Grand Multipara

Definition:

Grand multipara: The term "multipara" applies to any woman who has given birth 2 or more times. A woman who has given birth 5 or more times is called a grand multipara.

For a pregnancy to count as a "birth", it must go to at least 20 weeks' gestation (the mid-point of a full-term pregnancy) or yield an infant that weighs at least 500 grams, irrespective of whether the infant is liveborn or not.

The term "multipara" is composed of two Latin words: "multi-" from "multus", much + "-para" from "pario", to bring forth = to bring forth much (in the way of children)

I have never been one for labels - especially ones that bring a negative connotation to them.   Grand Multipara to me is a way to label a woman that has had 'too many' kids.  If you look it up you find crazy stories like the Duggar family or ladies that have had so many children their vagina is gonna fall off.  Most of the women are in their mid-40's and look like they have a ton of kids.   A total stereotype!

When people ask me if this is my first pregnancy (HA!) or what number baby this is for me I always hesitate.    Well the first question I can answer pretty easily, but then what do I say?  How much do I want to share?  How much time do I have?   This is my fourth baby, but it is my sixth baby also.  I try to be honest - I like to educate people about surrogacy - and say something to the effect of:   "This is the fourth baby for my family but will be the 6th baby I deliver.  I was a surrogate mother for 2 other children."   Responses vary from shock and disbelief to admiration and everything in between.   The one I laugh at probably the most (and probably the most appreciative) is the: "Wow!   You don't look like you have had ___fill in the blank__ kids!"  Although I am not exactly sure what some one with ___fill in the blank__ kids should look like I take it as a compliment - because obviously from the look of shock on their face - it is!

While there are always risks involved with pregnancy and birth when you are labeled as a Grand Multipara you are now automatically considered high risk.  Although 90-95% of pregnancies labeled high risk deliver healthy, viable babies.  Some of the things that an OB would watch for would be rapid labor {yet women that have delivered multiple times also tend to have prodromal labor - start and stop, start and stop - more often}, and postpartum hemorrhaging due to having a 'tired' uterus.   A uterus that has lost muscle tone and doesn't clamp down quickly could lead to more blood loss.

 Luckily for me - I know all this, my midwives know all this and we are proactive in my health care.   My back up midwife will have pitocin on hand 'just in case' but I also know to nurse my baby as soon as possible and to take it easy!   With the birth of this baby, as with the last 2 I will be on restriction following the birth.  My plans are to deliver in my bathtub upstairs which means that is where I will be for the week following - upstairs.  In bed.  Relaxing.  Bonding.  Nursing.  Healing.  Resting.  'Cuz we all know that I don't want my guts falling out!!!   After a week I will be allowed downstairs - at first just one trip down and I'll be resting on the couch then back up stairs 'til the next day.  All this is done to help me heal and to promote good mother/baby bonding.   Even if I am an OLD mom with too many kids under my belt!   ;-)    
...and I could totally catch that Duggar lady if I wanted too.   I just don't want to..... well that and our house isn't be enough.  Oh yeah, and I nurse for too long.  My hubby wants to be done having kids at 50.  And............