Bridal pregnancies?

[sylvia (canada)]

Years ago, when I first started this I was surprised but extremely delighted to find that my very nice but generally snooty great aunt must have been several months pregnant with my uncle, her first child.

Zaph

Same here when I realised my grandmother was pregnant with my mother when she married.

I was equally surprised and delighted that this very nice but proper lady had actually lied about her age at her marriage, as had her equally upright husband.

[sylvia (canada)]

As the saying goes, often children of couples were born in wedlock except the first. 2 out of 3 of my London female ancestors were in the family way when they walked down the aisle.

I think we've all found that, and are far more accepting of it, than my mother or previous generations were.

My grandparents never celebrated their 50th anniversary, or any other anniversaries so far as I know, and I have wondered if that was because they were afraid that people would count the months. Although my parents never made any great deal about any of their anniversaries, even their 25th, no parties.

There was always a family story that my brother had horrified my mother when he asked if he was born before or after their marriage ........... parents were married on 28th August and brother was born on 9th August the following year! He never lived that down!!!

[DianaCanada]

Just had a look at my lines going back a few generations and it looks like about half of the brides were pregnant when they went to the altar.

[Sandrafamilytree]

Many years ago , in the 1970s, I recall a neighbour telling my mother that her just-married daughter was expecting a baby.

She went on to say that "the doctors have told Janette that her baby is going to be a special six-month baby, not a nine-month one." 

[sylvia (canada)]

Many years ago , in the 1970s, I recall a neighbour telling my mother that her just-married daughter was expecting a baby.

She went on to say that "the doctors have told Janette that her baby is going to be a special six-month baby, not a nine-month one." 

love it!

[Treetotal]

I often wonder how many women who were pregnant when they married, claimed that their baby was premature. I know one of my Aunts did.
Carol

[sylvia (canada)]

I often wonder how many women who were pregnant when they married, claimed that their baby was premature. I know one of my Aunts did.
Carol

I bet most of them did!!

[coombs]

I often wonder how many women who were pregnant when they married, claimed that their baby was premature. I know one of my Aunts did.
Carol

That was a good idea but would only work if they wed in the first couple of months or so of the pregnancy. If they wed when the bride was in a more advanced stage of pregnancy then they could not hide it. I guess the parents may have fudged the date to say they married a year before they actually did. But as bridal pregnancy was very, very common then makes you wonder why some seemed ashamed to admit they married when they were expecting their first child.

[Treetotal]

I would image that this was quite a common occurrence during the war years.
Carol