S07.E05: Baby Sister Is Born!

[TeeMo]

The parents sitting at the end of the bed just staring at Robin for hours  was super bizarre to me. I was actually less weirded out by their presence when the baby was actually coming than I was during the time when Robin was just leaning on the ball or walking around. Go watch a movie or play a game with the other grandkids. They were just sitting there silently in side by side purple velvet chairs (is Robin a secret Prince fanatic? What was with all the purple in that room?) as if they were watching some sort of  performance art. It was just weird. 

[PlygPigs]

Regarding baby's shoulders getting stuck... this happened to my baby, and it is a medical emergency called shoulder dystocia. Every second the head is out and the rest of the baby isn't, it's losing oxygen. Also, it has nothing to do with size ( my daughter was only 6 lbs) and everything to do with the baby's position. You'd think the midwife would know this. Geez Louise.

[Micks Picks]

Well this is a surprise.  I forgot to watch and it seems like I saw it.  This is the problem with so many reality shows.  There are so many flashbacks and previews that when you watch it, it seems you are looking at a rerun.  I looked and if I want to watch it is on again in the wee hours wednesday, I believe.

The news about Logan was new to me but not unexpected.  What are the previews for the next show, or is this end for the season?

IIRC Robin's dad or step dad was there for Sol.  Seems from the talk here that there was a much larger crowd in the room for this labor.  Maybe the kids are bigger now or they enlarged the bedroom.  Meri was such a big part of Robyn's last labor and apparently absent this time.  Hmmm wonder why.

[ChicksDigScars]

Wasn't Solly born at the rental home before the McMansions on Cul de Sac Kody were ready? Probably a much smaller bedroom back then, and less room for box seats at the foot of the bed (with full hooha view).  I seem to remember a waiting crowd banished to the hallway back then.

And yeah, back then, Meri was Robyn's bestie. I guess when the mission was completed, and Robyn successfully got the title of Legal Mrs. Brown, coupled with Meri's very public fall from grace, she's no longer Robyn's bestie. Christine has vaulted over Meri and Janelle (who probably couldn't care less about her status with either Kody or Robyn) thus her recent giddy personality. Or, Christine is medicated. Right after that embarrassing trip with the therapist and the rock stacking, Christine found that pretty pharmaceutical candies make life with Kodouche and the preferred wife more bearable. 

Robyn's slick. Become BFF with the first legal wife, eventually get the title from her, then disgard. Move on to naive and desperate for attention third wife, make her the new BFF, and cherry pick her eldest child with the most child care experience, and move her in.  When does Janelle get to be BFF? When the first grandchild comes along? Although, I can't see Janelle ever wanting to get close enough to be manipulated like the other two. 

[Granny58]

Haven't watched all of it yet (Meri breastfeeding Maddie?  That's a shocker).  But Logan's barely concealed contempt for yet ANOTHER Brown child (not contempt for the child, but for the quantity) was interesting.  I think Hunter grew up into a handsome young man.

[zenme]

Robyn calming Kody down when he was getting upset (during the name announcement), was embarrassing. It was as they are a regular, monogamous couple and the other wives just watched on...I'm trying to imagine another woman having that effect or control over my husband. I'd be seething. 

[missy jo]

Logan is hawt. And sane. How did that happen? 

Yeah, I don't get the excitement about baby #18. The others don't get any attention as is. I think it's really selfish.

I understand it's part of their f'd up religion, but frankly, they don't strike me as very religious. Aside from Robin's "there was angels there," lol. 

[RazzleberryPie]

So did Meri regularly breastfeed Maddie, or was its one shot deal - like Salma Hayek nursing an African baby on a humanitarian trip one time - and Meri has literally milked it forever.

BTW - whether Salma did it out of compassion and practicality, or for publicity, bless her heart. The kid cars hungry. She had milk. The end.

[giaNtsandYankees]

8 hours ago, Galloway Cave said:

So this show was 50% clip show, 40% Robyn birthing AGAIN and 10% new shit. Yawn.

Lol! I was about to say the same thing. I was like, man! This episode is DRAGGING! They could of just cut it down to an hour, with Sobyn having her baby and then the new stuff.

[3girlsforus]

37 minutes ago, RazzleberryPie said:

So did Meri regularly breastfeed Maddie, or was its one shot deal - like Salma Hayek nursing an African baby on a humanitarian trip one time - and Meri has literally milked it forever.

BTW - whether Salma did it out of compassion and practicality, or for publicity, bless her heart. The kid cars hungry. She had milk. The end.

I would love to know more details on this too. If Maddie was failure to thrive, did they go to the doctor too or just have Meri breastfeed her? Did Meri have to wean Mariah to feed Maddie? I have a hard time seeing Meri breastfeeding two babies at once, round the clock, especially one who is failure to thrive. She would need to eat very frequently. I wonder if this is something Meri lauded over Janelle or for which Janelle resented Meri. 

And how did Kody react? Did he ridicule Janelle for being "insufficient" for Maddie? Did Meri see it as a way to get Kody's attention? She was the first wife but didn't have the first child and her child was sandwiched between two other kids born within a few months. 

I think these "sister" wives have spent their whole lives jostling for position and attention. 

[CofCinci]

Meri was the savior Madonna with her holy milk.  Knowing Meri, she probably didn't even ask Jenelle if it was okay. 

[ghoulina]

I really really enjoyed seeing all the home videos of the older kids when they were little. So cute! And hearing all the stories about what they were like as babies. I could have used 2x more of that and cut Robyn's labor in half. I thought it was pretty awesome that Meri helped nurse Maddie. 

They REALLY need to stop with the horror stories about going to the hospital. "If you weren't the legal wife, the father couldn't be there with you". You think everyone that has a baby is married? My husband and I weren't married until 3 months after our oldest was born. He was there in the hospital the entire time (at the head of the bed, looking away, and almost passed out, but there.) We had to do some different paperwork, but he was not prevented from seeing the baby because we weren't legally married. And the sisterwives wouldn't be allowed in? Well, it all depends on your hospital, but if they weren't allowed in it would have been because of a number limit or immediate family rule, but not because of polygamy. Just calm the fuck down already. 

I can definitely see what they were talking about when Christine and Robyn mentioned "the perks without the work". I do see the benefits of having that sisterhood and kind of the community feel to raising children. The problem lies with having 4 women but only one man. I think they would be better served by communal living with other couples - then EVERYONE can help each other out. There will be tons of love for the kids and a real sister and/or brother feel with the adults, that companionship and comradery, without the jealousy. Because I do get the idea that other adults may have something to offer your child that you don't. And it's not the same as Aunts and Uncles, because there's not that close proximity. But there are absolutely like minded people who form small communities and share the family, home, etc. duties with each other. 

So yea, Robyn's labor story took up way too much time, but I have to say - she always impresses me with how calm she remains. I don't really agree with her mother telling her to stay calm because it's not "ladylike" to scream in labor. But I do agree that remaining calm can better facilitate labor. When you tense up, your body can't really progress the way it needs to. I'm just glad the baby came out alright at the end, because she seemed plum exhausted. I really like her midwife. I used midwives, but couldn't do a homebirth because it's not allowed in my state. I am a huge supporter of it, and I like to see midwives who seem very capable. I liked that she kept checking the heartbeat and knew how to get right in there and assist with the shoulders. 

Kody is also a pretty decent labor coach. Yes, he comes off a bit too domineering at times and would probably piss me off. But he's right there...the entire time. He doesn't go take a nap and leave it to the women. 

I really did not understand why EVERYONE needed to get up in the night and go see the new baby. Granted, some people were up waiting and really wanted to. But a lot of the kids were woken up and did not look happy about it. Couldn't they just go the next day? Do they have to do it as one big group? Because, as a woman who just gave birth, I would find that incredibly overwhelming. I do love seeing Hunter with the new babies, though. The way he lights up is just too cute. 

I also don't get why they named her Ariella, but are going to call her Aria. Why not just name her Aria? (And, I'm sure my spellings are way off, but that's what you get.)

I think my absolute favorite thing ever is when Kody is trying to make a big announcement and no one is listening to him. I could watch that 50 times over. "I don't need everything to be dramatic" - then don't MAKE it dramatic. People are more or less gathered, just say your piece. Damn. 

Dayton. Wow. He has changed. He looked all buff and almost like a grown man. 

[ghoulina]

1 hour ago, RazzleberryPie said:

So did Meri regularly breastfeed Maddie, or was its one shot deal - like Salma Hayek nursing an African baby on a humanitarian trip one time - and Meri has literally milked it forever.

It sounded to me like she did it a few times, when Maddie seemed really hungry and Jenelle wasn't producing anything. Almost like she was supplementing for Jenelle. 

[ghoulina]

10 hours ago, Snickerdoodle said:

Gwendelyn.  There's a Gwendelyn?

Gwendelyn is Christine's little snarklepuss who said something like, "Yay! There's ANOTHER baby" - all sarcastic like. I flove her.

 

8 hours ago, ChicksDigScars said:

And I couldn't help but LOL over the portrait in Robyn's room of Robyn and Kody posed with Kody's white midlife crisis sports car. The car being the focal point of the portrait, and Robyn and Kody being dark, shadowy figures on the hood.

That was so freaking weird. I didn't even notice the people for several minutes and kept laughing at the idea that Kody has a giant picture of a sports car in their bedroom. 

[tabloidlover]

31 minutes ago, ghoulina said:

I really really enjoyed seeing all the home videos of the older kids when they were little. So cute! And hearing all the stories about what they were like as babies. I could have used 2x more of that and cut Robyn's labor in half. I thought it was pretty awesome that Meri helped nurse Maddie. 

They REALLY need to stop with the horror stories about going to the hospital. "If you weren't the legal wife, the father couldn't be there with you". You think everyone that has a baby is married? My husband and I weren't married until 3 months after our oldest was born. He was there in the hospital the entire time (at the head of the bed, looking away, and almost passed out, but there.) We had to do some different paperwork, but he was not prevented from seeing the baby because we weren't legally married. And the sisterwives wouldn't be allowed in? Well, it all depends on your hospital, but if they weren't allowed in it would have been because of a number limit or immediate family rule, but not because of polygamy. Just calm the fuck down already. 

This + 1,000!!!!!    There are more unwed people giving birth in my area of the country than married couples.  And yes, lots and lots of baby mama's.... And I've never heard of dad not being allowed in due to marital status. 

[lookeyloo]

Or someone could call the hospital anonymously and ask what their policies actually are. 

[Madding crowd]

People are always allowed to have someone with them for support. It could be a husband, boyfriend, same sex partner , mother or friend. No hospital forces a woman to give birth totally alone. The Browns operate from a lot of ignorance if not downright lying. It's possible there were religious based hospitals years ago that didn't allow unwed mothers but now insurance companies dictate everything. 

[3girlsforus]

19 minutes ago, tabloidlover said:

This + 1,000!!!!!    There are more unwed people giving birth in my area of the country than married couples.  And yes, lots and lots of baby mama's.... And I've never heard of dad not being allowed in due to marital status. 

And let's not forget the obvious... Christine, who he is NOT legally married to, had her baby in the hospital. So I'm sure that going to the hospital with his legal wife would have set off all kinds of red flags and drawn unwanted attention to them as polygamists. Far more than having a reality show about being polygamists. Good grief. 

If Robyn wanted a home birth, then just say 'Robyn wants a home birth'. 

[tortuga]

Meri couldn't have pumped?

[ghoulina]

6 minutes ago, tortuga said:

 

Meri couldn't have pumped?

 

Some women can't. And even if they can, the pump almost always yields a lot less than baby would. It depends on a lot of factors, but if you've been just nursing from the start and haven't really used a pump, it makes more sense to me to just offer the breast. A lot less stress for everyone involved. 

[laurakaye]

Count me in as one who had to do a double-take when Dayton appeared - wow, he's a handsome boy.  And I tend to listen to everything he says, because I think he's by far the smartest, most sensitive and intuitive person in that entire cul-de-sac.

Hunter is also growing up handsome.  I'm thinking the same will happen with Paedon, Garrrison, etc.

Kody: Robyn is not breathing!  Not breathing enough for Baby Sister!  Baby Sister needs more oxygen from Robyn, who is not breathing enough!  Baby Sister is not out yet and still needs Robyn's oxygen, of which she is not partaking enough of!  Deeper breathes must be done so that Baby Sister can enjoy the oxygen of Robyn...GAHHHHH SHUT UP KODY STOP KODYSPLAINING

Sol did NOT need to be present for the ceremonial umbilical-cutting.  Poor kid, he looked freaked out.  That's not something a 4-year old needs to see.

Agree 1000% with not dragging the kids out of bed in the middle of the night to pay homage to the newest Brown.  The kids can say "hello" and fawn over Robyn in the morning, seriously.  They do not care, this is baby number 18.  And props to Gwen, I love her honest take on her crazytrain family.

And speaking of Robyn, I am SO TIRED of her saying she's going to have an "anxiety attack."  Real anxiety attacks are scary to watch, and scary to have.  You're going to have one because you've decided to film your birth for the world to see?  Here's an idea - DON'T FILM IT.  And stop overusing that phrase immediately.

Kody...LOL at saying "here comes the JAW..."  Who says that?  Unless the child belongs to Robyn, she of the lantern jaw...but LOL.

Wait, so Kody is cool with Logan and his girlfriend living together...but I thought kisses contained hormones, or something like that...shouldn't he be blowing a gasket?  I love how the Brown adults used to talk about all of their pretend "rules," and here we sit, watching the older kids ignore pretty much all of those rules and live their lives, while Kody sits idly by with a befuddled look on his face, but not concerned enough to actually do anything about it.

So this means we will never have to hear the words "baby sister" again ever on this show, right?!

I wish I had a spare $75,000 to take myself and 30 of my family members to Hawaii for a week.

Edited June 6, 2016 by laurakaye

[islandgal140]

1 hour ago, ghoulina said:

So yea, Robyn's labor story took up way too much time, but I have to say - she always impresses me with how calm she remains. I don't really agree with her mother telling her to stay calm because it's not "ladylike" to scream in labor. But I do agree that remaining calm can better facilitate labor. When you tense up, your body can't really progress the way it needs to. I'm just glad the baby came out alright at the end, because she seemed plum exhausted. I really like her midwife. I used midwives, but couldn't do a homebirth because it's not allowed in my state. I am a huge supporter of it, and I like to see midwives who seem very capable. I liked that she kept checking the heartbeat and knew how to get right in there and assist with the shoulders. 

Kody is also a pretty decent labor coach. Yes, he comes off a bit too domineering at times and would probably piss me off. But he's right there...the entire time. He doesn't go take a nap and leave it to the women. 

Great post Ghoulina and I especially agree with the above.  The not screaming is one thing but I couldn't get over how Robyn didn't even look like she was breaking a sweat while birthing a damn near 10 lber with line backer shoulders! All that with no drugs of any kind? I'm one who champions the use of epidurals and manner of drugs and don't look down upon those who use it but I also don't hero worship those who don't.  Whatever personal decision a woman makes, is just that personal. However,  as many issues as I have with her and as shady as I find her I couldn't help but marvel at Robyn's fortitude. 

Robyn's parents perched at the end of the bed like they were watching Marvel's latest hero epic in IMAX? What the what?!?!

Those scenes did go on and I couldn't help but be riveted by the sight of those ghastly purple swag valances in the master bedroom. 

I'd be pissed if someone woke me up out of a sound sleep in the middle of the night to tell me my dad and his 4th, 1st wife just birthed his 18th. If nothing is wrong and she delivered safely just tell them in the morning!

Dayton really got himself together! I remember seeing pictures of bodybuilders on his bedroom wall and being a bit curious about that. Looks like perhaps he was using that as fitspiration. Good for him. He is a handsome young man - scar and all! 

Perhaps Kody if you didn't feel the need to gather all the troops and make an announcement every other day they would pay you some mind. He is such an attention hog and once he gets their attention he just has to draw it out in the dumbest way to keep it. 

How old is Truly? Five? Six? I know she doesn't get the attention that Prince Solomon gets but I wish they would pay attention to her development. I'm slightly concerned about her.

Aspyn has the most gorgeous head of hair. 

Logan is in his early 20s, still in college and wanting to continue on to become a physician's assistant. Why the push to want him to marry someone he has only been dating for 9 months? This isn't plyg courting. It is funny because they always like to draw all these parallels between plygs and the non-plyg world and they comment on the practices of the non-plyg world like they know all. Well shouldn't they realize that the vast majority of non-plygs don't get engaged while in college and most don't get engaged until 2-3 years into a relationship?

Kody is squeamish about pre-marital sex and co-habitation but he can have a legal wife and 3 'spiritual' wives and have a schedule as to which one he gets to stick his wick into on any given day? Give me strength!

[riverblue22]

Just now watching this delivery.  All these somber people sitting around like it's a wake.  I would hate to have to be the center of attention like that while laboring.  I do like the midwife.

ETA: Robyn was a trooper!  But I don't think she wants to do that again!

Edited June 6, 2016 by riverblue22

[greekmom]

I honestly had the bottle all set with my shooter glass and ready to take a shot every time someone said “baby sister”.  But with the douche’s stupidity comments on child birth on the couch segments and the whole thing overall, I fast forwarded a lot of it. So was stone cold sober by the end.

I understand a baby is a big deal but this is number 18? 19? Really for them it’s status quo. Sobyn should have just been squatting, push out the kid and go back to her normal routine. 

Which son was standing by douche at the Hawaii breakfast? He’s really tall and blond and HUGE.

Christine would be a lot better off away from douche. Free Christine.

I am thinking by now the kids wouldn’t bother coming home (especially Logan, Madison, etc) if it wasn’t the parent’s bread and butter on the line (filming).

I have to say my favourite part was seeing video footage from BS (before Sobyn).  Even though Meri and Janelle had issues, they looked a lot happier. BTW – If Janelle couldn’t produce enough milk there is formula. I know in general breastmilk is best but there is nothing wrong with formula milk.  A lot of kids were given formula milk prior to the whole “breast is best” campaign. Nothing wrong happened to them.

TLC just needs to pull the plug. STAT.

[3girlsforus]

I might have to watch this episode just to forward to the part with Robyn's father perched down by the baby exit. All these descriptions of it are cracking me up. When I was in labor at home, we had my mom on standby to take my daughters if being around during the birth was to much for them. So they dropped by to see if they were needed. I was upstairs and it was quiet and not near pushing stage yet but I later found out my dad stayed in the car just because being in the house and knowing I was in labor was too much for him. I can't imagine him being in the room. 

[CofCinci]

Wait, so Kody is cool with Logan and his girlfriend living together...but I thought kisses contained hormones, or something like that...shouldn't he be blowing a gasket?  I love how the Brown adults used to talk about all of their pretend "rules," and here we sit, watching the older kids ignore pretty much all of those rules and live their lives, while Kody sits idly by with a befuddled look on his face, but not concerned enough to actually do anything about it.

In their faith, women are considered "chattel", property to be administered by the father/husband. Logan and his girlfriend can give together unbothered by Kody. Too bad Maddie and Caleb couldn't do the same before marrying. 

[RazzleberryPie]

Normal LDS emphasizes no sex outside of marriage for both male and female. No difference. Not sure what Kody says about that.

i don't think cohabitation before marriage is always beneficial, and actually like the fact that Maddie and her guy were more traditional and didn't. 

[ghoulina]

35 minutes ago, greekmom said:

Which son was standing by douche at the Hawaii breakfast? He’s really tall and blond and HUGE.

That's Paedon, Christine's only son. And he HAS really gotten huge. He could totally take Kody. 

 

(Please take on your dad!)

[MoodyGirl]

11 hours ago, MarysWetBar said:

Was anyone else skeeved the eff out about "old suspenders" in there with a bird's eye view? My dear old Dad would have  likely hung himself before he would ever get dragged into a room to watch me labour and give birth. 

Yes I did catch that and it was weird as hell. I can't imagine having my dad casually sitting in a chair in direct line with my open legs while laboring. Her mom was taking pictures which I can understand a little more. 

[greekmom]

18 minutes ago, ghoulina said:

That's Paedon, Christine's only son. And he HAS really gotten huge. He could totally take Kody. 

 

(Please take on your dad!)

You totally read my mind Ghoulina. I was hoping that the kid would pound some sense in Kody. I'd pay to see that.

[sharkerbaby]

47 minutes ago, CofCinci said:

Logan and his girlfriend can give together unbothered by Kody.

I got the impression he was bothered by it but they all realize there isn't really much they can do about it and accept that for what it is (kids growing up and making their own decisions).

[butterbody]

After all Robyn's (awwww you have robins on your nightie, I see what you did there) talk about their bedroom being a sanctuary, I was eager to poke my nosy ass around in there. The framed poster was exquisite. At first I thought it was an ad for that kind of car, but further studied the silhouette of his hair and her high heeled scrunch boots, and I was like OMG this is for RILL you guys!

And what about the huge ass safe at the foot of her bed? I work in a medical marijuana dispensary and we have that exact safe. Kind of excessive for home use, especially in one's sanctuary.

[absolutelyido]

So Meri wanted to bring Robyn into the family so she would have a friend and ally and now Robyn and Christine are BFFs and Meri is stuck trying to form a friendship with Janelle. Too funny. I can see Robyn & Christine being friends as they seem to have more sunny dispositions, whereas Janelle and Meri are more dour.

I agree it was unnecessary to wake all of the children to have them come and see the baby right away. They could wait a day or two. Plus is it really a good idea to have a newborn exposed to that many people. Aren't you supposed to limit a newborn's exposure to people for at least a couple of weeks? Especially given that it was December, right in the middle of cold and flu season. No wonder Solomon had a respiratory infection when he was just two month's old, exposed to all those people.

I wonder why Aspyn didn't move into her sorority rather than in with Robyn.

Regarding having the money to pay for 30 people to go to Hawaii, I'm sure TLC is paying since the trip is being filmed. Expect to see lots of shots of the name of the hotel they are staying at in exchange for the rooms being comped.

[LotusFlower]

11 hours ago, SuzyLee said:

* Gramps in the corner of the room, directly facing Robyn's bed.  That was . . . odd.  I don't think you could have paid my father or grandfather (or really any male member of my family and half of the female members) to watch me give birth from that angle.  My own father ducked discreetly from the room waaaay before the blanket was removed and things got serious (and thank God for that). 

* Please tell me that someone else noticed that terribly cheesy framed photo in Robyn bedroom, with the two of them leaning against a fancy, white car, hugging in silhouette with the sunset behind them.  Yeesh.  The 90's called and they want their Glamour Shot back.

Glamour Shot - LOL!

Re: Gramps - Are Robyn's parents polygamists?  If so, where were her other mothers?

[SongbirdHollow]

If my baby had a broken collarbone there is no WAY I'm passing her around an hour after she was born.

[Galloway Cave]

3 hours ago, ghoulina said:

I can definitely see what they were talking about when Christine and Robyn mentioned "the perks without the work". I do see the benefits of having that sisterhood and kind of the community feel to raising children.

Several of the polygamists I knew were sorority sisters that married the patriarch of the family. One wife said she wanted to live polygamy (she was not raised in polygamy) because she liked being in a sorority and being with her best friends, and wanted to continue that in her marriage. OK but why do they all have to SLEEP with the same guy??? 

Quote

Re: Gramps - Are Robyn's parents polygamists?  If so, where were her other mothers?

Yes. Gramps is actually Robyn's step-father. I think the other mothers (and bio dad) left the family long ago.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Galloway Cave

[RazzleberryPie]

Seriously. Just joined Jr League AKA adult sorority.

i think Christine and Robyn could've hit it off if Meri, Robyn and oh yes Kodster hadn't been so sneaking with the whole courtship, especially with Christine being pregnant during the whole scheme.

[Ljohnson1987]

I'm shocked that Robyn didn't give the baby to Meri. Because we all know how sour Meri is that she only has one child.

[3girlsforus]

26 minutes ago, SongbirdHollow said:

If my baby had a broken collarbone there is no WAY I'm passing her around an hour after she was born.

 

No kidding. This is not an unusual thing to happen with a vaginal delivery and it doesn't require treatment aside from healing. But it does require gentle handling of the baby and care to be sure you aren't causing the baby discomfort. The easiest way to do that is not to pass the baby around to 20 other people. 

[LotusFlower]

24 minutes ago, Galloway Cave said:

Yes. Gramps is actually Robyn's step-father. I think the other mothers (and bio dad) left the family long ago.

Wait, so Robyn's mother divorced her polygamous husband and re-married?  Is the step-father a polygomist?  Does she not see her bio father any more?  I'm only asking because Robyn, more than anyone, talks up the beauty and value of a polygamous lifestyle more than anyone, and yet this scenerio sounds messed up.

[mamapajama]

I liked that Meri nursed Maddie.  Could have done without her saying, in TH, that is was a little creepy, but it raised my esteem for her a quarter notch.  Janelle might have needed a bit longer for her milk supply to come in fully. Happened to me with son 3 of 3.  Given the choice between formula supplements and a clean, healthy mom I lived with, I might have chosen the mom while I waited.  Meri's supply would replenish as she nursed both babies.  The more they drink, the more you make.  Tits are tops!  I could NEVER get my milk to come down for a pump.

[Galloway Cave]

4 minutes ago, LotusFlower said:

 Is the step-father a polygomist?  

Yes. I think he only had one other wife, but don't quote me on that. I will have to wander over to The Principle tumblr and read up on her lineage again.

[RazzleberryPie]

Well according to Big Love (yeah fiction, I know) and that girl either weird hair that Robyn and Cheistine were terrified of in the bathroom, one way to control your cult and peacock your power is to rip families apart. Man steps out of line or you just want to bang his wife - reassign his whole family - wife, kids, etc to another man. It's not like they're legally married.

So having step parents and siblings weave in and out is normal life for some of these people. 

[Celia Rubenstein]

Kody had to drag all the kids out of bed so they could be there to witness HIS big moment, cutting the cord.  You know, it's not easy to steal the limelight from the mother and new baby, but I knew he'd find a way to do it. Asshat.

The cord cutting is actually kind of gross and it's not something that little Sol (or anyone else) really needed to see. I've never heard of it being a thing you call in an audience for.  It's really part of the birthing process, not a celebratory thing.  Plus at the other end of that cord is a gnarly blob of afterbirth and the placenta needs to be examined by the midwife to make sure it was completely expelled. I can only hope Kody was just putting on a show and the cord had actually already been severed on its other end so there would not be any delay in examining it. Because retained placenta is no joke and Robyn's health should take precedence over Kody's enormous need to be in the spotlight. 

Did Kody actually made a little joke about the cord cutting scaring Sol because Sol might have thought Kody was severing  the baby's penis? I thought that is what he was alluding to at one point. He's just a pig. 

[mamapajama]

Robyn said, "It's not her pee-pee."  But Asshat laughed at the fact that Sol was "freaked out."  Dumbass.  Of course he was freaked.  I'm just shocked he didn't call it "fun."  One of the few adjectives he knows, and uses for everything.

[Adeejay]

13 hours ago, riverblue22 said:

I see two things making Christine so happy these days.  First of all, Meri put herself in last place with the catfish mess.  Secondly, the bloom is off the rose between Robyn and Kody.  I think the honeymoon may be over, at least for Robyn.  So now Christine can be besties with the only other wife with any energy and they can giggle together and complain about Kody.

I was surprised to hear Kody say that," lately, there has been an emotional disconnect with Robyn."  I can't help but wonder if was because of the pregnancy or the fact that now that she is the legal wife, she doesn't have to try as hard or care as much.  It also explains why Christine is so giddy.  I have a feeling she is getting all of Kody's "attention", because clearly, Janelle couldn't care less and Meri is in the doghouse.  One of the things that bothered me was Meri recalling Mariah's birth. She said that one moment, she thought she had a son, but then found out it was "just a daughter".   I found that remark sexist and offensive.

[RedheadZombie]

6 hours ago, RazzleberryPie said:

So did Meri regularly breastfeed Maddie, or was its one shot deal - like Salma Hayek nursing an African baby on a humanitarian trip one time - and Meri has literally milked it forever.

BTW - whether Salma did it out of compassion and practicality, or for publicity, bless her heart. The kid cars hungry. She had milk. The end.

I'm not sure why Meri is being portrayed as the bad guy in this story.  That picture of Maddie was horrible.  She looked like she was starving to death, and no weight gain for six months?  I don't care how important it was to Janelle to breastfeed - she was starving her baby to death.  It simply confirmed that Janelle is not "the smart one".  And wasn't Janelle the one who brought the story up first?
 

[TeeMo]

I was also annoyed by Kody's emphasis on HIS decision about the baby's name during that scene where no one was paying enough undivided attention to him. First of all, he and Robin should have been standing there together to announce the name. I didn't even notice her presence in the room until she started teasing him for being such a drama queen. Then he said "I have thought about this name for months...after much consideration I feel very sure about this name..." He said a couple of other things but each time he said "I" and not "we" as though he carried that kid in some sort of man uterus and then  birthed it himself. In the couch interview later Robin did explain that Kody was the one who felt strongly about the name but ultimately THEY decided together. All that "I" business was so off putting and so very Kody . 

[laurakaye]

During one of the couch sessions (this past week or the week before, they all blend together), Kody said to Meri that they'd been living in Vegas for a longer period of time than they'd lived in the house in Lehi, and Robyn was all, "Oh wow, REALLY??"  And I thought: geez, woman, do you EVER shut up regarding memories that are not your own?  I know she knew about the Lehi house, but she never lived there.  I noticed too in the montage last night where they were showing pictures of the wives with their babies, they put in a picture of Robyn holding Dayton as a baby...which I find funny, since she was not even close to being a Brown back then.  They sure are working hard to cram down our throats that Robyn, despite evidence to the contrary, has been an honorary "Brown" since Day One.  I guess all you have to do is insert Kody's mug into any family portrait and he magically becomes your husband.  I'd be extremely careful with this information, mind you...don't want anyone here to unintentionally end up the 5th Mrs. Brown.

[3girlsforus]

37 minutes ago, mamapajama said:

I liked that Meri nursed Maddie.  Could have done without her saying, in TH, that is was a little creepy, but it raised my esteem for her a quarter notch.  Janelle might have needed a bit longer for her milk supply to come in fully. Happened to me with son 3 of 3.  Given the choice between formula supplements and a clean, healthy mom I lived with, I might have chosen the mom while I waited.  Meri's supply would replenish as she nursed both babies.  The more they drink, the more you make.  Tits are tops!  I could NEVER get my milk to come down for a pump.

I agree that it isn't an issue with supply. What I was wondering is the logistics of all the nursing it would take to feed two babies and try to get Janelle's milk to build up. They would have to let Maddie nurse on Janelle first because Janelle would never get milk unless she nursed regularly. Then when Maddie didn't get enough, Meri would have to nurse her. Then she'd have to nurse Mariah. And since Maddie wasn't gaining weight she would need to nurse every two hours minimum round the clock. The team effort of that whole thing is definitely way beyond the current relationship between Meri and Janelle so I'm curious how they managed it back then. 

Plus we know Kody is a major jackass so I can see him putting down Janelle for "failing" at being a woman which could have accelerated or even been the beginning of the demise of Janelle and Meri's relationship.