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Duggars Might Go For More. But Why?
Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar haven’t ruled out Baby No. 20.
“We’ll just wait and see what God has in store,” says Michelle in the Feb. 8 issue of People magazine.
It’s hard to believe the couple would risk another — and another and another? — pregnancy after what they experienced with child No. 19, daughter Josie Brooklyn. She was born at 25 weeks gestation and weighed only 1 pound 6 ounces. She’s around 8 weeks old and is still in the NICU at a Little Rock hospital.
So what exactly makes the Duggars refuse to say no? TV contracts? Death-defying thrills?
Vyckie Garrison, a mother of seven and former adherent of the Quiverfull movement, explains in a post over at Alternet that when the Duggars say it’s in God’s hands, they mean it.
You see, once a woman’s mind grasps the concept of “trusting the Lord” with her reproductive life ~ absolutely nothing is ever simple or obvious again. The Quiverfull philosophy is an alluring and powerful spell ~ and the woman so enchanted feels the euphoria of the “Big Happy Family,” she is seduced by a vision of chivalrous men and genteel ladies, tempted by the promise of God’s protection and provision, and she knows the sheer ecstasy of inhaling deeply the ambrosial smell of yet another newborn.
Garrison’s uterus partially ruptured during the birth of her fourth child. She nearly bled to death and was advised that future pregnancies would also be risky. So what did she do? She had three more babies. You see, she still had a uterus. If God had wanted her to stop, she explains, he would have laid His hands on the surgeon’s hands and performed a divine hysterectomy.
Garrison is a leader in the organization No Longer Quivering, a group trying to hold to account the Quiverfull movement leaders who, NLQ members claim, are misleading their followers with warped renderings of Scripture. Interesting to note, the top dog in the Quiverfull movement is Bill Gothard, who Garrison says has never been married and has no children.
I think the Duggars have too many kids and that Michelle would be taking a big risk if she got pregnant again. But I wouldn’t do anything to forcibly stop them from bearing more. In fact, I’m aghast when people say doctors should tie her tubes even if she doesn’t consent.
However, I’ll also confess a bit of irritation with the family if they continue to have babies who will need expensive medical treatments just to be brought in the world and kept alive. It used to be that the Duggars cost the rest of us nothing, in a direct sense (yes, if they all wind up driving RVs the world will, indeed, melt– but I’m being generous to make a point). Now, however, their baby girl’s medical expenses — and any future medical expenses from future offspring — will be a direct burden to their insurance company, which will certainly pass on the cost of doing business with the Duggars to the rest of its subscribers.
Thought experiment: if the Duggars got dropped from their health insurance (high risk, pre-existing conditions), would they stop having babies? If so, does that mean the health insurance industry is, as expected, more powerful than God?
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22 Comments
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Cruelty in Labor — Sometimes It’s Subtle | Strollerderby commented on Feb 25 10 at 4:00 pmGP commented on Feb 04 10 at 1:47 pmI bet they would still keep having babies if they were dropped from insurance cause they have the dough. Sad. I think they are very unsavory folks, personally.
JCF commented on Feb 04 10 at 2:11 pmLots of people have complications like that on their first or second babies. Is it unethical for those people to have a second baby just because they got dropped from health insurance?
Manjari commented on Feb 04 10 at 3:48 pmThe quiverfull movement gives me the creeps, and THAT has always been my issue with the Duggars. They aren’t just having thousands of kids for the sheer joy of it. It’s sort of a mission to make sure there will be that many more fanatics on the earth.
Larissa commented on Feb 04 10 at 3:49 pmTo me one of the flaws of the Quiverful folks trust in God is that they also trust in medicine but only so that it will support their goals. They don’t trust in birth control but they trust in emergency cesareans and NICUs. Michelle Duggar had a transverse lie baby 3 or 4 pregnancies ago – that is a baby that would not have come out in the old days, she and the baby probably would have died (and the transverse lie was likely because of the loss of uterine tone from so many pregnancies). Voila, no more Michelle and no more babies. But because of medicine she has continued to have babies. But birth control- that would go against God? It is the hypocritical and ignorant interpretations that bother me, not the number of kids they have.
GP commented on Feb 04 10 at 9:25 pmAnd is it REALLY THAT EASY for people this old to get pregnant so many times unless they are actually TRYING? Besides the drain on the environment, their kids have to live an institutional style life and eat bologna sandwiches and assembly line food and have to schedule face time with their parents…and the older ones are expected to watch the younger ones…that’s no way to live! I don’t like ‘em!
Black Sheep commented on Feb 04 10 at 10:58 pmHaving a preemie does not necessarily mean you will have another. My twins were 11 weeks early and my third baby came a week overdue. Just saying.
brex commented on Feb 04 10 at 11:53 pmHonestly, I think future pregnancies are a bigger risk to her than any future babies. This was her 3rd C-section (last one was a CS as well, but before that she had had 13 VBACs since her first CS). There’s no way any OB is going to let her VBAC again after 3 sections.
Amanda B. commented on Feb 05 10 at 8:20 amI guess the whole “pro-choice” philosophy only goes so far for some people…
Twintown commented on Feb 05 10 at 10:30 amI’m torn on this issue, primarily because the Duggars specifically AREN’T a drain on others. They take care of themselves and seem to do just fine. Often, the arguments against large families are accompanied by concerns about financial capability. That’s pretty much a non-issue here.
Another complaint, like GP’s above, is about the lack of attention kids in large families receive. But each of my parents grew up in large families (10+ kids) and still insist they wouldn’t change a thing. Yes, the Quiverfull movement has been discussed around our dinner table! They loved having a “partner” and getting to be a little more independent. Their siblings mostly say the same thing. Out of my 22 aunts and uncles, only 3 say they felt lost in the shuffle. Not bad odds. So to me, larger families are more of a norm than for people who are more accustomed to neatly packaged families of 4. Perhaps it’s just a reflection of what we are used to.
Finally, as a Christian, birth control is an issue that is multifaceted. It’s one of those topics that you’ll never get 100% agreement on, and everyone has different reasons for feeling the way they do. I tend to agree with Amanda’s comment that “pro-choice” is great, as long as you’re making certain choices. Flip the script, and making choices for one’s own family is no longer acceptable.
Elena commented on Feb 05 10 at 2:05 pmMichelle Duggar says in the newest issue of People Magazine that if they are blessed with another child, they would be happy. They see every one of their children as a gift, a joy, and a delight. Frankly I think their attitude towards children is refreshing. Michelle also went on to say that she knows that she is entering a new season of her life and that for now they are going to concentrate on getting Josie through her first year of life.
That said, the Duggars are very industrious people. Jim Bob worked his way through several businesses, bought commercial property and now with their TLC gig makes enough money on to support his family. He’s probably even self-insured for medical care or has a medical savings account – it wouldn’t surprise me. But if they have any debt from little Jose’s hospital stay they’ll probably get it paid off relatively quickly
Lula commented on Feb 06 10 at 3:12 pmI’m more concerned with the quality of life the Duggar children are experiencing than I am about how many children they have now or in the future. I don’t like the freakshow-esque TV coverage (and therefore don’t watch the shows) and I worry about the older girls in particular, but the number of children Michelle and Jim Bob have is up to them. I have no great love for the Quiverfull movement, but I have to agree with Amanda re: the “pro-choice” aspect of it all. If Michelle wants to risk her health with another pregnancy, I don’t see how it’s my business.
Lula commented on Feb 06 10 at 3:13 pmI do wish they’d take that stupid pink brain-squeezer bow off that poor baby’s tiny head, though.
Michelle commented on Feb 09 10 at 3:55 pmThe problem with a headline like “Duggars Might Go For More” is that it implies that they are trying for more, when in reality they have very specific beliefs about this sort of thing. It also implies that the decision is any of our business. They do the show as an extension of their ministry and as a way to document their unusual life – but I don’t believe they do it so that you and I can participate in their decision-making process. Further, their belief in medicine is consistent with their belief in life. They believe that anything that preserves or helps life is acceptable – the birth control pill, abortions, etc. is contrary to this, even though they are technically medical. I have no problem with someone not wanting to screw up their body with hormones…but that’s another post. The Duggars support their family, love them and do their own thing. Watch or don’t watch but save your judgement.
Michelle Hogan
http://www.largefamiliestoday.com
Christine commented on Feb 15 10 at 3:54 amNo one is guaranteed tomarrow. Life is a gift. God is the giver of life. The Duggars take wonderful care of their children. Whether you have one child or twenty, children are a blessing, a reward from a mother’s womb, a heritage unto the Lord. I think it is refreshing to see a couple fully trust the Lord with their womb. Worring doesn’t bring an inch to our stature. Their family charishes sharing and love. Unfortunately, many American families only cultive selfishness and the importance of stuff. When we die, the only thing we can bring with us are souls. What do we need to trust God more with? Psalm 127 and Psalm 128 sums this up perfectly!!!!
Nana commented on Feb 17 10 at 11:02 amComments Do not argue with the Dugger’s belief that it is all in God’s hands if they have more children, but am confused why the life of that child is left with the modern miracles of medicine and not in God’s hands also.
Staceyjw commented on Feb 28 10 at 10:39 pmWhat bugs me about the Duggars is that they actively teach their kids evolution is a lie (they are young earth creationists), but without evolutionary biology there would be no modern medicine- and no way could they have 19 kids without modern medicine! Many Quiverfull women wouldn’t even be alive without it, but they preach against the science that makes it possible. If people like them had their way, all kids would be learning creationism and the like, which would be like bringing science back to the dark ages. Yes, they believe anything that helps life is good- but not it’s scientific foundation???
That the Duggars make the Quiverfull/biblical patriarchy lifestyle look normal (which it IS NOT) is also a disservice to women everywhere. I also wonder what the older kids think. When they announced the last pregnancy, I swear the looks on some of their faces were like “COME ON ALREADY”, though they were quick to say how great it was.
That said, if any couple should have 19 kids, it should be them (their beliefs not withstanding). They do an amazing job supporting their family (from what we see anyway), and seem to be truly loving parents.
Jenny commented on Mar 29 10 at 12:32 pmWow! I never imagined it would happened THIS quickly. The effects of the Govt. Healthcare takeover. NOT only is the govt. now going to be telling us what to do with our lives…but each of the taxpayers NOW “think” they have a RIGHT to tell us what we should do…since they are “paying” for it with their tax dollars. Wow. SOOOOOOOOOOOO sad and I am just dumb founded that anyone of you even THINKS that you should have a say in what these folks do with their personal decisions on whether to have another child.
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