It is so incredibly sad that there is a 'storks cradle' but at least it does get some unwanted babies to better places. I know some hospitals here have 'don't ask don't tell' baby drop off policies.
Some days, I really think birth control should be in the water and if you really want to get pregnant, you have to find the clean stuff first.
Growing up, my best friend was from a family of 9-children and they seemed happy though extremely regimented by my family's standards. I wouldn't condemn anyone for having kids from an environmental perspective - some of the families on Discovery shows lead pretty spartan lives - but there's something about them that makes me uncomfortable. It's really hard to be emotionally there for such a large number of children and to me, being there as much as possible for your kids is one of the biggest requirements for being a parent.

If you can financially sustain a large family then that is their choice. I would hope that if a family cannot afford having over a certain amount of children, and would have to rely on social services they would make the responsible choice, and not have more.

Also, if people feel that having children is bad for the environment, sterilize yourself, but don't dictate what others choose to do with their body.

I am glad there is a place where mothers feel they can drop off their babies. Being a parent is scary. If they feel they can not raise a child, then there should be a place where they feel safe to give the child up for adoption.

Ohio has had a baby drop off law for about 7 years now. A woman can drop off a baby that is less than 72 hours old at a medical or law enforcement facility with no questions asked. From what I've read, it doesn't happen that often, but it's still nice to know that women have this option available. The law was passed right after there was a high profile case in my hometown involving a teenage mother who was accused of killing her newborn; the story was heartbreaking, so it was great to see the law passed.

How on earth could that womans uterus still be viable? All i think about is the scene in Monty Pythons The Meaning of Life when the mom ( who has dozens of kids) is washing dishes, and a baby just falls out of her onto the floor and she says "dear, can you get that?"

The Duggars are actually financially viable AND they NO DEBT! None! At all!

They always buy stuff secondhand, the fix thier own cars, they built their own house... so they are viable.

But I think I agree with you Steph, its their right to have that many kids, but I don't think you can be an effective parent to that many kids... there's only so many hours in a day!

They seem to be pretty effective, from the shows I have seen. Although really they need to do something with their hair. They need a make-over show.

I grew up with a family of 16 kids down the street from me and their kids were so well behaved. Everyone just loved them.

Well correct me if I'm wrong but haven't all hospitals in the U.S. been designated safe drop off points for many years now?

As for the mega family seems a little crazy to me but if they're self sustaining I guess that's the best way to do it.

Another version of a mega family is a dead beat dad who knocks up a few women.

Drop off locations for unwated babies is a good idea. Life would be better if we didn't need them at all, but this isn't a perfect world.

I do have to say that 18 kids does seem a little extreme to me. Not saying it's a bad thing, as long as you can handle it financially and emtionally. Rock on if you can do it!

"Another version of a mega family is a dead beat dad who knocks up a few women."

This is the bad version.

But its probably the more common version...

Regarding the woman who had her 18th, as long as she can pay for them without government assistance who am I to judge.

They've had those baby hatches in Germany for about 10 years now, the first one was installed after a series of abandoned babies had been found dead. In Germany, the mother has 8 weeks to return and claim her child (without any legal consequences) and only if this doesn't happen, the child will be put up for adoption. A number of women have actually returned to claim their children and there are people there to help them with the situation.
I do believe that every person has a right to know who their parents are, so I'm not really a fan of anonymous adoptions like that, but I definitely prefer those hatches to babies being left on some street in the middle of winter.

I think either way if the government is telling women what to do with their uteruses it's become a country I don't want to live in. Whatever floats your boat. And I wish more teen girls knew or had access to safe drop off points so there'd be less born in toilets or showers and disposed of.

cine_lover said: "Also, if people feel that having children is bad for the environment, sterilize yourself, but don't dictate what others choose to do with their body."

I agree in principle, but it seems as though most of the time the people who *should* be sterilized, aren't. Even as a 13-year-old I thought everyone should be sterilized at puberty and have to apply for a parenting license to have it reversed.

i think having 18 kids is gross. period.

How is having 18 kids gross? I can see it being a lot of other things, crazy, stressful, expensive, . . ., but gross? Its 18 children, would it be any different spread over 6 families?

I wouldn't/couldn't physically have 18 kids, but I might adopt a few. I think it would be wonderful to have the financial and mental ability to raise such a family - the holidays would be great!

P.S. - I'm impressed her body can handle it - I'd be the size of house by the fifth one!

I had heard the Duggars have had stuff donated to them quite a bit...and I love children, but 18? I think its seriously selfish. How much quality time could each of those kids get with their parents? From what I have seen and heard those kids are all pretty much like slaves around the house. I am all for live and let live, but 18 children is just ridiculous. Can you imagine this woman's uterus? I don't know how she can keep having more and more. I actually feel bad for the kids.

I hear the Duggars are raising an army.

I think that's ridiculous. I'm glad that they're mostly self-sufficient, but I agree with some that have posted above. I don't think that you can effectively parent with that many children. I'm sure that they are more like a tribe than a family and that the older children help parent the younger children...but still.

That woman has probably seriously shortened her life by doing this also. Her body must be ravaged.

heh. my great grandmother had 20 children! Lucky for her, her husband stuck by her, no second or third wives. Her sons on the other hand practised polygamy (this was like back in the 60s when polygamy in asia was still permitted) but none of their wives ever produced that many children!

the only danger i see really, is to the mother. can you imagine the kind of strain it places on her??!!!

Yes, back in the day women used to have tons of kids! It's amazing how its frowned upon now. I agree though, that it would be difficult to have special attention for each child..unless their births were spread out reasonably. I wonder how old the oldest child is.

The oldest is 20. I know, I follow the family on Discovery Health like it's my job. It's a sickeness

It's frowned upon because people are just now being educated on what overpopulation will do to the world. A little over a century ago in the early 1900's, our world population was approximately 2 billion people. We've since more than tripled that and it's expected to reach 8 billion in 2020. Additionally, western society is starting to have a wave of people who are child-free by choice which breaks the traditional mold of building families. So, there seem to be more people who despise societal pressures to have children and seeing a family that completely embraces that tradition leaves a sour taste in their mouths.

"Another version of a mega family is a dead beat dad who knocks up a few women."

True! At least these parents have a family unit, untraditional though it may be. I'm pretty sure there are several NBA players (cough, Shawn Kemp) with close to that many children, so I guess if someone is going to reproduce that much this is a far more ideal senario.

from what i've seen of these parents
they really do love being parents
are active, loving, committed, and financially capable
so hey - more power to them

IMO they used to have lots of kids because the death rate was so high, especially on farms. We've come a long way in the last 50-100 years in making the workplaces safer, and people no longer see the need to have 10-20 kids

My grandmother had 14 children. My mother was lucky number 13.

The day that people stop having children because of population control, is a day I don't want to see. This is a crazy world. Sure, if you don't have the means to do so, then don't. But if you can and want to, do! Having that many kids is kind of over the top, but who am I to judge?

First, I think that she sees them as blessings from God, for her it is a religious choice, not tradition or social pressure. All of the children are home schooled, and yes they all help out with the chores. Honestly, I would be willing to bet they are a lot better behaved than many of the children who are only children. People who have only one child don't always take good care of them, so you can't judge her parenting skills on the number of children she has.