@dragonfly, I wasn’t targeting you at all! Not! Some people’s bodies are bizarrely good at having babies. I hope your pregnancy eases way up! and makes a nice baby for you. Big job, take it easy and hope you enjoy.
Yes to everyone who says big families made big work teams. Also, in societies where child mortality was high, you wanted some to spare. We don’t live by the land any more in our culture, by and large; we see kids as expenses rather than sources of labor.
I completely agree with you, Jane Ann, with regard to matching up people who want kids with kids who need families. I have adopteds, steps, and informal fosters, no birth children. Working out pretty okay so far.