The Arkansas couple famous for having 19 kids say they’d like to have another baby. Lots of people, doctors included, think they’re making a mistake.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar became famous thanks to the TLC reality show 19 Kids and Counting, which introduced the devoutly Christian clan to the world. The latest season of the show has showcased Michelle’s difficult pregnancy with youngest child Josie, who was born three months premature and was in intensive care for more than six months until she came home in June. She still requires round-the-clock monitoring, but the couple tell People magazine that they’re open to having a 20th child. “We don’t expect people to understand,” Jim Bob says in response to critics who think that the couple is, at the very least, irresponsible for having so many kids.
“Some think we are over populating the world,” says Jim Bob, 45, who abstains from using all forms of contraception with his wife. “We are following our convictions.” Psychotherapist and author Jeanne Safer, PhD., tells the magazined that the Duggars’ procreating “seems like utterly obsessive behavior on the part of the parents … without regard to the impact on their family.”
Likewise, viewers of the show and internet commenters seem very judgmental, questioning things like what Michelle, 43, is doing to her body having so many children — and wondering how long she’ll be around to raise them all — as well as asking how much attention the two parents can actively give to so many children.
“It stabs my heart when there is truth in it,” Michelle says of the criticism. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to stop trying to have at least one more child. “I’m not pregnant right now, but that could change tomorrow or the next day or next week. That is out of my hands.”
What do you think?
View Comment
lynn
Posted at 4:53 PM on December 30, 2011
i have watched the show from the very biggining an the older children were very polite and well taken care of. Now it is like watching a circus show the children are rude the older girls are trying to control them infront of the camera. cooking dinner doing laundry. mom an dad are no where around they must be gone making no. 20 when mom dies in child birth all the girls can raise the children they didnt ask for . great going duggers.
Old Pickup
Posted at 4:12 AM on November 14, 2011
Hey Duggars,it is not a competition!! A vagina is not a clown car!
crystal lea kleist
Posted at 1:44 AM on September 6, 2011
you should keep having alot of kids as many as you whant to have i always prayer for you
crystal
Posted at 3:29 AM on August 10, 2011
yes she can have more kids again keep have team
SMILEY
Posted at 4:14 AM on May 17, 2011
YEAAA!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THE DUGGARS!!!!!!!!
THIS IS WHAT AMERICA NEEDS = MORE WHITE DUGGAR FAMILIES!!
I MYSELF WANT TO HAVE A FAMILY AS LARGE AS THEIRS!!!!
:))))))))))))))
Kate
Posted at 5:10 PM on March 18, 2011
Wow. These people are seriously crazy. I personally think they’re just doing it for the attention and media, but that’s just me.
While I completely understand their want for children, they’re being seriously selfish. The 19th baby has serious health issues, probably because of the 18 other children that shared Michelle’s belly, and a 20th baby will probably have even worse health issues.
And the kids before baby 19 probably have emotional issues. There’s no way a mom like Michelle can actually give the emotional care needed for a child to each of her children. And while I understand their whole Catholic religion thing about not using condoms and birth control, they should at least stop having sex and adopt a baby.
Dan
Posted at 10:00 AM on December 12, 2010
Whoa – hold it down people. These are G-d fearing people. The very first comandment in the bible – old testament is to be fruitful and multiply. They are self sufficient in being able to raise their family. They are healthy, modest and well adjusted people who love one another. They do chairitable work for others. Exactly whose opinion is it on how they chose to live their lives. Their reason to be on TV and expose their lives to us is because of leadership by example. They are not in debt. They are modest and frugal. Their old school values are to be emulated not judged.
EllieMae
Posted at 10:15 PM on September 29, 2010
It’s beautiful to know that she has a devoted husband who is by her side and is caring lovingly for her and their children. For those of us on the other side of the rainbow…I was married for 15 years, beaten and abused, then abandoned with my 3 children. I have starved many nights because I did not have enough to eat and let my children have my portion of food.
I too wanted to have the Judeo/Christian dream of: you meet someone, you fall in love, you get married and crank out some kids! That was my dream….
That dream has been totally destroyed. And now at 50, divorced, with 3 kids, I am trying to eek out a half-ass quality of life for my kids and pray I don’t wind up living in my car with my kids, eating out of refuge bins.
Allison
Posted at 5:21 PM on August 17, 2010
I work in medicine and the behavior I see is selfish and irresponsible. It has nothing to do with overpopulation. My issues are 2 fold. First, all those daughters raise the little children. Do the young ones even know who is mommy and who is big sister?? But secondly and more the point, she nearly died in her last pregnancy. Preeclampsia tends to repeat itself. She had preeclampsia one other time in an early pregnancy. Risk factors, age, number of pregnancies, prior history. The chances of this recurring are high, if she progresses to full eclampsia, pretty much universally fatal. Josie, at 25 weeks, is at the cusp of survival as a neonate and they still don’t know about long term complications. Is this not a “sign” from god?? Is death and leaving 19 children motherless a more clear sign? They say it is out of their hands, it is god’s choice. That is an easy way to make no hard decisions in life, by stating it is out of your control. STOP ENGAGING IN RECKLESS BEHAVIOR!! Give your children a quality of life, not quantity.
Samantha Grover
Posted at 12:13 AM on August 15, 2010
Still More Girls: Jorgetta, Jamie, Jassiea, Jynn
boys: Jeffer, Jayhay
Samantha Grover
Posted at 12:09 AM on August 15, 2010
Here are some Girl names Jantel, Jeeheee, Jiae, Jolle, Jonala
Boys Jabbar, Justin, Johnson. Are they going to have 25 kids or what?
Samantha Grover
Posted at 12:07 AM on August 15, 2010
Here are some Girl names Jantel, Jeeheee, Jiae, Jolle, Jonala
Boys Jabbar, Justin, Johnson
Boo Hearne Carroll
Posted at 9:50 AM on August 12, 2010
Just looking at this tiny baby’s face makes me cry. Where do they get the money to take care of so many children? There is a heavy Karmic background to this couple. Past Lives do catch up with you one way or another. Would love to know what their background (former lives) is.
Alli
Posted at 5:37 PM on August 11, 2010
god i hate this family so much. if they really want this many kids, they should at least adopt. what their doing is disgusting
Courtney
Posted at 4:39 PM on August 11, 2010
please this would’ve actually been their 21st child as Michelle had a miscarriage in 1989 and cause of age and previous history she’d be at higher risk for another premature delivery. yes I do think their slightly crazy but at least they love their kids.
jsujen7
Posted at 3:39 PM on August 11, 2010
They are better parents than most so its not really anyone’s place to tell them what they should or shouldn’t do.
adrianne
Posted at 11:27 PM on November 26, 2010
yes, its is no body place tp tell them about having kids. i have three kids and i think its no body place to tell me what to do. its hurts my feelings.