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/
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.
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.
There was an old lady who lived in a shoe -
She had so many children, her * fell out.
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.
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.
They have one grandchild so far.
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.
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.
I could share my spontaneous reaction to this bit of news if this thread were in the Pit.
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.
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.
Can you at least hope the tot pulls through? 
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.
I think a sock would fall out at this point.
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.
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. 
Apparently that’s what started their “crusade”.
See my wikipedia link for more info.
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.