• velma@sh.itjust.works
    1224·
    3 months ago

    I don’t think most women wanted to be pregnant back to back like that then.

    My grandmother had 16 children. It destroyed her.

    • MrShankles@lemmy.world
      38·
      3 months ago

      And the “orphan train” already passed by, so it’s not pictured either. Or the “for sale” signs when the children became too many. But the chimney sweep kids are “living it up”, as they’re learning an important trade!

      • velma@sh.itjust.works
        20·
        3 months ago

        But the chimney sweep kids are “living it up”, as they’re learning an important trade!

        The cancers those chimney sweep kids got were horrific. Last Podcast on the Left recently did a deep dive into chimney sweeps and it was eye-opening. Highly recommend listening if you’re into that kind of thing.

        I was just recommending a podcast episode lol

        • MrShankles@lemmy.world
          13·
          3 months ago

          Sorry, sorry… that was sarcasm. It was mostly slavery of orphans, guised as trade-skills. As well as the cancers, they also had hellish injury/death, because ya know… 7 year olds are climbing chimneys

          “Put their feet to the fire”… sometimes kids were too afraid to keep climbing, so they lit a fire under them. Sometimes, they became too grown and got stuck in the chimney, possibly dying. Hellish

          • velma@sh.itjust.works
            111·
            3 months ago

            I wasn’t correcting you, I just have ADHD and saw your line about chimney sweeps which reminded me of that podcast episode so I recommended it hahaha

            I’m sorry I didn’t make it clear that I was just conversing with you.

            • MrShankles@lemmy.world
              3·
              3 months ago

              Lmao, well damn I’m sorry again! That makes more sense, I misinterpreted cause I is a little dumb. I’ll have to check it out because I am in fact, into those kinda things! Thank you

              • velma@sh.itjust.works
                3·
                3 months ago

                No problem :)

                Tone can be so hard to convey on text and then further complicated with neurodivergence haha

        • NABDad@lemmy.worldEnglish
          6·
          3 months ago

          if you’re into that kind of thing

          Chimney sweeps, podcasts, cancer, or open eyes?

  • yesman@lemmy.world
    311·
    3 months ago

    If you teach women about their bodies and give them the choice, they will have fewer children.

    • Photonic@lemmy.world
      9·
      3 months ago

      True, but they also have more options for birth control. And a family needs two working parents to have a children nowadays as well.

      • velma@sh.itjust.works
        3·
        3 months ago

        True, but they also have more options for birth control.

        That’s the choice that yesman is talking about. Birth control and abortion.

  • Bubbaonthebeach@lemmy.caEnglish
    19·
    3 months ago

    That’s what happens when a wife is not allowed to say no and birth control doesn’t exist. Could also represent having sex only 15 times over 16 years and getting pregnant every time. My grandmother swore all my grandfather needed to do was look at her and she was pregnant yet again.

    • jade52@lemmy.ca
      2·
      3 months ago

      Was literally thinking this while making coffee this morning. It’s Saturday. I didn’t have a good sleep. But now I can play video games all day and maybe have a nap later. Then going out at 8pm, until whenever I feel like. None of this would be possible with kids.

  • Bluewing@lemmy.world
    111·
    3 months ago

    Grandma, you know better. Everyone was just as horny and kinky back then as they are today. You’re STILL horny and kinky Grandma!

  • NoodlePoint@lemmy.world
    8·
    3 months ago

    Dunno, but if I remember correctly, in the 19th and early 20th centuries child mortality was very high in some places, especially where there is little access to medical services, and certain vaccines have yet to be developed. That’s why some impoverished families became large because survival was on top of the list, and nearly all the children had to find work early on.

    • velma@sh.itjust.works
      4·
      3 months ago

      That and in combination with very little access to contraception and abortion. Women had as many babies as came from being married and having sex.