Duggar Baby No. 19 Arrives
Friday December 11, 2009 09:45 AM EST
Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar

Scott Enlow/TLC
Facebook Twitter Yahoo Buzz E-mail She arrived earlier than expected, but the 19th Duggar baby is here!

Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar welcomed daughter Josie Brooklyn, weighing 1 lb., 6 oz., at 6:27 p.m. Thursday, at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas.

Michelle, who has been in the hospital recovering from a gallstone, was taken to the OR for an emergency C-section. She is resting comfortably and the baby is stable and in the NICU for extended care, a rep for the network tells PEOPLE exclusively.

"The most important thing right now is for mom and baby Josie to get as much rest as possible," reads the statement to PEOPLE. "The family is grateful for all the prayers and well wishes during their recovery."


She must have sneezed and the baby shot out......

I cannot get the graphic to copy/paste, but the Vagina is not a Clown Car poster should be here.......

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I wonder if gallbladder issues can cause premature deliveries. I have a sister-in-law whose baby came pretty early and while she was in the hospital for that emergency c-section it was discovered that her gallbladder had ruptured and was leaking stuff. She was in pretty bad shape for awhile. That was with the birth of her third child, and she was in her early 30's.

I think whenever the body is under stress preterm labor is more likely. I was in a car accident with my first and had a horrible kidney infection with my second. Had preterm labor with both kids. Both kids were born a month early.

Hope mom and baby recover well. (and I hope her uterus goes into retirement)

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Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

I sincerely hope and pray all goes well with the health of Michelle and her premature baby girl, however I also sincerely hope this is for them next time sometime more seriously could happen this is now her 5th c-section and her age factor I honestly feel enough is enough . They have started to have grandchildren and should enjoy the children they have been blessed with and all the many grandchildren I am sure God will bless them with. Peace. Catherine

Yep, I'd say maybe this is a hint to quit while you're ahead!

This new baby weighed less than 2 lbs..I hope she is healthy and safe.

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What a hateful thing to say.
This poor mom has a baby hanging on for dear life and you have to make a comment like that.
I am guessing you have never had to go through a preemie birth and had babies in NICU. I have been there, it's the worst place to be.
Do people ever even think before they open their mouths anymore?

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Ditto on the Vagina is not a clown car graphic the op wanted to display.

I agree. It isn't right to say horrible and cruel things even though you don't agree with their lifestyle or how many children they've had.

They're dealing with a precious little life that weighs less than 2 lbs. My boys were premature and I can tell you it's not a good place to be.

I hope you or your family members are never in that situation. I highly doubt anyone would be joking about it.

Is that weight correct? I thought she was a lot further along than that or am I thinking of baby 18. I thought her and Anna were pregnant at the same time.

Of course it came early it must be like an open garage down there after 18 children.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

I believe that Michelle was due in March sometime. Sincere prayers that baby and mom make it through this just fine. Yes, the Duggars have quite a few children, but nobody wants to hear of a premature birth.

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Sorry my idea of a lame joke!

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

No family, no matter how large or small, should have to endure the stress and worry of a premature baby. I hope that the baby and momma obtain health and happiness.

However, it may be time for the Duggars to consider making a change in their lifestyle choice. It appears that Mama Duggar may be reaching a point, physically, where she can't safely carry a child to term.

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Having a premature baby will do wonders for their ratings.

That premature baby little girl has a really long painful road of recovery so sad and I also agree while it is their personal choice to have had as many children as they did MIchelle is 43 and honestly cmom now after 5 c-sections and god forbid if Michelle ever bleed where it could not be stopped again I personally and sincerely hope the health of this little tiny baby will be okay because as a parent of a sick child I cannot imagine. Know its all up to God and they as a family have a long painful road to deal with. Peace. Catherine

I am Pro-Choice, meaning I support the Constitutional right of every citizen of this country to make their own reproductive decisions.

When there is something affecting the digestive tract it can stimulate the uterus and cause premature labor - this happened to me in my third pregnancy when I developed *severe* lactose intolerance and went into labor at 25 weeks. I was fortunate that we were able to stop the labor and I carried my son full-term, although I was very sick for the rest of the pregnancy (he was 8 lbs 14 oz at birth instead of the 10+ lbs he would have been if I'd been healthier).

I don't see Michelle Duggar's gallbladder attack as anymore of a sign to stop having kids than I saw my lactose intolerance as a sign to stop having kids (I had two more children after my third). The Duggar family may find themselves choosing to stop having more children due to the increased responsibilities and difficulties of raising a premie who may, or may not, wind up with some residual difficulties.

But that is THEIR choice - not ours.

Michelle had preelcampsia. Duggar Baby Born Prematurely Due to Pregnancy Complication - Babies, Health : People.com

That's so cynical.

I don't think anyone's saying she should be banned from having kids, just voicing their opinion. Of course it's her choice.

Once you you have a pre-term baby the risks are higher it will happen again. That doesn't mean that just because mother has a preterm baby that she should stop having kids. But when you factor in age, 19 pregnancies, 5 c-sections, A pre-term baby, gallbladder problems, and pre-eclampsia, it's obvious that any subsequent pregnancy would be very high risk. She would not only be putting her unborn child at risk of death or serious life-long complications but she'd be putting her own life at risk too. She has 19 children that love and depend on her, they should be more important than adding another baby. That of course is just my opinion which doesn't mean squat, she's free to do as she wishes. (Though I have a feeling they're going to come to the same conclusion, my guess is that this is it for them.)

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Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

Very well said Jen!

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

I must be losing all track of time as it seems like this family JUST had a baby. I hope this preemie grows into good health.

Is it just me or does anyone else wonder how parents of 18, now 19, children find time and energy to boink?@!!

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

I don't know where she gets the time or energy but that smile that's always on JimBob's face says it all.

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And she's always pretty happy looking too!

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people sure are mean around here sometimes

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I think the parents are mentally ill. If they had that many cats, animal control would be all over them.

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- Stephen Colbert.

I agree, people are mean. I don't think anyone wants to have a premature baby, regardless of how many children you have. I don't see what's so wrong with having so many kids. They have no debt and are not on any state support. Just because it's not the "norm" today, doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it. If I could afford it, heck yeah I'd have as many kids as God wanted me to!

"Networks usually won't disclose the deals they make with individual families. But according to reality producer Terence Michael, the general rule of thumb is that reality-show families earn about 10 percent of a show's per-episode budget. So, if TLC budgets about $250,000 to $400,000 per episode—and Michael suspects it does—that would mean $25,000 to $40,000 in the Duggars' pockets for four or five days' work, which is roughly how long it takes to film a typical episode." From the sounds of this, they are MILKING this for all it is worth... Exploiting their kids this way is nuts/


Cajmom you said "They have no debt and are not on any state support" Well they pay no taxes on that house because they decalred it a church or some crazy thing like that... To me that is using the laws of the state to their advantage... so essentially it is state support.

And it is just unhealthy for a person to have that many kids... Eventually her insides will be falling out, literally....

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Be careful what you wish for.....

"as God wanted me to" Why is it that people take something like spitting out children one after another as a sign that "God wants them to" but when something like this premature baby happens they don't consider maybe this is sign from God to stop it.

Just because someone keeps having babies doesn't mean God wants them to. So if a serial killer was successful at killing 19 without being caught that would mean God wanted him to kill all those people? If someone was successful at robbing houses for 20 years would that mean it was because God wanted them to?

God gave us free will to make our own choices.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

I have one child, because it's all I can afford. Guess I should have said, if I could AFFORD to have more kids, I would have as many kids as I could AFFORD>

If they are playing the laws and the government to their advantage, like the obviously are, then they cant AFFORD to have all these kids....

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Be careful what you wish for.....

That's an incorrect statement. Absolutely incorrect.

I have a home office. I *could* afford to live if I did not take the home office deduction on my taxes, but I - in your words - 'play that deduction to my advantage', and pay less in taxes.

That is not 'state support of my business.' That is recognizing the reality that the costs associated with those square feet of my home are attributable to business use, and therefore the overhead attributable to those square feet is not something I spend for my *personal* enjoyment, anymore than someone who owns a storefront and pays insurance and utilities on their store does so for *personal* enjoyment.

I can AFFORD my house without the deductions, but that's not the point.

They can AFFORD their house and kids without the tax deduction, but that's not the point.

There is this screwy mindset on the part of liberals that EVERYTHING has a tax due on it - land, labor, whatever - and if you don't pay tax on something then you are getting SUPPORT from the government.

We are expressly given freedom of religion. The Duggars are part of a HOUSE CHURCH. House churches are very, very common. I know a number of people whose worship services take place in HOMES and not in corporately-owned buildings.

The government recognizes that it is unconstitutional to levy a tax on the practice of religion. For those who are part of house churches

For those in house churches, that method of gathering for worship isn't just some scheme to get out of paying taxes. Not at all. It is based on a belief that the original intent the Lord had for *churches* is not that they invest in Crystal Cathedral-type places, but rather that they simply get together to worship and share their faith and use their money, collectively, for good works and not earthly structures.

There are Jewish synagogues in the Bible, but you will not find ANYTHING in scripture about *Christians* meeting anywhere but in *homes*.

I personally don't think scripture prohibits the building of buildings, but I can appreciate those who hold that interpretation. If they are using their 'home' in the same way other churches use their facilities, why should they *not* be afforded equal treatment? I believe they were holding services in their home long before there was a deduction for it.

Sorry - got sidetracked there - but the bottom line, IMHO, is that while you may agree or disagree about whether the government should levy a tax on facilities used for religious purposes, there is simply no evidence that *without* the deduction they couldn't afford to raise their kids. I could afford mine without my home office deduction, but I take it because I QUALIFY for it. They QUALIFY for a house church deduction according to the law.

Could they really AFFORD all those kids without this:: "The Duggars now live in a 7,000 square foot home in Tontitown, Arkansas. The home was a family project and was built debt free. The home “was completed on January 20, 2006, with aid from Discovery Networks and corporate sponsors, who also donated a full pantry and household appliances”.

So you see they did not build that house on their own... Probably because they could not afford to...

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Be careful what you wish for.....

I kind of wish someone would build me a free house. Just kind of lol. I wouldn't want the horrendous publicity/public judging of me and criticism everywhere from the talk shows to message boards like this one.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

Uh... you are off-track here.

They 'sell' their story, and the 'income' from that story allowed them to build their home. Some of the income was in the form of money, some in the form of goods.

You specifically mentioned the TAXES in your other post, and said that they can only afford to have a big family because of the tax break on the house. That is untrue. If they are making $40K+ per episode then I'm rather sure they could support their family and pay for the taxes on that house.

Are you just jealous or something?

I wouldn't either. Free house, sure. But at the cost of having a bunch of cameras move in? Nah. I'll get my income another way, thanks.

But I certainly don't think there is anything *wrong* with what they are doing. Everybody makes decisions for their own family regarding how they will generate income. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if they haven't set up nest eggs for each of the kids based on the fact that they are what makes the show. Those kids will probably have enough 'saved up' when they launch into adulthood to buy their own first homes debt free. I think that's pretty cool.

Something tells me, too, if they sensed that their kids were going off-track due to the presence of the cameras that they'd nix the show... unlike all the Disney stars that seem to have parents who keep them in the spotlight even as their personal lives go south.

I hope and will pray for little Josie. My Grandson was born prematurely at 27 weeks and was 2 lbs 6 ozs - he was in the NICU for 2 months. He is a healthy, happy, very smart 5 year old now. I went everyday to see him, some of the babies and stories I saw were heart breaking. Than there were the little ones who thrived, it just took awhile.

It's not my business how many children the Duggars have. They seem happy and well taken care of. We are also NOT supporting them, I've seen shows about them - amazing.

Dianne

"Are you just jealous or something? " Jealous of what?? I have a home that I can afford AND pay taxes on. I do not exploit my family or use religion to profit. And 19 kids?? I cant wait to see the problems these kids have later in life because they did not get the love and attention they needed from their parents. There is no way in the WORLD a parent can give the amount of attnetion needed to 19 kids..


"They 'sell' their story, and the 'income' from that story allowed them to build their home" and if you read correctly it states that alot of things were donated... so no their income didnt pay for all of their home.... I have to wonder just what kind of life they would have if they were not on TV??

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Be careful what you wish for.....

That's so screwed up. They are not using religion to profit simply because they are not being taxed on something they use for religion. I'd guess they pay plenty in income taxes.

They lived in a tiny little house before they were on tv. They appeared to be happy.

Sorry, but I think it's just sad that you 'can't wait to see' their kids grow up and have problems? That's pretty screwed up, too. I can't imagine actually waiting with baited breath to see someone grow up and have problems.

As for *needed* attention... I think that's screwed up, as well. We live in a society that seems to think kids need all sorts of one-on-one esteem-building opportunities in order to be 'happy.' Sorry, but while those opportunities can be nice in small doses, ultimately it is the responsibility of parents to establish within their children a sense of accomplishment, of responsibility, and of kindness towards others. Whether that happens in a one-on-one setting or within the context of a group doesn't really matter to me. I would guess that those kids - unlike the J&K fiasco of a life - feel a great sense of stability regarding their parents' marriage and their own ability to function as an adult. They seem to be very organized and comfortable going about their daily lives.

They don't spend time watching tv or going off to public school, but I'll wager those teenagers could run their homes more efficiently (and neatly - lol) than I do.

I disagree that they are NOT using their religious beliefs or convictions to their benefit. I don't know if it's for profit per se, or more of trying to get their choice to be an acceptable practice.

And while I disagree with their decisions--I think they are probably very nice people who are raising perfectly normal and nice children.

I personally would not choose to have that many kids---however, I view their decisions much like I view the decision of a woman or couple to have an abortion. It's their decision to make. If they have made their peace w/ their God and feel that this is the path He wants them to go down--who am I to say they are wrong?

I do fear for Michelle's physical health as it appears that as time passes her pregnancies become more physically problematic. I do wonder if the older children ever resent the choices that their mother and father have thrust upon them....but, again, it's all just speculation on my part.

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Marilyn, perhaps I didn't say that exactly like I meant to. They *are* using the benefits afforded them on religious grounds, but I don't think they are sitting around thinking of ways to *capitalize* on their religion.

If there is a deduction for which I qualify, I take it... and I think that's what they are doing. I think their religion defines everything about them, and that if they had to lose their religion to keep the cameras rolling and the deductions available that they'd say too bad, so sad, no more cameras and we'll forget the deductions.

I'd never opt to have so many children, but my husband is from a very large family (not that much smaller than the Duggars!) and while they didn't have a lot of touchy-feely one-on-one time with their parents, and while they certainly do have some issues (who doesn't? lol), by and large they are the most well-adjusted, law-abiding, principle-driven, hard-working adults I know.

I have to say it again honestly if anyone here can say its their business, they can have as many children as they want, okay then where does it stop and at what risk, Michelle is 43 years old one single women's body was not made to give birth to that many children. I do understand years ago they did and in some religions and cultures having alot of children is the quite normal. I am sorry but someone said here about JimBob smiling, do you really think he could be pregnant 19 times there was one epsisode I believe it was when she was pregnant with number 18 and Michelle and the kids were shopping for baby stuff. There was JimBob complaining about shopping just wears me out and he proceeded to sit down on the rocker and rest while pregnant Michelle with number 18 walked all around the store. In the end I personally feel enough is enough and again sorry but biggest pet peeve with them is that the older children are raising the younger children. Yes they are polite and respectful, they have no choice it is how they were raised and that is not a bad thing but not one of those children have any desire to do something else with their lives like going to College to have a career.All I know that their new baby has alot of pain and suffering at only 1lb and 6 ounces that poor poor baby and I believe it was only time before something would happen and its very sad to little those so precious preemie babies get through each day. Peace. Catherine

While their decisions are not decisions I would make, I am extremely impressed with how well-behaved, respectful, helpful and educated the children appear to be. As much as I try to raise my child in the best way I can, I know he can't run a home and work on vehicles as well as those kids. In my opinion, they are doing a lot of things right. Still not decisions I would make, but who I am to say? Their children seem much more prepared than most of the kids I know from families with the normal 1-2 kids. The other thing I would add is that, without all of the TV, video games, sports, etc., those kids probably see their parents as much as "normal" kids do.

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Kim

I read today that they actually had to do a cesarean because of preeclampsia. They felt it was placing the mother and unborn child in danger.

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I wonder if she'll take that as a message from God. Or is the only acceptable message one in which either she or a child dies?

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

yeah they seem to be so messed up already. I think I saw the two year old hit the four year old on last week's episode

Do you "ever even" think before you open your mouth? You may have some personal issues with premature deliveries but that doesn't mean the rest of the world isn't allowed to express their opinions without you calling them hateful. She expressed her opinion and you were rude because it doesn't coincide with your's.

MY opinion is that the Duggars are attention seeking fruitcakes who ought to stop littering the world with their seed. I see nothing admirable about havng NINETEEN children. As a matter of fact, I think it's sort of disgusting. The Duggers don't care what I think and neither should you. You don't know them so there's no point in running around the Internet championing strangers who care nothing about you, is there?

Becoming a Church that does not pay property taxes requires receiving 501c3 designation from the IRS. This is a long, involved, expensive process. It also means that their home is actually owned by the Church. I run my Church out of my home but we pay property taxes because I have no interest in signing my home over to my Church.

Totally rude post opal.....Do YOU think before you write? She can champion them if she wants to - YOU don't know them personally and have stated your nasty opinion. If you can do it, so can she and/or the rest of us.

Actually, my post isn't at all rude, nor my opinion nasty but your's is - again. I simply pointed out that the other poster was rudely insulted because they held a different view and there was no need to fiercely champion people that don't even know or care about them.

But boy, you care. You care so much you can't shut up about babies and the people who do and don't make them. You care so much that you're an avid anti-abortion activist who constantly shows up to harass pregnant women and doctors at clinics. You care so much that you actually reveled in the murder of a doctor who performed abortions and gleefully pointed out that you thought he was burning in hell and defended his killer. You care so much that you repeatedly called another poster here a 'murderer' because she made the mistake of sharing a painful personal experience on this board.

You don't care enough to actually support or raise the unwanted potential children that you want to force all these women to bear but you have certainly been vocal in that ALL fetuses MUST be developed and born because you say so, whether the potential mothers like it or not.

So I'm not surprised that you worship the Druggers since they're non-stop baby creators. They are definately your kind of people. LOL. You'll just have to understand that the rest of the world isn't as obsessed with the unborn as you are and we don't all admire human baby machines.

Or you can do what you always do after you start trouble - whine that you are being unfairly 'attacked' and delete your nasty post before you make multiple complaints to the mods. Why don't you just go protest? Harassing abortion clinics and their clients always seems to cheer you up. LOL.

Opal, I have to agree with this statement: "I see nothing admirable about havng NINETEEN children. As a matter of fact, I think it's sort of disgusting. "
I watched this show for the first time last night, actually saw the family in action and the part that pissed me off the most?? THE OLDER KIDS ARE RAISING THE YOUNGER ONES... So they are getting attention, however not the parental attention they deserve!!

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Be careful what you wish for.....

Wow... this thread is getting ugly! Thank goodness it has reached 50 posts so I will close it. It is Christmas guys.. be nice to each other. Everyone is entitled to their opinions! If we all had the same one it would be boring!

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