I found some information to add to this thread. There are a series of very good articles on OTMAA at the Suite 101 site, which is where I found the following information about the children's births:
Olga's article (
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/16444/93676)
"Olga was a large baby weighing 10 pounds and measuring 55 centimeters. It had been a difficult birth, but Nicholas and Alix couldn’t have been happier about the little girl."
I found this interesting as it reminds us of Olga's large birth weight and the fact that it was a "difficult birth."
Tatiana's article (
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/16444/94190)
"This pregnancy had been more difficult than the first one, and the young Empress was kept to her bed for seven weeks. The birth pangs began at night, and yet an entire commission of family members and doctors rapidly collected itself at her bedside."
From Nicky's diary: "Poor Alix suffered all night without shutting her eyes for a moment, and at 8 o'clock went downstairs to Mama’s bedroom. Thank God this time it all went quickly and safely Tatiana weighs 8¾ pounds and is 54cm long."
I found several interesting points here:
1) It says that Alix was prescribed bed rest for nearly two months prior to Tatiana's birth due to a difficult pregnancy. I would like to know what made it so difficult. Also, although the pregnancy was difficult, the birth itself seems to have been easier than Olga's, as Nicholas writes "Thank God
this time it all went quickly and safely." From the words "this time" I get the impression it wasn't so the first time.
2) The article states that "an entire commission of family members" gathered themselves at Alix's bedside. I wonder whether this gathering at her bedside was meant literally, and if the large group of relatives was allowed to be present at the actual birth. I can imagine this may have been uncomfortable for Alix, as for any woman who would have to endure childbirth with many witnesses around. I wonder if this was just Russian Imperial tradition or family preference (I suspect it was the latter). I do recall from my readings that Queen Victoria insisted on being present at the births of her grandchildren and was very irked when she was not able to make it in time.
3) Nicholas states that Tatiana was born in his mother's bedroom (remember that she was born at Peterhof). So the birth did not occur in the Imperial couple's own bedroom. This also leads me to think that the Dowager Empress may have been present at the birth as well, as it took place in her bedroom and I can also just imagine that she would want to be in the room at the birth of her grandchild, regardless of Alix's wishes. I do recall reading somewhere that the Dowager Empress was called to the Alexander Palace when Alix began having labour pains with Olga, so I imagine she may have been witness at that birth as well. Again, I wonder how Alix felt about this, as she was not particularly close or fond of her mother-in-law, but perhaps would not have wanted to contradict her wishes regarding this matter.
4) Finally, note that Tatiana was the smallest of the babies. I don't remember Maria's weight, but I am pretty sure it was more than Tatiana's 8 pounds.
