We all know that prenant women on the island die before their third trimester (about 6 months in at most). I have an idea about that considering the timing of the death of the women and the birth off-island of certain people (namely Ben and Locke). I was starting to kick this idea around on lost-theories.com when it abruptly died an untimely death. Oh well. Anyway, I hope this hasn't been discussed here already. If it has, just ignore me.

Anyway, I was thinking that the island might exist in a different timeline. I that's not a new theory but I think different timelines explains a few things. I think the island exists in a seperate timeline from the off-island world. This for some reason interferes with the births.

I'll focus specifically on two births. I think Ben and Locke, in the island timeline, were conceived on the island and their mothers died after about six months. Meanwhile, back at the farm in another timeline, each was born prematurely at the same time the mothers died on the island. The death of the mothers and children could be another form of course correction.

This could also explain claims of virgin births. The children are conceived by parents on the island and back in the off-island world the mother in that timeline becomes pregnant. The mother and child on the island are killed at a certain point in the development of the fetus and and the mother off-island gives birth.

This also explains how Richard and Horace knew when John Locke and Ben Linus were going to be born off island. They would have been able to track pregnancy on the island then leave and track down the mother. They would know about when she was going to die on the island and therefore when she was going to give birth off-island. That's how Horace just happened to be driving by when Ben was born and how Richard was able to be at the hospital to see young John Locke.

These children are the special ones. I'm not sure who else could be special this way... maybe Walt? Or Michael? Jack? Those who can't seem to die? Maybe Ben thought Alex was one of those special ones and that's why he was so shocked when she was killed...

Anyway, I'm sure there are tons of holes in this... just a thought. Let me know what you think!

Awesome theory, holes and all. The holes are really just the rest of the theme needing a filling in, but this seems to be the case anyway. It's odd that Emily didn't even look pregnant when dancing around the room before going out to meet him... then she's pregnant and there is a fairly large child being birthed.. odd.

Perhaps then the child born on our timeline but concieved originally where time doesn't flow properly can't be killed because they are forever linked to the island. I assume if you de there the same thing happens, yourspirit trapped but useful in the time bubble.

Maybe they can't die because they've already died on the island...

I was thinking that as well, as with Michael. What kind of person can't be killed? One who is already.

if locke's mother had died, then i might consider your theory more. but she is not dead. so i think claiming that locke and ben were conceived on the island is a huge leap- and unsupportable.

You mean because Ben's mom died? Ben was born in the woods. Locke was born in a hospital. That might explain why one died and the other didn't.

i did not think about that. i still think it is a stretch though.

And what do you mean unsupportable Ceb? A guy shows up at a door of a house where an adopted boy lives claiming he's from a special school, and then asks the boy which of the things in this bag of old crap is yours. Why would Richard use a wormhole, track down a boy when he knew the boy's whole history and see if there was what? Another person existing inside the boy? The boy jumped through timelines when he was born... what? It has to be something along those lines for Richard to take on such a task. If anything, Richard shows that he believes such a thing can happen.
It may not be support in our world but in the Lostverse, that is support.

I was reading another thread and someone mentioned that maybe Richard was looking for the "Scientist Locke" and found the wrong one (indicated when he picked up the knife... hunter Locke?). Then I thought that maybe Richard is checking different timelines for a particular Locke. He's conflicted through his life as to what his true character is. Man of Faith, Man of Science, Leader, Hunter... Maybe he got mad because he realized he'd found the wrong one. Locke on the island would be, presumably, the right one.

So there would be many timelines each with the same people (except in timelines when certain people have died) but the special one's are those who were conceived on the island. Richard is out finding the special people for the island, then the island brings them there somehow (like crashing planes). This is interesting because at some point the DI would have been welcome by the island since Horace was also out looking for people (Ben).

Another thing I was thinking about were the bearings. I've read posts where people claim the bearings to leave and come to the island have been inconsistant. I think this might be because there are different bearings to get to the island depending on the timeline you're coming from. The bearings to leave the island would be different depending on what timeline you want to get to. Ben might have sent Michael to a timeline in which he knew Michael was dead (killed himself maybe?) and maybe that's why he can't die. The Oceanic Six might have escaped the island to the wrong timeline and that's why Jack can't kill himself and Hurley says they're dead. They possibly traveled to a timeline in which Oceanic 815 crashed in the ocean and everyone died.

I'm rambling on a bit here but I think I'm onto something. All this might have been said before though, I haven't checked. Time will tell. I guess in some alternate timeline at least I'm correct.

So Locke was born when his mother was 6 months old. Ben as well? All the women on the island that are pregnant die at 6 months. I hate to bring up hell references but that in some way is three 6's and if not that then there is certainly some significance to that. I had not made the connection until I read highbrow's post. Was Walt born premature?