Arkansas family welcomes 18th child, a girl
Thu Dec 18, 8:46 pm ET
ROGERS, Ark. – An Arkansas woman has given birth to her 18th child. Michelle Duggar delivered the baby girl by Caesarean section Thursday at Mercy Medical Center in Rogers. The baby, named Jordyn-Grace Makiya Duggar, weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces and was 20 inches long.
"The ultimate Christmas gift from God," said Jim Bob Duggar, the father of the 18 children.
"She's just absolutely beautiful, like her mom and her sisters."
The Duggars now have 10 sons and eight daughters.
Jim Bob Duggar said Michelle started having contractions Wednesday night. She needed the C-section, her third, because the baby was lying sideways. Jim Bob said both baby and mother were doing well Thursday night.
"We both would love to have more," he said.
The cable network TLC broadcasts a weekly show about the Duggars, called "17 Kids and Counting." Chris Finnegan of TLC — which handles public relations for the Duggar family — said the show's name would be updated to account for the latest addition to the family. He said TLC also will air a show Monday on the baby's delivery.
Jim Bob Duggar is 43, a year older than his wife. Their oldest child, Joshua, is 20.
The other Duggar children, in between Joshua and Jordyn-Grace, are Jana, 18; John-David, 18; Jill, 17; Jessa, 16; Jinger, 14; Joseph, 13; Josiah, 12; Joy-Anna, 11; Jeremiah, 9; Jedidiah, 9; Jason, 8; James, 7; Justin, 6; Jackson, 4; Johannah, 3; and Jennifer, 1.
"Our whole family is excited about Jordyn's addition to our family," Jim Bob Duggar said. "She's just perfect in every way."
(This version CORRECTS the name of the Duggars' TLC show to '17 Kids and Counting,' not 'Seventeen and Counting.'))
I went to an engagement party a few weeks ago and was toasting my friends because 2008 is the first year in five that I have not been pregnant for some portion of the year. I was happy. I was elated, delighted and thrilled.
You understand that this woman has been pregnant for some portion of every year for 20 years. She's 42. Almost half of her life has been spent being pregnant.
I love children. Mine make me crazy sometimes and I threaten to sell them at least once a day (if not hour as it seems lately!) but I love them just the same. I even help friends out by taking care of their children on a semi-regular basis. I worked in a day care center for 3 years and was responsible for up to 105 children. It wasn't the best job but I had fun and enjoyed the parents.
But PREGNANT for 20 years?!?!?!?! And they would "love to have more." Really? I guess at this point it's not really that big of a deal because you have built in babysitters so you can get a break on a pretty regular basis.
Morning sickness. For 20 years. Thank you but no! But you tell me, why would YOU avoid being pregnant for 20 years? Or are there some of you out there who are all on board with this?
20 YEARS, people!!
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I don't particularly care for this family. Being quiverfull is one thing, but as I understand it, Michelle Duggar stops breastfeeding so her cycle can return and she can get pregnant again. That isn't being quiverfull, that is intentionally getting pregnant time and time again.
I also believe that if you're going to keep having children then you need to be responsible for them and not have your other kids doing it.
I totally understand your toast! I plan on celebrating New Year's Eve with a huge glass of something alcoholic to celebrate that I've been fetus-free for an entire year... First time since I first got pregnant Jan 2004.
18 kids. All I can do is shake my head. I think there's some kind of psychological disorder going on there. Honestly.
I think it is a bit crazy!
I have always wanted a big family. Growing up I had always imagined 10-12 kids. But after my first was born and started in on the terrible twos I thought that maybe I would deal with 6-8. HA! After her we lost a baby and then was blessed to get preggers again but our son almost died a number of times while I was preggers, during his delivery and after he was born. So then we decided that 4 would be enough. We now have 3 so one more and I'm done.
I don't think I could handle the morning sickness and labor that many times. I think I would loose it! Plus I don't do well preggers. With each one of my children I have had placental abruptions. No more after the next one for me!
I have an award for you on my blog! Congrats! :)
Two months of morning sickness...and a sciatica that killed and ... oh Lord! I've watched this show and started to watch the one about the baby being born but had to go to bed. I am in shock about it all! 20-years preggars. No thank you!
Like your blog. I'll be back.
Eighteen kids. That ain't no hobby!
(You know what causes that, right?)
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