How many is too many? That's the title on this weeks People Magazine cover story. It's about Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar- a devoutly religious Arkansas couple who have let God decide how many children they will have, by not using any form of birth control since their first sons birth in the mid-1980's. So far, God has decided to give them 19.
Nineteen, hmm sounds like a little much. So far, the Duggars have been blessed with 18 easy pregnancies, very few having any complications at all. Until the December birth of baby 19, Josie Brooklyn.
Diagnosed with Preeclampsia, Michelle delivered baby Josie at only 25 weeks, she was due March 18th. She weighed only 1 pound 6 ounces and her head was the size of a billiard ball. Now, 7 weeks later, she weighs over 2 pounds, is taking breastmilk and seems to be on the up and up.
The struggles baby Josie has had to face bring a question to many readers minds, How many is too many?
What do you think? Were the Duggars playing baby Russian Roulette or was Baby Josie's dangerous delivery just part of God's plan?
I am all for allowing your faith to guide your path in life, but when does it become too much, by endangering the lives of both mother and baby?
I don't often get to (or choose to) share my thoughts on these things, so here it goes.
ReplyDeleteEvery single child is a gift from God, whether they were born healthy, or wealthy, or what have you. Would it have been better that this person never be alive than being born a preemie? No.
Now to the issue of 19 kids versus using birth control. You don't either use birth control or be forced to have 19 kids. Birth control wasn't invented until the 1960s, and women didn't all end up with 19 kids.
God created a woman's body to have natural phases of infertility -- usually 3+ weeks out of the cycle. For women who choose to monitor their bodies and look for the signs of fertility, the couple can more or less choose whether to try to achieve pregnancy or not.
Now I have no idea why the Duggars would want to have 19 kids, but I would imagine they actively attempted to conceive most of them.
I seriously think Michelle Duggar has some sort of addiction to having children. I don't know if it is the attention she gets while she is pregnant or the attention she gets for continuing to have children. I think after having her 19th child and the complications that came with it, she should seriously consider not having any more children.
ReplyDeleteJust because you use some sort of contraception, doesn't mean you are a bad person or going against God's will. God did have a hand in inventing the stuff.
I think she's crazy myself. You'd thing that after 4,5,6.............she'd give it up. There is only so much a woman's body can take before it begins to fail her and her's has obviously done it's fair share of birthing babies. She is in her 40's and that itself is a huge risk as the risk of birth defects rises dramatically after age 35. There are so many women out there that can't have children of their own and for her to have 19 is absurd.
ReplyDeleteI don't care how many babies she has, just as long as she and her husband can take care of them. AND they seem to do that, with lots of love and kindness to each other. Just because others can't have children, doesn't mean she should only have X number of children. As a nurse, I have seen PLENTY of people who have had 1 or 2 children and THAT was TOO MUCH for them. Hopefully, every one of those kids will grow up, and live as their parents did. Making a good living, paying taxes and not a drain on society but a blessing!
ReplyDeleteI love the Duggars and their show! I am a nurse and I do know that the human body wears out in time just like a car. The same car you drove 20 years ago across country might not make it all the way across this time. Just as Michelle's female organs and everything is getting older, each time put wear, tear and strain on her body and the reproductive organs as well as her circulatory system. I'm surprised she's lasted this long. I think it's time to finally say enough...for the sake of any future pregnancies and for Michelle. Best wishes to them and I hope the baby is okay.
ReplyDeletePeople way back in the day had even more kids than she did. But regardless of that, she and her husband and their kids, are all well rounded and stable, and can provide for themselves. Some people can't even take care of 1 without help from the taxpayers. But, to say she did this,or even imply it, based on the fact that she has so many kids, is crap. My best friend from high school has 2 kids, she had preeclampsia with both. Thank God, all 3 are still alive. But, having multiple pregnancies doesn't cause conditions like that. Either you have it, or you don't. And another thing, I had 1 miscarriage, then a succesful full-term pregnancy with my son, then I had my daughter 17 weeks premature. I had 3 pregnancies, and almost died on the 3rd. Thank God we are both still here. I didn't have 19 kids, or do anything wrong, and I still had my daughter EXTREMLY premature. So no, I don't agree with any of what you had to say, suggestively or not.
ReplyDeleteI know the Duggars love their children. But, just how much individual attention can each child receive from their parents? I think they need to stop having children and concentrate on the health and well being of the ones they have.
ReplyDeleteHow and why is it anybody's business how many kids they have? They are an awesome, loving family. The olders help take care of the youngers which helps prep them for when they become parents. Blessings to the Duggars for being an example of how families should interact. We certainly need more of that in this country!
ReplyDeleteAll I know is that I certainly wouldn't want people telling me how many children I could have. Seems to me the Duggars have it together in a way that most smaller families don't.
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