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Michelle Duggar on Improvements and Possibly More Kids
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Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar, with baby Josie. Credit: Scott Enlow, TLC
Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar's 19th child is still dealing with digestive issues, but her family is optimistic about her outlook.
When Josie Brooklyn, the newest star of TLC's reality TV show, 19 Kids and Counting, was born on Dec. 10 at a gestational age of 25 weeks, she weighed just 1 lb., 6 oz. Now, she's making strides and weighs in at 5 lbs., 14 oz. Josie's adventures will be featured on the family's Mother's Day special on Sunday, May 9 at 8 p.m.
We talked exclusively with uber-Mom Michelle Duggar about life with the new baby, her plans for Mother's Day and how she teaches her kids to deal with naysayers.
ParentDish: Tell me about Josie. How did you come up with the name?
Michelle Duggar: When I was pregnant, we discussed with the family some name possibilities for a boy or girl. Everybody really liked Josie. Then Jessa mentioned the middle name Brooklyn and that's what it was.
PD: Have you been to Brooklyn, New York?
MD: Yes, we've been there! [Laughs]
PD: When you were pregnant, we held a ParentDish poll asking folks to vote on the next Duggar name and the one that won was Jillian, but I personally love the name Jewel.
MD: Jewel is a beautiful name. That's a great idea!
PD: A great idea for the next Duggar? Are you trying to tell me something? Are you planning another baby Duggar?
MD: I'm 43 right now and I know my time clock is ticking so I may be able to have more, I don't know. We are so grateful for the ones we have and I couldn't imagine life without one of these. They represent a future home one day, and will do whatever God calls for them to do in life. I would be thrilled to have more if God sees fit, but we take it one day at a time. Our focus is on Josie right now.
PD: How is she doing?
MD: She's doing great. We are so thankful. She's growing and gaining and that's what we need to happen for her. She has tummy issues that were working out right now. Our doctor said from the very beginning that having a preemie is a roller coaster ride. Parents in the NICU [neonatal intensive care unit] will tell you, 'never trust a preemie.' One day she'll do great and the next day she'll have a setback.
PD: What are the doctor's concerns right now?
MD: Josie loves to eat but she has some challenges pooing and you gotta do both to make it work right, so we have to figure that out. She's taking her feeds well and that thrills my heart. She's kind of at that place with preemies where she's trying to thrive on eating and growing. We're rejoicing because she's approaching the six-pound mark. Josie wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the Lord and the expertise of this facility [Arkansas Children's Hospital]. We are so grateful for every day we have with Josie.
PD: You are amazing for holding everything together. What are your guilty pleasures to help you decompress?
MD: At this season of life, it probably would be sleep. You go through different seasons of life as a mom and so I relish getting extra sleep here and there when I can. Josie is approaching five months and I have to breastfeed frequently, every three to four hours, so there's a lot of interrupted sleep. It's a supply-and-demand thing. I feed my babies on demand when they're newborns. Thankfully, my milk supply has been great.
PD: Switching roles, how's life as a first-time grandma?
MD: I am elated. I dreamed about the day I get to be a grandma. Mackynzie is a chunk, a rolly polly grandbaby. She's approaching seven months now and it's just so sweet. I had her sitting on my lap the other day and she was smiling and touching my face. So much fun being a grandma.
PD: What are your plans for Mother's Day?
MD: I actually don't know. I'll spend some time at the hospital with Josie. I don't know what the family has planned. I don't want to mess things up so I don't ask any questions because my little guys will say something they shouldn't, so I don't ask. We'll be at church in the morning. We go to the Friendly Chapel in Little Rock and Victory Baptist Church.
PD: Any Mother's Day gifts coming your way?
MD: Usually Jim Bob has something up his sleeve. Handmade cards are my favorite. Those are my keepsakes. Daddy will usually give the kids paper and the older girls will work with the younger ones to make special Mother's Day cards for me.
PD: Sweet. Breakfast in bed, too?
MD: They've attempted to make breakfast. That's been interesting. They know I like eggs over easy and they become scrambled over easy when the little guys try their hand at it. They're kinda crunchy. And the toast, they try to get it just the right color two or three times, then they load it with butter. I enjoy it and I eat it. I'm along for the ride.
PD: You have a ton of fans who wish you and the family all the best, especially on Mother's Day. But how do you deal with your detractors and the negative comments on the web?
MD: We receive a lot of feedback, positive and negative, and we've told our children who help with our correspondence that people have their opinions in life and we have to understand that people don't have the same perspective we do. They are entitled to their opinions and we always go back the same place.
PD: What do you mean?
MD: We know that this is where God has called us and we know everyone has their own calling and place in life. You're always going to have the negative naysayers and you're not going to please everyone. You please God and you seek to do what he's called you to do and you will have peace. When there are criticisms, you listen and you take that through the grid of God's words and ask if there's something you can learn from them.
PD: That's pretty hard to teach kids.
MD: We teach them to never just blow people off and not listen. If there's something that you need to change, that's fine, and if not and if it's off the course, move forward and don't get bogged down. You can't please everyone. There are so many things you come up against in life, but we do what God wants us to do in training and loving our kids. We will be the first to tell you we are not perfect. We are still learning every day, but we are finding our answers in God's words, and there's joy and peace and enjoying the fruit of that. As parents, we're all in this together and we're learning as we go along.
PD: What are your biggest challenges as a mom?
MD: Laundry, dishes. I had this mountain of laundry this week. We had gone a whole week without doing any and you can't do that. Keeping up with laundry is number one, and number two is keeping up with dishes and mealtime. Of course, keeping up with their hearts and just asking the kids how they're doing and what's going on and allow them the freedom of opening up and helping them navigate their years and keeping them grounded. All of those concerns are most important in life. We just have to keep at it and encourage them along the way.
Related: Michelle Duggar Chats About Morning Sickness.
For more on the Duggars, visit Duggarfamily.com.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 34)
5-06-2010 @ 3:17PM
Jeanee Miller said...Beautifully spoken Michelle! You are an example of a "loving mother" even to those who may have only one child. With aloha, Jeanee
Reply
5-06-2010 @ 4:55PM
CrazyBreeder said...I am SO SICK OF THIS FAMILY! The woman has a mental disease and her simpleton husband enables her!
They don't raise their kids -- the other kids raise the kids. The reason they are homeschooled is b/c she depends upon the older kids to actually take care of the little ones.
THEY ARE DESPICABLE!!!! I would lay money on many of these kids ending up as social misfits (even more than they are) and being unable to have NORMAL LIVES. I'm betting on divorces, drug abuse, low paying jobs, -- a real SPRINGER breeding ground.
Lets not even get into how IRRESPONSIBLE IT IS TO HAVE A BROOD THAT BIG!!! Very environmentally unsound!!
TIE HER TUBES AND GIVE HIM A VASECTOMY!!!!
5-06-2010 @ 4:55PM
2kidsNOmore said...The Duggar Family is a FREAK SHOW! Nothing more, nothing less. Of course she will keep having kids, she's used her psychosis as a means to get both fame and fortune -- by being a human sperm sponge that pops out puppies one after the other.
She is mentally ill. Someone take her off TV or, at the very least, let Dr. Phil yell at her for being so SELFISH!
5-06-2010 @ 5:31PM
CINDI said...DOES MR DUGGAR WORK OUT SIDE OF HIS WIFES BODY, I MEAN LIKE A JOB, WITH A PAY CK. BESIDES WHAT THEY'RE GET FOR BEING 19 AND COUNTING, A JOB, ANY ONE KNOW??
5-06-2010 @ 5:47PM
B said...I think the Duggars are an amazingly strong family. Yes, they have a lot of children, but they are more than capable of caring for all of them. They do not rely on the government and they live DEBT FREE with 19 kids! How many families do you know today that could do that? Long before the television show ever happened, they built their house with their own hands, from scratch, with no professional help. That's amazing! They are completely self-sufficient. Sure, the older kids help out a lot, but isn't that how families are supposed to be? I think it's great that they don't watch a lot of television, it is a bad influence. They use the internet, they aren't so sheltered that they don't realize what's going on in the world. All of the children are well educated and well behaved. They take the good and the bad and choose to live in a way that they see fit. I think you all need to get your facts straight and lighten up on these people! They are an inspirational family and we could all learn from them!
5-06-2010 @ 6:07PM
Kimberly said...This family is the reason I have problems with organized religion. She says that she is doing God's will... seriously? she thinks the reason she keeps getting pregnant is because that is what God wants? I guess she never received a proper education or she would understand that reproduction is an act of nature, not God. And I feel bad for Josie because she is clearly going to have health problems at the very least and might very well have cognitive delays as well, but I guess the Duggers believe that is what God wants for Josie. Really? The Duggers think God wants Josie to have health problems? That is so sad. It is the children who suffer in cases like this.
5-06-2010 @ 6:13PM
Phillip said...This woamn or man needs to be neutered!
5-06-2010 @ 6:21PM
Christi said...Michelle Dugger and her husband Jim Bob are simply irresponsible and self-centered. They seem to have the attitude that if they can do it then they should do it and they justify it by saying it is God's will. I agree with Kimberly, that gives a bad name to organized religion. I guess by their way of thinking, if a man can get away with committing murder than it is God's will, otherwise he wouldn't be able to do it, right? So by the same token, if Michelle can get pregnant and have another baby then that makes it God's will and it is okay no matter what the baby has to suffer through as he/she grows up. So sad. So, so very sad.
5-06-2010 @ 6:22PM
Janice said...Kudos to you Jeanne. I think Michelle and Jim-Bob are wonderful parents and have it all together. Their children are incredibly well behaved and enjoy life to the fullest. Bravo to the entire Duggar family.
5-06-2010 @ 6:35PM
Kristin said...Guess what people, its none of your business how many children these people have! It might not be my personal choice to have a large family, but thats what they want. Go find something else to do than judge other people and let these people live their lives how they want to live them.
5-06-2010 @ 6:58PM
montreaux1991 said...Kristin:
It IS our business when it's OUR TAX DOLLARS that feed, clothe and shelter the Duggar 3 ring side-show.
That lazy redneck and his dimwit sperm-sponge don't have the mental capacity to hold down even a minimum wage job.
5-06-2010 @ 6:58PM
stephanie said...Kristin, they put themselves on TELEVISION. They stepped under the microscope all by themselves, of course people are going to give an oppinion. They brought any criticism on themselves when they signed the contract.
5-06-2010 @ 7:16PM
Georgia said...I don't agree with crazybreeder, their remarks were hurtful and crude. I do believe that they should not have any more children. Who is to say that the next one would be born early like Josie and have a lot of medical issues just like her. Why would any prent want to put a child through all that. I also think that her body is becoming weaker and weaker with every pregnancy and birth, and that is partially why she went into premature labor and baby Josie was born so early. Jimng Bob needs to control himself and all those urges, and think about what all this is doing to his wife and her physical health. Being pregnant and delivering all those children is very hard on a woman. And it does look as though the older children as taking care of the younger ones. That is not their responsibility, yet they are the ones looking after their siblings. Let them grow up normally as every child should.
5-06-2010 @ 7:25PM
Inkling said...Hmmm, I wonder when she heard "God's calling" if it sounded like "Cha-Ching!". It is deplorable that the Duggars have used making babies as a vice to make money. Their most recent baby looks so sickly and it is heartbreaking to know that she will probably have a lifetime of health issues due to their selfishness and greed of fame. They need to quit reproducing. Enough is enough. Sorry, I won't be watching their freakshow on Mother's Day. Being a mother means raising your children yourself, not BURDENING your older children as built in babysitters while you continue to breed more. Disgusting!
5-06-2010 @ 8:10PM
Shanaz irani said...yuck..... disgusting and repulsive..... these 2 are worse than animals... even animals dont produce so many babies.... how repulsive and shamful to have a baby when your older children are in age to be parents.... can u imagine if every couple had so many kids what would this world come to.... they would have to eat each other cause the world would be depleted of nutrients..... and people watch their show..... horrible... dont encourage such enemies of earth....they ought to have brains and logic.... disgusting creatures
5-06-2010 @ 7:32PM
Mongoose11783 said...19 kids and counting? gross AND irresponsible!
5-06-2010 @ 7:39PM
sparklenshine722 said...I agree with you Jeanee, Michelle is a wonderful and selfless person. Unlike the previous response I do not feel she is an, "ass," does it make you feel better to vent so vulgarly? These people take the children that they have been given from God and love and cherish them. They don't use birth control, they have consensual marital relations as people in healthy marriages do, and therefore children are a result. Do not disrespect them because you do not agree with their non-artificial practices with respect to fertility and reproduction. She and Jim Bob are not being selfish at all, but selfless. They care lovingly for every child they conceive, unlike some women who choose to provide their children with inadequate care. If this were a woman who was unable to conceive prior, and was having her first baby at Michelle's age who also wound up in intensive care would you be so callous? The fact that these are pure, good and honest people obviously strikes a cord with you and you ought to work your issues out in therapy, not on a web page it will not correct your maladaptive thought patterns.
5-06-2010 @ 7:49PM
JC said...B wrote:
Long before the television show ever happened, they built their
house with their own hands, from scratch, with no professional
help.
Long before? So I guess a camera crew just happened to be hanging around so they could air the (supposed) building of the house with no professional help. Speaking of professional help....
5-06-2010 @ 7:59PM
Sheryl said...Happy Mother's Day! I hope you have a wonderful day! God bless you and all your precious children!
5-06-2010 @ 8:10PM
kathleen said...I usually keep my thoughts to myself but this really bothers me with this family having so many kids! How do they get money to support these kids. Didnt they have their house finished by a TV show was it extreme home?? Which made me sick to see them waste money on this family instead of some other family that actually has problems other than having too many kids. Im sorry wont watch the show cause it angers me. another family putting there kids in the spot light. Yeah really good parents!!! Pathetic!!!