# And baby makes 21...Duggars have 19th baby **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 11, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891 "2009-12-11T18:43:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![LadyJane84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@LadyJane84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LadyJane84)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/41 "2009-12-12T12:35:24Z")
> [@thirdwarning](#): > > I don’t really care how many kids they have, as long as they support them and take care of them. One family with lots of kids won’t upset the balance, really. What does bother me is that, with all their talk about having all the babies God chooses to give them, from what she says she deliberately circumvents the natural spacing that God designed. I know that breastfeeding doesn’t guarantee anything, but Mrs. Duggar stops nursing at six months for pretty much the sole reason that she wants her fertility back. So how much are they really trusting God to plan their family, and how much are they foiling his plan? > > That said, I hope this latest little one turns out all right. Poor little mite. Actually that’s a sort of Duggar myth that keeps getting passed around that’s untrue (at least from what Mrs. Duggar has said in interviews) The reason why she struggles with breastfeeding is that the has problems with systemic yeast, poor supply and bad latch and a whole other host of problems. Here’s a link where she talks about it. [http://www.babygooroo.com/index.php/2009/03/30/after-18-children-breastfeeding-for-michelle-duggar-continues-to-be-a-learning-experience/](http://www.babygooroo.com/index.php/2009/03/30/after-18-children-breastfeeding-for-michelle-duggar-continues-to-be-a-learning-experience/) ---
**Author:** ![LadyJane84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@LadyJane84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LadyJane84)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/42 "2009-12-12T12:40:25Z")
> [@Obsidian](#): > > I think the reason NFP is ok with the Catholics is they believe the purpose of sex is for procreation, and that circumventing conception via artificial methods is the sin. But, if you don’t want to have children, it’s perfectly all right not to have sex. NFP is basically scheduling sex, so it slips through the loophole. > > I believe the quiverfulls reject even NFP as interfering with God’s plan. Though, I don’t think they’re opposed to breastfeeding and the natural ovulation stoppage that it causes. As far as I know, Michelle Duggar doesn’t deliberately stop breastfeeding to return to fertility. She was still nursing the last baby when she got pregnant with this one, and said she can often tell she’s pregnant when her milk changes. Breastfeeding does not always stop ovulation, and it may depend on the woman. My great-great-grandmother had 10 babies in 10 years (and then died). Dirt poor 19th century farmers that they were, she had to have been breastfeeding. Actually according to the Catholic Church marital sex has two purposes: uniting the couple in intimacy through pleasure and procreation. Therefore it’s perfectly permissible to have sex even when there is no chance of conception. As long as the lack of conception is through natural means. Catholics beileve that God gave women a time when they can’t conceive for a reason and its allowable to use that fact for the benefit of a woman’s health and marriage. In fact, it’s considered working with God’s plan, not against it. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/43 "2009-12-12T14:20:06Z")
This ties back in with my beliefs on fundies who think modern medicine is a sin, and praying over a sick child will cure him. If God had wanted us to die from the measles, he wouldn’t have given us the brains to figure out how to prevent it. Likewise, if God had wanted us to have as many babies as we could before the uterus falls out, he wouldn’t have given us the brains to figure out birth control. I’m ambivalent about this. On the one hand, the Duggars are self-sustaining, loving parents who do provide a lot of experiences for their children. On the other, I hate to think Michelle is putting her life at risk and the lives of her future babies in danger just because she thinks God wants her to have a “quiverful.” Sure 19 will do it? Or does she need a nice round number like 20? I think when you risk having children that are younger than your potential grandchildren, it’s time to put a sock in it. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/44 "2009-12-12T16:51:24Z")
There was an old lady who lived in a shoe - She had so many children, her \* fell out. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/45 "2009-12-12T17:10:47Z")
Regardless of their ability to pay for the upkeep on all these kids, the Duggars are still using up a tremendous amount of resources. I’m just saying. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/46 "2009-12-12T17:39:50Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > Regardless of their ability to pay for the upkeep on all these kids, the Duggars are still using up a tremendous amount of resources. I’m just saying. So are celebrities who fly private planes everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/47 "2009-12-12T17:59:54Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I know their oldest son just got married. How old is Michelle now? At the very least, not only premature babies, she runs the risk of having a baby with Down Syndrome. Just to clarify - ANY woman who gets pregnant runs a risk of having a child with Down’s Syndrome. In fact, I heard something a few years ago that these days _most_ children with Down’s are born to younger women who are less likely to be tested for birth defects than older moms. And any woman runs a risk of a premature baby. It’s just that past 35 the risk increases significantly. I’m surprised her uterus is still going, frankly - I’d worry about _that_ giving out and needing removal at this point. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/48 "2009-12-12T18:00:44Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I think when you risk having children that are younger than your potential grandchildren, it’s time to put a sock in it. They have one grandchild so far. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/49 "2009-12-12T18:07:27Z")
> [@Translucent\_Daydream](#): > > I wonder how much money you would have to make to support decently a middle class family of 21? Hmm… well, just one aspect… I have found I can feed a human being quite reasonably on $30 of food per week (you can actually drop it lower, but it gets more difficult and they’ve also got growing teenagers which eat a hell of a lot, especially boys). So, using that as a ballpark, that’s $630 per week _just for food_ (not including diapers, toilet paper, whatever) or about $2,520 per month _just for food_. Now, I’m assuming they can get _some_ discount for buying in bulk, but even so, you’re looking at a couple grand a month on food alone. Someone else can try to figure out their housing, clothing, and other expenses. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/50 "2009-12-12T18:31:07Z")
I’m sure TLC pays them a pretty penny for appearing on the network. I also think they own a couple of businesses. They seem to be managing their finances fine. ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/51 "2009-12-12T18:47:04Z")
I could share my spontaneous reaction to this bit of news if this thread were in the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/52 "2009-12-12T19:13:20Z")
I was just chatting the other day with my boss’s boss about his background and he noted that in one branch of his family, one matriarch a couple of generations back had **24** children. He said the one picture he’s seen of her, she looked mighty haggard and grim :p. But she had apparently produced an unusually large number of twins, so the total event count wasn’t quite so staggering. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/53 "2009-12-12T19:27:31Z")
> [@Velma](#): > > It just seems so risky to her own health to keep having babies…I would be afraid of her own health being compromised at some point and then all those kids are without a mom. This is my biggest issue with the Quiverfull movement. It ignores the fact that having baby after baby after baby, often with very little spacing between them, isn’t good for women’s bodies. We’re not designed to be brood cows. But women in Quiverfull aren’t in charge of their own lives, so taking charge of their own fertility and wellbeing is often beyond them. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/54 "2009-12-12T20:18:41Z")
> [@MoodIndigo1](#): > > I could share my spontaneous reaction to this bit of news if this thread were in the Pit. Can you at least hope the tot pulls through? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/55 "2009-12-12T21:22:53Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I’m sure TLC pays them a pretty penny for appearing on the network. I also think they own a couple of businesses. They seem to be managing their finances fine. There’s the used car lot that Josh runs. They also own several commercial real estate properties (like storage facilities) and get rental income from that. Wasn’t there a Doper in one of the other Duggar threads who claimed that Mrs Duggar once showed up in his furniture shop trying to get free stuff in exchange for being mentioned on one of their specials? About the house that they build themselves; they only built _3_ (admitedly large) bedrooms. A master suite for mom & dad, a dormitory for the girls, and a dormitory for the boys. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/56 "2009-12-13T04:03:22Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I think when you risk having children that are younger than your potential grandchildren, it’s time to put a sock in it. I think a sock would fall out at this point. ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/57 "2009-12-13T04:20:36Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Can you at least hope the tot pulls through? 🙂 I hope the tot pulls through and is healthy. I really do. His parents are the ones I’d pit. Blaming everything on God! God doesn’t send them babies, they are the ones who make the babies, ignorant smarmy god-spewing blanketyblanks. eta: forgot to underline. Grrr. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/58 "2009-12-13T04:36:05Z")
Has Michelle ever had a miscarriage? Call me a cynic, and I hate to say this, but I worry that they’re probably already thinking about Baby #20. I really, really hope for Josie – but considering the Duggars’ enormous responsibilities, is she going to get the undivided care and attention she needs? She in a terrible situation. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/59 "2009-12-13T05:12:33Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Has Michelle ever had a miscarriage? Apparently that’s what started their “crusade”. See my wikipedia link for more info. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891/60 "2009-12-13T08:58:54Z")
Heck, i knew two girls who had babies at age 14, so they could easily had another at the same time their children were having one too and not be too old. But still. Back before the pill, women had as many babies as they had. Nowadays, we are thankful for modern medicine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-baby-makes-21-duggars-have-19th-baby/520891.md?page=4)