Fotos of Alexandra's pregnancies?

[Alyosha_Love]

Though there seem to be only a handful of photos of Alexandra during her pregnancies, I was wondering if anyone could provide more information about what her clothing looked like. I know women at that time tended to try to hide pregnancy and that most clothes made were merely frocks/pinafores. However, Alexandra was an empress and, at least I would think, that since it would be impossible for her to not go out all of the time (there were obviously many occasions where she would have needed to be in public, pregnant or not) she would have to wear something during her outings and I simply can't imagine (especially from the two or three pictures posted here) that her clothes had absolutely no fashion-sense (even while pregnant).

The description of maternity clothes that I can find online for this time period is slim information at best and generally states that women just wore loose dresses that did not conform to their curves. So, does anyone know what tricks Alexandra used to "dress up" her wardrobe to befit that of an Empress when she was stuck needing a larger waist than normal?

[bestfriendsgirl]

In this one she was pregnant with Grand Duchess Maria.

Alix looks tired ... Nicky looks wary and concerned.

[clockworkgirl21]

Tatiana and Maria were the hardest pregnancies on Alexandra. She was sick the whole time for Tatiana, and had a difficult labor for Maria.

I don't know what Alix wore specifically, but here is a sketch of a maternity corset from 1908. She probably wore something similar.

[historyfan]

She had such large babies!  My own son was over ten pounds and I had to have a Caesarean.  It's a wonder she made it through her deliveries!

[kamlowsky]

This is regarding a so called false pregnancy mentioned in previous threads.

The cause of this is a Hydatidiform Mole:

Hydatidiform mole is a pregnancy/conceptus in which the placenta contains grapelike vesicles that are usually visible with the naked eye. The vesicles arise by distention of the chorionic villi by fluid. When inspected in the microscope, hyperplasia of the trophoblastic tissue is noted. If left untreated, a hydatidiform mole will almost always end as a spontaneous abortion

The uterus of the woman will enlarge to the physical looks of a 4 or 5 month pregnancy.

For the many references just google the name hydatidiform mole.

[clockworkgirl21]

That's very interesting! We can't prove it, but I'm sure it was possible.

[Clemence]

would it make any difference at all?

[clockworkgirl21]

No, but that's what makes history fun. Guessing at the little stuff.

[Yelena Aleksandrovna]

Tatiana and Maria were the hardest pregnancies on Alexandra. She was sick the whole time for Tatiana, and had a difficult labor for Maria.

I don't know what Alix wore specifically, but here is a sketch of a maternity corset from 1908. She probably wore something similar.

Very interesting...Thank you very much Clock for those sketeches, I always wondered if women used corset while they were pregnant. Anyways that it looks different to a common corset it still looks uncomfortable to wear!!  I agree with you that Alexandra also used the same kind of underwear during her pregnancies.

[bestfriendsgirl]

I know this has been mentioned upthread and elsewhere, but I've always thought Alix must have had gestational diabetes, due to the large size of OTMAA (been there and done that X2!) . She may have been borderline diabetic when not pregnant also - I wonder if that ever occurred to Botkin et. al.

[Sarushka]

I know this has been mentioned upthread and elsewhere, but I've always thought Alix must have had gestational diabetes, due to the large size of OTMAA (been there and done that X2!) . She may have been borderline diabetic when not pregnant also - I wonder if that ever occurred to Botkin et. al.

Infants with high birth weights are common to mothers who are carriers of hemophilia.

[bestfriendsgirl]

Really? I did not know that! You learn something new every day ... 

[historyfan]

I know this has been mentioned upthread and elsewhere, but I've always thought Alix must have had gestational diabetes, due to the large size of OTMAA (been there and done that X2!) . She may have been borderline diabetic when not pregnant also - I wonder if that ever occurred to Botkin et. al.

Infants with high birth weights are common to mothers who are carriers of hemophilia.

How tragic that Alexandra and Nicholas did not know that.  : (

[RealAnastasia]

I know this has been mentioned upthread and elsewhere, but I've always thought Alix must have had gestational diabetes, due to the large size of OTMAA (been there and done that X2!) . She may have been borderline diabetic when not pregnant also - I wonder if that ever occurred to Botkin et. al.

And babies were bigger back then than now. My own mother had big babies. She was quite amazed when she knew her own grandchildren. She said they were as little as baby-mice! Some years ago, women were encouraged to eat a lot to deliver really big babies. I was almost as big as Olga when born, and my brother too!

RealAnastasia.

[bestfriendsgirl]

Well, my boys were 8 lbs. 13 oz. and 8 lbs. 10 oz. respectively. I had gestational diabetes with #2 son and my labor was induced so he wouldn't get any larger. The hemophelia thing scares me, though, as I am adopted and know little of my medical history. But neither of my sons have hemophelia, nor do any of my four half-brothers ...