Read on a local forum that Kate is expecting.
Anyone else read this ?

Just on the news. Kate has apparently been suffering with acute morning sickness.

Baby

Its confirmed. Early days. Announced because of her being admitted to hospital due to the effects of severe morning sickness.
Now the bets need to be placed - Boy or Girl?? Name??

Maybe she is having twins, I suffered badly and was told I was bigger than dates at 11 weeks and may be having more than one baby, having twins will certainly mess with the succession thing especially if she has a c/section as it will depend on which one the Obs consultant delivers first as to which one will be next in line since the ruling that the sex doesn't matter anymore, it is the first born child

Hope things settle for her soon.

I was disgusted to see that 'the announcement' was followed by a comparison with Diana's own pregnancy. For heavens sake - give the girl a break!

Ditto, Admin.

Expected it sooner than later as in reproductive terms she is no spring chicken, hope she manages to have no more issues pregnancy.

> she is no spring chicken

LOL :) Maybe so 20/30 years ago, but now she is relatively young (30 ?) to be having a baby :) :) :) My children are 29 and 27 and no sign of any grandchildren yet although one is married and the other in a long-term relationship :) :) Houses and careers come before babies now - matter of opinion whether that is good or not ! At least we don't have the problems that Singapore is having where the birthrate is steadily declining because people are choosing not to have babies ! Apparently, 31% of women and 41% of men don't want children - it's a lifestyle choice :(

>Houses and careers come before babies now - matter of opinion whether that is good or not !

That doesn't change how the body was designed to function. :-) In reproductive terms 30 is certainly older than ideal for a first baby - a bit like a 6 year old bitch having her first litter!

I did say that 'reproductively' she is not young.  Fertility is almost halved for women over 30 and risks of birth defects miscarriage etc increases.

My daughter is just attempting to buy a home at 25, she too probably won't be in a position to have children for around 5 years.

Also for the wife of the next king I don't think not having children is really a choice.

> In reproductive terms 30 is certainly older than ideal for a first baby

Agree - I was nearly 28 when I had my first baby and felt quite old at ante-natal classes where a lot of the women were around 20 :) :) :) My mother had her first baby at nearly 38 (early 1950s) without a problem, but must have been quite unusual then :)

> I did say that 'reproductively' she is not young

You did - I must read posts properly :) :) :)

My friends Mum was 42 and told not to consider any more (and she was Irish Catholic from a family of 9).  another friend married at 40 and was advised not to have children by her midwife sister.

in terms of her being expected to have a child. i think she will have had every test going to make sure she would reproduce before she even got married!
lea :-)

Also for the wife of the next king I don't think not having children is really a choice.
Quote selected text
Ops!!! have we forgotten Charles?

> Also for the wife of the next king I don't think not having children is really a choice.

I for one think it's awful, but she had to undergo fertility tests before any marriage was announced.

>I for one think it's awful, but she had to undergo fertility tests before any marriage was announced

really? is that true? as if the in-laws aren't bad enough as it is without asking that? Although all the fertility tests in the world might not flag up problems she could have actually carrying the baby.

>really? is that true?

Or rumour and speculation?

> I for one think it's awful, but she had to undergo fertility tests before any marriage was announced.

I would doubt that very much.  She may have chosen to but I really could not see any obligation being applied as it would clearly not be acceptable in this day and age in the same way that we are no longer willing to accept that they need their partners chosen for them.

>a bit like a 6 year old bitch having her first litter!>

:)  :)  love it JG!

>> Or rumour and speculation?

It was mentioned in one of the programmes about their engagement.

It was also mentioned that Diana had to do the same. 

and Diana produced an heir at 20

> It was mentioned in one of the programmes about their engagement

Definitely true or speculation ?? I've had a Google and cannot find any reputable websites that state she had to go through a test. Whether she voluntarily undertook such a test is quite another matter, of course :)

I really think it is unlikely - they would have to test William too.

> It was also mentioned that Diana had to do the same. 

If that was true I think she would have been telling anyone who would listen once she and Charles entered their "media games" phase.

The charts I have read give a dogs age as around 4 to the equivalent age of 30 in a human.  4 is certainly not old for a first litter.    Poor Kate having her reproductive abilities discussed across a dog forum.

And look at the mess Diana & Charles were, at least Kate & William have been patient and waited. I think this marriage will be a stronger one than his parents because they have had those two to show them not how to do it.

  >Poor Kate having her reproductive abilities discussed across a dog forum.

Couldn't agree more.

Poor Kate having her reproductive abilities discussed across a dog forum

My thinking too and they just showed on the news, the hoo hah going on around the world about her pregnancy. :(

Poor Kate having her reproductive abilities discussed across a dog forum


At least in the most part those posting here are supportive you should read what some have said on a couple of forums my husband used to read, he is so disgusted he has stopped frequenting.

>Poor Kate having her reproductive abilities discussed across a dog forum.

Hey, they're dog people, they won't mind! :-D Hope they've considered their young cocker who will only be a year old and still need lots of work and training when the baby is born.... ;-)

> Apparently, 31% of women and 41% of men don't want children - it's a lifestyle choice :-(

I don't think that's a bad thing in this day and age - our planet is already overpopulated, we need to curb the birth rate globally sharpish if we're to survive here.

I don't think that's a bad thing in this day and age - our planet is already overpopulated

And who would look after the ever ageing population both physical and monetary - the birth rate in the UK has been dropping for years and the percentage of elderly is increasing so you have to look at these things country by country.

I wasn't commenting on a specific country or the elderly, I was talking about the planet as a whole - regardless of the socio-economic issues involved, there are quite simply too many people on this planet already, and too many still being born.  The population of the world is increasing beyond its means, and I think people choosing not to add to it is not a bad thing.  Yes, the ins and outs of that will be different country to country but on the whole, we need less people.

> And who would look after the ever ageing population both physical and monetary

How about a bigger role for Assistance dogs (not in all cases, obviously, but in many)?  They can be on duty 24/7, unwaged, and give pretty good cuddles and company. 

> They can be on duty 24/7, unwaged, and give pretty good cuddles and company

:) It's OH's birthday today and what could be a better birthday present for him than sitting in bed this morning having our 14/15 year old Bramble opening the presents for him - including an Amazon cardboard box :) :) Bramble has always loved 'helping' at Christmas and birthdays and OH and I were in fits of laughter watching him do his bit :) To see him still having fun is the best present ever :) :) (Not sure that OH needs an assistance dog at 66 tho')

I still have to go and clear up the mess :(

Nice thought Merrypaws, if only it were that simple and you could send the dogs out to earn enough money to keep your old age comfortable and worry free.

On a serious note I think the countries who are still having many births per couple are also the ones who have a high mortality rate among the under 10s, the exception being where the religious beliefs of most the countries population preclude the use of any form of unnatural contraception and even then in most of the more modern countries the birth rate is dropping, perhaps through abstention, I don't know and it is not my business how people control their families I only know that they do.

:)  What a lovely picture!  "Helpful" dogs are the best, aren't they.

I've often threatened mine with their having to get a job (usually when leaving the vet's! :) ).  But a dog which could help with some of the "caring" tasks for older people would be very useful, and much nicer than the robots which are sometimes suggested.

LOL not much hope for mine then, only thing I can't do is use the vac and they hate it and disappear to the furthest corner when it appears so can't see them using it for me any time soon or even coming near enough to learn how it is done.

>How about a bigger role for Assistance dogs (not in all cases, obviously, but in many)? 

A lovely idea, but they can't replace the people who make companies profitable, earning the money and paying the taxes that fund the pensions. If the companies fail, the investment by the pension funds to provide the pensioners' income goes too, and that money is lost.