offended, I have one child that's final for me so that is the reason for my user name or maybe I should change it to something more appropiate 'canthavemorebutletsjustgetonwithit'

I won't go into the reasons as it is for me to know. What I am trying to say is that not all woman 'choose' to have one child (or 2 or 3 or whatever number) they have the 'choice' made for them. Sorry if I am ranting but ds is approaching 2 and apparently according to 'everyone' I seem to meet I am now 'ready' for number 2, this is news to me.

I do find it amazing how woman can have that many children, that's all.

3andnomore · 07/11/2006 13:52

mumfor1st...I am, btw, with you I can't imagine , personally, why anyone would like that many Kids...but then, I know so many people that can't understand why I had a 3...(lol, sometimes I cna't understand it myself, lol)....!
Anyhow, like I said I meant it more as a theoretical question back, but not knowing your situation, I maybe could have put it better, iykwim....where was that thread again with mouth in food disease....
Oh, ys is also 2 years old, and I constantly get the question now, if I will have another one, to maybe have a girl (I have 3 boys) this time (like wth, how is that going to work out then....didn't realise I had to put my name on a list for a certain sex, lol) or because apparently I should want to even out the numbers, or just because ys is 2+ and I should want another....sigh...I must look like I cope much better then I actually do...having anymore would be crazy for me, I am far to selfish...

anniebear · 07/11/2006 14:50

what I would like to know is, how do parents have the time and energy and privacy for more baby making!!!!!!!!!!!

3andnomore · 07/11/2006 15:09

lol annibear...there is that....

mumfor1standfinaltime · 07/11/2006 21:53

3andnomore, sorry if I came across as snotty!
I suppose I just get so fed up with the old favourite question 'so when is number 2 then?' or similar. I get so cross!
I can only imagine that for you with 3 boys it must sometimes be equally annoying with the favourite question of 'wouldn't you like to try for a girl?' lol.
I have often thought I would prefer another boy anyway and not a girl!
I suppose it is just some people's way of making conversation when asking these questions, bit like 'when's it due then?' to a pg woman!

3andnomore · 08/11/2006 12:09

Yeah, I suppose often it's just conversation...but annoying at times, isn't it!