19th Duggar baby - 15 weeks early!

Kentuckychick wrote: Wow -- well my prayers go out to their family and I hope that both mom and baby come out of this healthy and safe! Having a baby at 25 weeks has to be a very scary experience for all involved.

http://blogs.discovery.com/tlc-michelle-du...=tlc-hp-duggars

A&A'smommy replied: I saw this.. breaks my heart I will be praying for them and tiny baby Josie!!!!

bluebear replied: Hoping all is well for the family.

gr33n3y3z replied: sad but the body can only handle so much abuse and she really pushed her body even when Dr's told her to stop so she did it to herself and child!

Kentuckychick replied:
I definitely agree to some extent. I know that this can happen to any woman with any pregnancy, but Michelle Duggar has said countless times in interviews that because she has "had 18 healthy pregnancies and 18 healthy births" there is absolutely no reason to believe there would be any risk to additional pregnancies.

That's a crock. There is medical evidence that proves that the older a woman is the more risk there is to both mother and baby during pregnancy and childbirth (regardless of how many pregnancies there have been before). There is also a greater risk when a woman has a baby within a year after a previous pregnancy. She had both age and previous pregnancy going against her and I think this pregnancy and early birth have proven that. Her issues with gallbladder led to pre-eclampsia which led to her baby being born at 25 weeks.

I really do hope and pray that this baby grows up to be completely healthy and that Michelle recovers fully as well. I also hope that she takes this as the clue she needs that her body is finished.

jcc64 replied: She seems to be waiting for some sign from God to tell her when enough is enough. I'm hoping for her sake she takes this one.

moped replied: This is a tough one to comment on. I do hope everyone is doing ok, but geez......ya think this will be their last?

PrairieMom replied: 25 weeks is so scary. that poor baby has a loooong road ahead of her. The chances of her surviving this with out any long term effects are not good.
I just hope that the hospital staff can do what needs to be done with out being surrounded by a media circus.

luvbug00 replied: I promise you they wont stop until her uterus falls out... They will just say that God wanted her to be born early and live or not her life has a purpose.

She and the family can believe what she /they want,
I'm just hoping that this baby is ok.

gr33n3y3z replied:
I agree with that and I hope they both don't have serious problems later

Kentuckychick replied:
I agree -- though it seems the odds of the baby having no issues are low. I read somewhere that infants born around 25 weeks have around a 50% liklihood of having some sort of moderate to severe health or developmental issues in life and even if they are lucky enough not to, there's any even higher chance that they will have some lesser degree of developmental issues.

I of course do pray that she will be in that small percentage that comes out with no issues whatsoever.

I forgot to point out when I mentioned earlier that when I agreed with your post to "some extent"... the part I hadn't agreed with, or hadn't quite agreed with was the part where you'd said that she continued even when doctors told her to stop. I don't know that any doctor ever did tell her to stop? Unless I missed something. Every interview that I've seen with her on television, and even the shows that have featured her doctors have had them being VERY supportive of her continuing that have children, even at her age. And them saying that she's "built to have babies"... (heck I'm 'built' to have babies too... I have all the parts and everything... clearly it ain't THAT easy.) So that was where I'd disagreed. I honestly have to wonder what types of doctors she goes to... if they're highly conservative christian doctors who wouldn't dare even suggest a woman stop getting pregnant. Because honestly, I know a few gynocologists who would have discouraged her several children back.

mummy2girls replied: so sad.. I hope this baby does get through and lives a healthy happy life. BUT i also think this is finally the sign they need to say ok no more kids..

MommyToAshley replied: My thoughts and prayers are with their family and the baby.

~Roo'sMama~ replied: I can't imagine how scary this must be for them! I hope little Josie makes it ok. I know that the risks get higher complications as you get older, but if you think about it this could happen to anybody. I know that she had gall stones and that's what caused it but pre-term labor happens to young first mothers as well as middle aged mothers who are healthy and are having their 2nd 3rd or 4th child. If she had a history of pregnancy complications then maybe that would be a different story. But just because not everyone thinks having a lot of children is a good idea doesn't mean we can blame her for the difficulty they're going through right now... not that it's even any of our business. Just my

DVFlyer replied:
These..

MommyToAshley replied:

PrairieMom replied:
ita

cameragirl21 replied: I take no issue with her being an older mom at all. I also hope that baby Josie makes a full recovery.
I think, however, that the human body can only take so much and having 19 chidren is probably way over its capacity. I think a mother of 19 or a mother of 1 should be responsible and not put herself through something that she knows may be a detriment to her health and her life when she has other children who depend on her and need her to be alive and healthy.

msoulz replied:
ITA with this completely.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Totally agree. I have a feeling that people wouldn't bash her if she were someone else who didn't have 18 children. Prematurity can happen to ANYONE at ANY age no matter how many children you have. My prayers go out to the family.

boyohboyohboy replied:
said perfectly sara!

kimberley replied:


complications can happen to ANY woman, regardless of health, age, previous pgs. i had 2 m/c (before Jade and after K)... should i have "taken the sign" to stop? i would have missed out on the amazing joy of my daughters and soon to be son.

prayers for baby Josie.

jcc64 replied:

They CAN happen to any woman, it's true, but she's not any woman, she's a woman whose spent more than half of her life being pg. As all of us know, pg takes its toll, and regardless of what statistics or research says, our bodies get pretty beat up in the process of giving life. Common sense says that doing it 19 times equals that much more "wear and tear" for lack of better phrasing. Should this little baby wind up with extensive complications, we all know it's going to fall in large part onto the older girls, and I'm not sure this is something THEY signed up for. I know we've been round and round the Duggar debate before, and I think Michelle Duggar seems like a lovely, selfless woman, but this decision to keep punishing her body with all those little ones still depending on her seems, idk, reckless. I know her religious beliefs dictate that she keep going, but can't she just go the movies or get a headache next time she's ovulating????
And finally, where's the scrutiny of Jim Bob or whatever his name is? Why can't he keep it in his pants for a few days a month?

Boo&BugsMom replied:

kimberley replied:
LOL about "Jim Bob"... i don't know too many guys who say no.

I understand what your saying about "wear and tear" on the body but that is what we were built for... making children. She had 18 just fine. my 5th pg was the easiest of them all and the first was the most damaging, physically. there is no medical maximum number for child bearing or magic formula to tell us when something may go wrong.

Years ago it was strange to only have one kid. DH's parents, my grandparents, aunts, etc all came from families of 8 to 13 kids. They all helped out and worked hard and are some of the most decent people I have ever met. They understand the true meaning of family and togetherness and that hard work pays off. These are the people who would give the shirt off their back to help someone in need... unlike the rich snobs at my church who can't spare bus fare or the time of day to help the homeless. I really don't think we should judge their way of life just because we wouldn't choose it for ourselves. It is impossible to understand unless you are living it. Those kids want to help each other... it's not a chore. i just think it's wrong to dislike/judge something just because we don't understand it or wouldn't choose that life for ourselves.

DVFlyer replied:
I don't think all is what it seems with Jim Bob....

bluebear replied: I don't think people understand that they don't try for kids. They have sex just as often as any other couple, and if they just so happen to get pregnant, well God gave them that pregnancy. They aren't trying nor preventing. Whatever happens happens. It's not "weird," many people follow this path in life; and some just aren't as fertile as Michelle Duggar and some might be the same or more than her.

PrairieMom replied:
I get that they don't try, but they obviously don't DTD as often as "Any' other couple. just sayin... Esp with the 2 I already have, i am exhausted! I have no idea how they do it.

Kentuckychick replied: My problem isn't with them having as many children as they have... my problem is with them constantly saying that they're taking the "we'll take what God gives us" approach. Honestly I have to wonder what God truly thinks about all of this... "please stop having sex?" He may.

The thing with the Duggars is this. They didn't care a lick about birth control and obviously were not against it until Michelle had a miscarriage that they believe to have been caused by birth control. Now I know that would cause a lot of people to change their minds about bcp's and I have nothing against that either, especially since they don't go out and preach the quiverfull approach... but they have said themselves, these words coming out of their very mouths that they believed that the miscarriage was a "sign from GOD" that they should not use birth control. That bothers me. A lot. Especially because wouldn't it go without saying that if they miscarriage was a sign from God to not use birth control, that a 15 week premature baby is a sign from God to stop having children? I mean if simple bad luck = big bad signs from God, then they'd better start listening again.

I also don't go with the whole "her pregnancies aren't planned" either. If you have sex when you're most fertile (which clearly she does... just about every time), AND you're having babies approximately every single year, AND you're clearly not trying NOT to get pregnant, AND you're Michelle Duggar... then you'd better be planning on having a baby is all I'm sayin'.

paradisemommy replied: i love watching their show - i'm absolutely amazed at them and their family. i wouldn't choose it for myself but to have that many kids, so well behaved, obviously extremely happy with their large family and to know that they are debt free and support themselves - KUDOS to them..

ZandersMama replied:
zav was around that gestation, and i had no history of complications. no reason not to have a full term pregnacy. i just abrupted. i hope baby josie is ok

jcc64 replied:

How do you, or we, know what goes through their heads? And anyone with a modicum of intelligence or knowledge of human reproduction knows that if you have sex during ovulation, the chances of getting pg are exponentially higher than if you do it any other time of the month. Is it that hard to avoid each other for a few days?

bluebear replied: She has said it herself on the show.
Anyway, I'm sorry for even making my last post. I find it ridiculous that everybody is bashing her for the number of kids. I'm done.

Godbless Josie. I read an article online yesterday saying that everything is looking good for her.

PrairieMom replied:
To be fair . I have to say that that you haven't been around here long enough to know that The duggars are a sensitive subject, and that really in comparison, this thread is extremely tame compared to some that we have had. There are a few topics around here that are sure to start controversy, The duggars is one of them. If you want to see a good "fight" you could also bring up Breast feeding, circumcision, or abortion.

amymom replied:
lol I am tired and cranky so forgive, but I can't pass this up.


I am sooooo tempted to start a thread

Th Dugger family believes in Breast feeding, they circumcise and don't want any abortions.


Ok I just had to. Sorry.

PrairieMom replied:

Kentuckychick replied:
I agree with God Bless Josie! I truly hope he does and that she comes out healthy and happy and well...

however, this is the exact quote from the most recent article about the Duggars and Josie from People Magazine from yesterday;

Michelle Duggar tells PEOPLE she is cherishing every moment with her premature 19th child, Josie Brooklyn, who remains hospitalized at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

"Josie is doing as well as can be expected for a baby at her age. We are taking each hour as it comes," says Michelle, who has been released from the hospital. "We feel so blessed that God has given us to her and are cherishing every moment with her."

I have heard from so many people since then that Josie is "doing well" or "doing better" and it baffles me. Where from that statement is anyone getting that information? It seems to me as though they're being very vague (and I don't blame them) since with babies born at 25 weeks things can change from minute to minute. But no where from the statement does it lead me to believe that things are looking up or looking good.

The article goes on to say;

Jim Bob says the family is "very grateful" for the support, love and prayers they have received from around the country.

"God's will is what we would choose if we knew all the facts. Our children's spiritual maturity is going to deepen so much through this, in a way that couldn't happen any other way," he says.

He adds, "This is so difficult, but I know that we are leaving this in God's hands."

Again... there's hope there, but there's still very obviously that knowledge that this baby's life at this point is still touch and go. And I'm sorry, but the part about this deepening his children's spiritual maturity... well that's a helluva way to get it done.

PrairieMom replied:
I am not saying that JOsie is in the situation she is in due to any actions on her mothers part, I just want to say that off the bat, IMO, this was just a thing that happened, it could happen to anyone, no ones fault.

BUT, as a respiratory therapist who has worked with micro premies like JOsie, I have seen first hand that you cannot say that she is going to be fine. You can't say that she isn't either. She has a long way to go, and the risk of her coming out of this with no effects at all are very very slim. There are lots of things that can happen. Being born at 25 weeks is very dangerous, and this little girl is going to need all the prayers she can get.

Nina J replied: I definately wouldn't be able to have so many children, but to each there own. I think it's very sad that little Josie was born so early and I hope and pray everything works out for her.

In regards to their massive family, it is their choice, and their children seem very loved and very cared for. Yes, they have an enormous family. But I don't see the point in people having issues with it. Compared to a huge number of children in this world, the Duggar family are very blessed and very lucky. There are more worthy things to put time and thought in to besides 2 strangers and their reproductive habits.

jcc64 replied: I think it's human nature to look at the choices that others have made and wonder if we'd have done the same thing. I think the scrutiny surrounding the Duggars' lifestyle spins out of this simple fact, in conjunction with their decision to put their lives on display on national television. No one is wishing this little baby or the rest of her family ill, quite the contrary. However, questioning the wisdom of a particular decision is not tantamount to "bashing", as has been suggested. This is healthy discourse and I don't think anyone has been particularly harsh. We are capable of so much worse......

Cece00 replied: You know, my mom was one of 15 kids. Only one set was twins (my mom & her brother) so my grandmother was pregnant 14 times. She didnt have any complications as far as I know, although she did have 2 children die from non-pregnancy related issues after birth. I cant imagine ANYONE ever calling my grandmother reckless, as she wasnt. It was not @ all uncommon here, esp bc a lot of families were catholic farming families. 10-20 children was not all that uncommon. I have a lot of cousins with 8-10 children.

I hope everything turns out well with their child. This could happen to anyone, with any pregnancy.