Are the Duggars expecting again?

[DawnM]

How would kissing or having sex before marriage have changed them knowing if she were furtile? I am not following that logic.

I also don't get the impression that they don't believe in going to the doctor for help. Several episodes have been at doctor's offices or in the hospital.

Dawn

Can't help but wonder.....since Josh and Anna had no sex, not even kissed before their wedding, what would have happened if Anna had been someone that could not get pregnant? Since they don't believe in outside help to get that way would Josh have stayed with her? What a disappointment to the clan to have someone that wasn't fertile to marry one of them!

Also, sounds like no matter what is going on or how bad Michelle feels, when JimBob says it's time, she's gotta hop in the sack. Do you really think she is excited about it every time!!!!

 

[BC]

Oh, sorry. Maybe I was too vague. I meant if they had dated a long time and had sex (as lots of couples do these days), had she gotten pregnant before they were married, then he would know that she could get that way.

As far as outside help, I know they go to Doctors, but I meant as far as invitro or fertility drugs, I don't think they would do that as that would not be leaving it up to God.

 

[DMRick]

I think when they get to be a certain age, they will find a spouse..maybe even with a little help. I think they will all marry and have kids. Unless they bolt first.
They often have get togethers with other like minded families, and they have like minded kids.

I really doubt all the Duggar kids will marry. I'm sure they'd like to, but they don't "date" and they wait for their future spouse to be "given" to them. Their future spouses must have the same "values" as the Duggar clan. The guys can find younger wives, but the girls can only have kids for so long.... Plus the older girls are pretty busy "helping" at home. JMHO, but I'll bet it's several more years before we see another Duggar wedding....

 

[luvmy3]

I still think it's funny.

Me too

 

[DMass]

Now that TLC has a show called Sister Wives, they should change the name from 19 Kids and Counting to Sister Moms because that seems to be who's raising these kids they keep popping out.

 

[RUDisney]

I'm pretty sure you don't---are you familiar with the Gothard philosophies they follow and the obedience games, including blanket training, that he supports? They're yucky...in my opinion of course.

What's blanket training?

Can't help but wonder.....since Josh and Anna had no sex, not even kissed before their wedding, what would have happened if Anna had been someone that could not get pregnant? Since they don't believe in outside help to get that way would Josh have stayed with her? What a disappointment to the clan to have someone that wasn't fertile to marry one of them!

Also, sounds like no matter what is going on or how bad Michelle feels, when JimBob says it's time, she's gotta hop in the sack. Do you really think she is excited about it every time!!!!

Why would it have to be Anna's problem that would prevent them from having kids? Josh could have been shooting blanks.

 

[4nana]

Strangely though, Amish don't usually have 19 children. Amish average 6-8 I believe. Maybe because they breast-feed? (don't really know if they do or not)

Breastfeeding full-time usually (usually!) stops ovulation for a longer period of time than if you bottle feed. I think the studies of indigenous populations who breastfeed exclusively and wear their babies, etc average 4 years between births, while bottle feeders average 2 years. (probably should say here that I am not saying one is better than the other, just a statistic, folks, don't read anything into this between the lines, please)

I don't watch the Duggar show, if she breast feeds, she must not feed on demand and keep her baby close, etc as indigenous women do or her babies would be more spread apart......

I've read that Michelle breastfeeds exclusively, (altho had to supplement with last baby) but does get her monthly within 6-8wks. Speaking as a Mom who birthed 4 children within a 5 yr period, who exclusively breastfed each every 1½ - 2 hrs. on demand for 6-9mos. (and felt like I wore them ), I can tell you nursing is definitely 'not' a trustworthy birth control . Yes, 'usually' is not carved is stone.

Personally I have nothing against the Duggars and wish them well. Considering they have 19 children, I think they do a dang good job. Matter of fact, I know some parents that could benefit from their show . I was raised around the Amish community and honestly don't see much difference concerning family, accountability and responsibility. I've seen these women work in the fields right up until delivery time and go back to crops a week afterwards. I think it's very sad they short change their kids when only obligated to attend school 8 yrs., but it's their life style and no one comdemns them.

That being said, I agree, if almost losing little Josie, who sadly does and will have problems all her life, and being critically ill yourself, isn't God way of telling you not to have any more children, then I don't know what is?

 

[MrsPete]

I mean, when a piece of mail arrives to Mr J Duggar, how do they know whose it is?

Easy: It's for Jim Bob. Why would you think he'd allow anyone else in the household to receive mail? Well, Michelle might get the occasional piece of mail from the OB/GYN, but the kids? Nah.

Strangely though, Amish don't usually have 19 children. Amish average 6-8 I believe. Maybe because they breast-feed? (don't really know if they do or not)

A theory: Do the Amish vaccinate their children and use modern medical care? If not, then perhaps they're losing a child here and there? I mean, it was very, very common not too many generations ago to give birth to 10 children and raise only 5. I know that my great-grandmother was considered very fortunate because she gave birth to 10 boys/1 girl and raised them ALL to adulthood. It was unheard of.

Also, the Amish aren't necessarily attempting to have as many children as possible (i.e., purposefully having sex on fertile days). I have the impression that they're aimming for quality not quantity, and they probably have natural birth control methods that're effective.

The Duggars, I'm sure, are purposefully trying to produce as many children as possible. I also question whether Michelle is really nursing exclusively. I breastfed my children well past a year, and I didn't get a period during all that time. Certainly genetics differ, but I'm suspicious that she's supplementing at a young age.

Anyway, back to the modern medicine theory . . . it seems a little skewed to say that conception is completely up to God -- no birth control, no fertility treatment -- but that once the baby's here it's okay to use modern medicine. Either everything's up to God or it isn't.

Oh, sorry. Maybe I was too vague. I meant if they had dated a long time and had sex (as lots of couples do these days), had she gotten pregnant before they were married, then he would know that she could get that way.

But if she was using birth control effectively, she wouldn't really KNOW whether she was capable of getting pregnant or not.

I doubt this was ever a really big concern. I mean, they're both young and they come from families who obviously have fertile genes. Their chances of being able to get pregnant easily were good.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I have always wondered how easily they will accept "God's will" if one of the children ends up infertile.

It is one thing to say you will leave it up to God but what happens when the emotional distress of infertility hits?

And no, I do not wish infertility on any of them, I'm just curious if their opinion would stay the same if things don't go the way they expect. The true test of faith is what you do when you are not blessed.

 

[woodkins]

Oh, sorry. Maybe I was too vague. I meant if they had dated a long time and had sex (as lots of couples do these days), had she gotten pregnant before they were married, then he would know that she could get that way.

As far as outside help, I know they go to Doctors, but I meant as far as invitro or fertility drugs, I don't think they would do that as that would not be leaving it up to God.

I think this is backwards reasoning...if people follow your train of thought then they should all get pregnant prior to marriage to ensure their fertility as a couple, which goes against the beliefs of nearly every religion which prohibit sex before marriage.

 

[chamonix]

MrsPete, the Amish do vaccinate (though a bit less than the rest of the US population) and they do use modern medical care. The average number of children is pretty close to the number of births, its not like families in the past who routinely lost several of their babies and children.

I also suspect that mrs duggar doesn't exclusively nurse on demand, but no matter, as written upthread it's totally possible to get pregnant while nursing! (though as seen in the studies, not common so it averages out)

I really don't know the Amish view on birth control, if they actively practice natural family planning or not. I do know they make jokes about having no TV and computers to entertain themselves with in the evenings so they tend to go to bed "early"

 

[PlutosFriend]

I watch the show. I agree, that she need to say enough an be done already! I think the kids are very well mannered, etc. BUT...I can't help but wonder...out of 19...will at least one of them stray and go "wild" ?! My bets are on either Jinger or Johanna!!

 

[phorsenuf]

I watch the show. I agree, that she need to say enough an be done already! I think the kids are very well mannered, etc. BUT...I can't help but wonder...out of 19...will at least one of them stray and go "wild" ?! My bets are on either Jinger or Johanna!!

Well...with a name like Jinger...(insert pole dancing smilie here)

 

[BC]

RUDisney - Absolutely it could be Josh that had a problem. I am just saying I wonder how devastated the whole bunch would be if when they got married, they then found out they could not have children. As that seems to be a big part of their behavior (to have as many kids as possible), I assumed it would be an issue. That's all....just pointed out Anna as an example if the person that could not reproduce was someone outside of the Duggar family.

Woodkins - I certainly in no way think anyone, no matter their religion, should have children before marriage, for many reasons! I guess I should not have worded it that way. Sorry if it came across as me feeling that way. Just pointing out if it is so important to all the Duggars to have kids, it would probably have been a shock to Josh if Anna indeed could not have any.

 

[kacaju]

I also question whether Michelle is really nursing exclusively. I breastfed my children well past a year, and I didn't get a period during all that time. Certainly genetics differ, but I'm suspicious that she's supplementing at a young age.

I exclusively breastfed my 3 until they were each a year old. I got my period back within 8 weeks of delivering them all.

 

[southernbohemian]

I also have often thought how devastated any of the Duggar girls are going to be if they turn out that they can't have children. That is ALL they have been educated about. When they go on their trip to the homeschool convention, all the girls get together and do housework stuff while the boys get to climb walls and have fun. It's very 1850s. I guess they would simply stick around the house and help with their brothers and sisters and then their neices and nephews. They are really given no value other than what good mothers they will one day make.

Look at the way Anna and the whole clan acted after the marriage. Taking pregnancy tests constantly and getting so upset for (3 months) that she wasn't pregnant.

I thought Josh and Anna had previously said that they didn't want a crazy big family like Michelle and Jim Bob - right? I guess that means they only want 8 or 9 kids?

I didn't watch the last couple of episodes, but my mom said one of the daughters was talking about being a nurse. I really hope she does. I would be surprised though, since they don't seem at all interested in the kids getting higher educations.

I do hope they stop. Didn't they say, when they were building the house, that they had 20 acres and one day hoped to put a kid and their family on each acre. Well - they would have just the right amount now so they could keep an acre for themselves.

 

[BC]

Glad to know someone else wondered about the reaction if they could not reproduce!

 

[daughtersrus]

I've read that Michelle breastfeeds exclusively, (altho had to supplement with last baby) but does get her monthly within 6-8wks.

Michelle is not breastfeeding Josie but I don't know if she is still pumping.

In one of the last few episodes they said that Josie's digestive problems were because of the breast milk. Once they put her on formula, she got much better.

They also showed Michelle packing up all of the frozen breast milk saying that it can't help Josie but maybe another baby would benefit from the milk.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Well...with a name like Jinger...(insert pole dancing smilie here)

LOL

I exclusively breastfed my 3 until they were each a year old. I got my period back within 8 weeks of delivering them all.

No food? I breast fed exclusively for 5 months, started introducing food (cereal) then, but also continued breastfeeding for a year or more. But I too barely missed a period.

I do hope they stop. Didn't they say, when they were building the house, that they had 20 acres and one day hoped to put a kid and their family on each acre. Well - they would have just the right amount now so they could keep an acre for themselves.

That sounds pretty presumptuous of them to think that all the kids are going to settle down close to them and not their spouses' families.

 

[SaraJayne]

Strangely though, Amish don't usually have 19 children. Amish average 6-8 I believe. Maybe because they breast-feed? (don't really know if they do or not)

Breastfeeding full-time usually (usually!) stops ovulation for a longer period of time than if you bottle feed. I think the studies of indigenous populations who breastfeed exclusively and wear their babies, etc average 4 years between births, while bottle feeders average 2 years. (probably should say here that i am not saying one is better than the other, just a statistic, folks, don't read anything into this between the lines, please)

I don't watch the Duggar show, if she breast feeds, she must not feed on demand and keep her baby close, etc as indigenous women do or her babies would be more spread apart......

She only BF's for 3-6 months (can't remember the exact number) so she's able to get pregnant again ASAP.