Duggar Family size

[Gillyweed]

Which of the Duggar kids do you think will have big families? I can see Josh and Anna having a lot, and same with Jill and Derick, but i don't really think Jana or Jinger will have more than four.

[CaptainFunderpants]

Which of the Duggar kids do you think will have big families? I can see Josh and Anna having a lot, and same with Jill and Derick, but i don't really think Jana or Jinger will have more than four.

It's generally accepted around here that Anna and Josh'll have one of the lesser number of kids. Josh seems really content with 3, Anna wants more, but there are all kinds of conspiracy theories that Josh is intentionally stalling Anna because Anna doesn't know what she's getting into (Anna was one of the youngest in her family) whereas Josh tends to think more about pre-TV life and post-TV life.

It's honestly odd to think of any of them having a massive family. Jill seems like a potential, but Derrick seems likely to quash it. Blessa would be the best bet because you know Bin supports the idea of having her knocked up all the time, so... matter of time until Jessa has a nervous break down.

[browncoatslytherin]

Which of the Duggar kids do you think will have big families? I can see Josh and Anna having a lot, and same with Jill and Derick, but i don't really think Jana or Jinger will have more than four.

if josh and anna are constantly trying with each cycle, ala j'chelle, her fertility has gone down since she's been married. she had mack and then marcus within a fairly short order, but took a little while for #3 and even longer for #4.

if they aren't trying and are intentionally limiting their family size, then they definitely aren't going to have a large brood.

at this point, i'd say she MIGHT break into double digits, IF she hits it right. but that's a big if. personally, i don't think she will, whether their pregnancy rate is intentional or not.

[NotALoserLikeYou]

I think Anna would be thrilled to have kid after kid. She hasn't moved away from the fundie lifestyle she grew up with at all.

I bet a lot of the boys won't have as many since they have to support all those kids.

I don't see any of the girls having a ton of kids, except Jill.

[Four is Enough]

I think Anna would be thrilled to have kid after kid. She hasn't moved away from the fundie lifestyle she grew up with at all.

I bet a lot of the boys won't have as many since they have to support all those kids.

I don't see any of the girls having a ton of kids, except Jill.

I'm holding out on judgement until Jill actually experiences labor as the labor-er... I think she's too wimpy to go through that very many times. Of course, she could be one of these mothers who just pops 'em out.. she'd be that lucky.. :D

[singsingsing]

Anna would love to have 20 but I doubt she'll end up with more than 10, if that. Jill I think would also love 20, but I think it's too soon to tell with her. It is possible she could change her mind, life circumstances making it difficult to have sex that often could arise, her fertility (or Derick's) could change...

The problem is that even if Jana or Jessa or Jinger don't want many kids, as long as they choose to remain fundie and marry fundies, they really don't have a choice. All they can do is pray that God chooses not to 'bless' them with more than they can handle, and they'd probably feel guilty even doing that. Birth control is obviously not an option, but nor is trying to prevent in any way. Not to mention the prestige in their society that comes with bearing multiple children, or the stigma and suspicion that go along with having too few, or God forbid, none at all.

Jessa has said they definitely want a big family, and they also want to adopt. She could have been bullshitting, or she could change her mind, but I wouldn't pin my hopes on Jessa. She doesn't seem particularly maternal, but she is zealous. I would not be surprised if she wanted 10, 12, or more children, not because she really wants many kids per se, but because she wants to create warriors for Christ.

As far as the others go, if they truly only want 5 or 2 or zero kids, unless they're lucky and they're not very fertile, they will have to re-evaluate their entire belief system. They can absolutely still stay conservative Christian, borderline fundie even, but it would almost certainly lead them to many other changes. It's really hard to leave the system you've been brought up in when you've been told you're part of a special righteous group that God loves best, that it's easy to fall from grace and go to hell if you deviate, and when all your family members and friends are still involved, your entire social world is bound up in it. That's why I'm so keen to see even one of them break away - I'm not talking about some huge fallout, even just mainstream church, pants, limiting family side - some have loosened up a bit, but they're not quite there. But as some begin to deviate from the mainstream of Gothardism, it will be easier for the others to follow.

[deaja]

I don't think any of them will have double digits, but I think most of them will have large-ish families (6-8 kids). I don't really know much about the boys other than Josh as I just recently started watching, so I'm thinking more of the girls and particularly the older girls.

Unless Jana is courting someone behind the scenes, it seems the earliest she could have a baby is 27 (figuring a year of courtship/engagement and 9 months of pregnancy). This isn't old by any means, but compared to starting having babies at 20, she likely won't have as many. Even if she has a baby every 18 months til she's 40, that's 8 kids.

Jill seems more likely to have a lot - she seems very fertile based on how quickly she got pregnant. She's young, and Derrick Dillard has a job. But I can't see Derrick wanting that many kids, and it's up to him as well. Even if she refuses to honor her headship's desire to use birth control, he can abstain if needed.

Jessa might have the biggest family. She seems to enjoy time with her buddies and she's still really young. Maybe she really does want a large family.

I think Jinger will have 6-8 kids as well. Nothing huge, but definitely more than the average.

Statistically though, with 1 in 7 couples suffering from infertility, it wouldn't be surprising if a couple of the children have no kids. I can only hope that if one of their kids does struggle with infertility the Duggars are sensitive to that, but I don't have high hopes for this.

[singsingsing]

Statistically though, with 1 in 7 couples suffering from infertility, it wouldn't be surprising if a couple of the children have no kids. I can only hope that if one of their kids does struggle with infertility the Duggars are sensitive to that, but I don't have high hopes for this.

I think that's a point we really need to keep in mind. The assumption tends to be that the daughters will be as fertile as their mothers, but of course that's not necessarily the case. Just look at Erin Bates Paine. Nobody expected her to have the issue she does, but she's far from a rare specimen. With that many kids, some of them are bound to have fertility problems, or health problems that make pregnancy difficult or dangerous. So what if, for example, Jinger ends up having some kind of issue that means she's risking her life every time she gets pregnant? Will her parents still expect her to just 'trust God' and keep having babies? If so, fuck them. Seriously.

This isn't scientific, it's just based on years of observing fundies, but many of them seem to get pregnant about 2-4 months after getting married. Some take longer. Some, like Jill, get pregnant in two seconds. But for all we know Jill will have her baby in March and then have five years of unexplained secondary infertility. Or she could have eight kids in a row and then suddenly not be able to get pregnant anymore. Fertility can be a weird and wonky thing... which kind of makes it more interesting to watch and see what happens with all of them.

[BrownieMomma]

Which of the Duggar kids do you think will have big families? I can see Josh and Anna having a lot, and same with Jill and Derick, but i don't really think Jana or Jinger will have more than four.

Am I a bad person for saying it's one heckuva horrific thought to think that any of the Duggar kids will go on and have huge families?

idk, it seems that JB and M are sort of one of a kind, Bates notwithstanding. I get the feeling that none of the Duggar kids will have anything close to the amount their parents had.

[MrsYoungie]

If one of the daughters (or daughters-in-law) has some kind of issue that makes a pregnancy attempt dangerous - is there any kind of birth control that they are allowed to use? Obviously the pill and the IUD are right out, but could they at least use condoms? spermacide foam? diaphram? Or would abstinence in the form of natural family planning be the only option? Are they so steeped in the cult that they would just go ahead and "Trust God" with a dangerous pregnancy?

[txmommyof4]

If one of the daughters (or daughters-in-law) has some kind of issue that makes a pregnancy attempt dangerous - is there any kind of birth control that they are allowed to use? Obviously the pill and the IUD are right out, but could they at least use condoms? spermacide foam? diaphram? Or would abstinence in the form of natural family planning be the only option? Are they so steeped in the cult that they would just go ahead and "Trust God" with a dangerous pregnancy?

They aren't even supposed to use any natural family planning. It's supposed to be 100% up to god and if the mother or baby die, it's god's will, don't question god. It's all terrifying. Women are literally worth noting without fertility.

[jingersrealmom]

I don't see Jinger as a mother. I think she will be the cool auntie that always has gum or mints in her coach or Prada, respectively.

On sister wives, one of the girls got to go live in a dorm at a university. I wish Jinger could do the same. She would thrive and blossom and would be an awesome career woman!

[19 cats and counting]

The jury is still out on the girls from Joy-Josie (they're not old enough to court yet so I'm leaving them out).

Jana-- She just turned 25. I agree with the poster that said the earliest she could have a kid is 27 because as far as we know, there's no courtship on the horizon for her.

Jill-- Seems the most likely to challenge Michelle in terms of numbers. This is a fundie golden child who drank the Kool-Aid by the gallon and it's clear she's continuing it. And honestly, it would not surprise me if Dilly #2 is cooking by year's end.

Jessa--- To be honest, I'm surprised that she has not made an announcement yet. I can see her initially giving Michelle a run for her $$$ but then breaking down.

Jinger-- I want nothing more than that girl to move away from the nest. She needs a John Webster type that lives out of state and will take her with him. I can see her with a larger than normal family but not a Duggar sized family.

Anna--- She clearly loves being a mom (and I think she beats her MIL in that department). She does not have Michelle's fertility, and will soon have 4 under 6. With the exception of Mack and Michael, the kids (including #4) seem to be two years apart (as opposed to 1.5) so I can't see her with a family about the size of the one she came from.

[SassyPants]

OK, I'm going to give Michelle a pat on the back. She had to parent those first 6-7 or so kids without any J-Slave help, at a time when JB was still actually working. I think future family sizes will depend on how well (or not) the solo mothering goes for these girls. It's easy to say that you want 19 kids when you're a kid...or have never been pregnant...or never been pregnant and caring for a gaggle of other little kids...or ate rice 3 different ways and called it a meal. Reality is sometimes very different from the ideal.

[soundofa]

if josh and anna are constantly trying with each cycle, ala j'chelle, her fertility has gone down since she's been married. she had mack and then marcus within a fairly short order, but took a little while for #3 and even longer for #4.

if they aren't trying and are intentionally limiting their family size, then they definitely aren't going to have a large brood.

at this point, i'd say she MIGHT break into double digits, IF she hits it right. but that's a big if. personally, i don't think she will, whether their pregnancy rate is intentional or not.

I think it's interesting to note that all of their kids at this point (other than Kenzie) were/will be born in June, which coincidentally falls 9 months from Josh and Anna's anniversary. One would think they would be able to get pregnant during another month if they were "letting the Lord decide."

[HarleyQuinn]

I think Jill will try to get up to Michelle's number, but I can see Derick leaving her before they reach it. She doesn't seem like she gives him a lot of space.

I always thought it would be Jessa and Ben that divorce, but now I think it will be Derick and Jill.

Otherwise I can't see any of these kids in the double digits either (besides Jill, if her and Derick make it)

JD doesn't seem like he wants kids. Joseph and Josiah both seem to love kids, but whomever they marry might not have that mega fertility. Jana will probably have 4-5 and same with Jinger, perhaps.

[singsingsing]

I think Anna's actually due around the middle of July this time.

I don't think Jill and Derick will divorce. Even if Derick ends up miserable, I don't think he would leave her. Especially not if they have several children by that time.

[silverspoons]

I think the younger Duggars will have fewer kids then the older ones. The kids brought up 100% in front fo tv Jackson-Josie will have the small families.

Anna will have as many as she can. I bet she hits 10. I see her as really wanting a large family and she is thrilled that she married someone who can provide for her to stay at home and have a large family.

I also do not see Jill or Jessa limiting the amount of kids they have. Unless medical issue arise they will both hit double digits.

Jana age is the only thing IMO stopping her from having a mega family. Im torn if she is not marrying because she feels needed by her siblings or wants to intentionally not have alot of kids. Jana ends up with 6. She will have her quiver.

All the Duggars men/boys can marry someone younger so it is anyone's guess to how many kids they want or will have.

My husband came from a mega family and none of his siblings had 20 kids. The largest family is 6 and both that have 6 are because they have step kids. 7 of his siblings have no kids and all my husband's siblings are now over 30. The biggest reason was money. A few didn't like a large family but for the most part they focus on positive memories of having 20+ siblings. I hear over and over again the same thing from his siblings, in this economy we could never raise that many kids, I want my kids to go to college, I want my kids to go to camps/sports, have new clothes, and take vacations. My SIL made the point that her parents bought an acre of land for $1k with utlities run to it in the late 60's. They bought a modular home for 1k and put it on the land. Over the years the built on additions and dug a finished basement. It was all debt free. Today that 1 acre of land, same street goes for 200k+. So in the late 60's the lot cost 1/4 of a year of salary, today it cost 4 years worth of salary and this land is in rural Utah.

I wonder what the Duggar kids would be like if the show never came along? Would Jill still be working? Would Jessa been able to get married? Would they be so eager to have large families if People magazine wasn;t paying $$ for every pregnancy related story? They are lucky that Arkansas cost of living is low so I think some fo the kids could pull off large families without the media money but not many of them.

[jingersrealmom]

Maybe Jana will have 3 litters of 6 kids

[LongDogMom]

This isn't scientific, it's just based on years of observing fundies, but many of them seem to get pregnant about 2-4 months after getting married. Some take longer. Some, like Jill, get pregnant in two seconds. But for all we know Jill will have her baby in March and then have five years of unexplained secondary infertility.

So true! My Mom got married and got pregnant on her honeymoon with twins, but had a terrible time with toxemia and ended up being induced a month and a half early and my twin died shortly after birth. She tried and tried to get pregnant again but apparently she had a tipped uterus and it was astounding she got pregnant the first time. She never did have another pregnancy. And my grandmother also got pregnant right away, like Jill, but it took her 9 years to get pregnant again. Me, I got pregnant 2 weeks after getting married and then again immediately when we tried for a second child. After that my husband was scared to come near me till the vasectomy was deemed "working"! (We only wanted two because, like my Mom, I have high risk and difficulty pregnancies).

What I wonder is... with the Duggars main claim to fame and very vocal belief about having as many kids as Got gives you, I imagine it would be very difficult for any of the kids, or even their spouses, to raise the issue of trying to limit their families. Even using the Rhythm Method is probably considered horrible because you are suppposed to just trust in God and be happy. I think if one of the couples did decide to use some form of birth control, they would be very secretive about it and have to essentially lie to the Duggar clan and associated siblings because I doubt the Duggars would be very supportive with any of the couples going against the main thing the Duggars preach and are known for!

Even raising the issue to one another would be stressful I suspect. Like if Derrick wanted to limit their kids after having, say 4 or 5, I think it would be hard for him knowing her parents (and her) beliefs about that particular issue. Their belief really doesn't allow for any deviation from as many as God allows and if you are having a lot of sex and not using protection...I guess he could pull out and hope, but... I wonder if she'd get mad even with that if she wanted more and would feel it was taking control from God?

I think Ben and Jessa are super extreme in their beliefs, but I also think that the reality of a bunch of kids spaced closely will really test that. It is not easy, even with help. Not to mention having to support them all. They've gotten used to a nicer lifestyle. Hard to go back to donated clothing and Jim Bob and Michelle can't support everyone, especially once the TLC money runs dry.

[Sundaymorning]

Right now, I don't think any of the married Duggar offsprings will actively try to limit their family size.

Even if they would secretly feel apprehensive about it. One reason is their show which needs new babies to keep on going. Another important reason is the fear of being judged by their fundie circle. Cause if a couple fails to get pregnant regularly, there is just bound to be gossip in the ATI crowd.

But once the show is over, things could change pretty quickly. Without the TLC money and perks, it will be very much harder for them to keep their standart of living up with too many children. And let's face it, the Duggars have been spoilt over the last few years, I doubt many of them will be willing to give that up so fast.

And I doubt that the younger Duggars will ever seriously plan to have 20 children at all. They have had a different upbringing and probably aren't as brainwashed and attached to the ATI doctrines as their older siblings.

[DGayle]

I don't think Josh is keen on having a baseball team. I think he's over a houseful of kittle kids. He's had a taste of some quiet, and I just don't think he's wanting to go back to the kids-like-ants, and I suspect he'll eventually get a snip on the quiet, and I support that. I know there's been debate on if he should have that right or it if violates Anna, but he does have the right. His body, his choice, and if a woman who doesn't want another baby can abort a baby at 20 weeks even if the father is desperate for the baby, why shouldn't Josh be allowed to do what is necessary to not have another kid either? Anna's right to more babies with her body shouldn't mean Josh loses the right to say not with his sperm.

Anna didn't grow up at the top of tons, and I think she has a complex about trying to prove she's as much a Duggar as the Duggar-borns. My mom did the same as the only woman married into the family name. My dad was the only son among a bunch of sisters. My mom got offended a long time ago when Dad and his sisters had a portrait done of them for Mother's Day since my mom said she's as much a [X-lastname] as any of his sisters, so why shouldn't she have been in it? Doesn't matter that the husbands weren't in it. THEY never had [X-lastname]. My mom ended up trying to out-X the X's, became abusive, and eventually dead. That's how I see Anna, as someone who'll want to out-Duggar the Duggars, only I don't think she'll be abusive or die from it.

I think they'll have 6, maybe 8, and then be done. Vasectomy or even sabotaging their chances.

Jill I think would be happy with tons of them. She's the Golden Girl who probably sees fame and glory. But Derrick has been an adult for a while now, and he knows how hard it is supporting himself, and I think he'll stop. He's spouting the Duggar lines now since he had to, but I don't think he'll want a lot.

Both of those couples are in for some problems, unless Anna and Jill come around.

I think Jessa and Ben are horny dreamers. Pregnancy is proof of sex. Hey, did we all know they're having lots of sexy sex sex with a side of more sex? And adopting has his romantic aspects to some people. I don't see either of them as hard-working enough to do what they would have to to adopt, and I think the unsexy parts of pregnancy and childbirth will put the kibosh on them getting knocked up as fast as they can. The aches and pains and swelling ankles and discharge, then being stretched out for a while, no sex for at least a month, the baggy skin, is all stuff I don't think they're mature enough to handle. Ben crushed on her after seeing her on TV. She's pretty, and in his eyes, sexy. He was in luuuurve with her before meeting her. What's going to happen when she doesn't look the same? Jessa'a vain. Same thing. Will she enjoy feeling fat and bloated for months at a time and dealing with stretch marks?

Jana, not many kids. If she got engaged today, she'd be married by summer, and wouldn't have her first until she's 26. That's getting close to the decline. In their world, younger women are wanted more for a reason. Better breeding stock, more time for babies. Whoever would go for an "older" woman is likely to be someone who doesn't want so many kids. Run down the clock. That's why I think JD hasn't been serious about anyone. He's a hard-working young man who knows how much money can be earned, and he probably sees how much more is needed to raise tons of kids.

I'm losing hope for Jinger to escape unless she goes the way of Jana. I think JoyAnna will bolt.

Crapshoot on the rest. I think more of the rest of them will not follow the lifestyle at all. JB&M will be too tired and so over being involved, just like they were so over parenting by the time #8 or so rolled around.

[DGayle]

If one of the daughters (or daughters-in-law) has some kind of issue that makes a pregnancy attempt dangerous - is there any kind of birth control that they are allowed to use? Obviously the pill and the IUD are right out, but could they at least use condoms? spermacide foam? diaphram? Or would abstinence in the form of natural family planning be the only option? Are they so steeped in the cult that they would just go ahead and "Trust God" with a dangerous pregnancy?

Even after Josie and Jubilee, both which could have killed Michelle, they were still up for having more, even knowing it could kill Michelle.

So even if pregnancy is dangerous for any of their daughters, I think the daughter would be expected to do it anyway. Dying for more arrows is seen as noble, and she'd be a martyr for the cause and held up as an example of everything a woman should be, what with dying for god and all. They don't even think about taking care of the flock they already have. It's all about the numbers.

[SassyPants]

I don't think Josh is keen on having a baseball team. I think he's over a houseful of kittle kids. He's had a taste of some quiet, and I just don't think he's wanting to go back to the kids-like-ants, and I suspect he'll eventually get a snip on the quiet, and I support that. I know there's been debate on if he should have that right or it if violates Anna, but he does have the right. His body, his choice, and if a woman who doesn't want another baby can abort a baby at 20 weeks even if the father is desperate for the baby, why shouldn't Josh be allowed to do what is necessary to not have another kid either? Anna's right to more babies with her body shouldn't mean Josh loses the right to say not with his sperm.

Anna didn't grow up at the top of tons, and I think she has a complex about trying to prove she's as much a Duggar as the Duggar-borns. My mom did the same as the only woman married into the family name. My dad was the only son among a bunch of sisters. My mom got offended a long time ago when Dad and his sisters had a portrait done of them for Mother's Day since my mom said she's as much a [X-lastname] as any of his sisters, so why shouldn't she have been in it? Doesn't matter that the husbands weren't in it. THEY never had [X-lastname]. My mom ended up trying to out-X the X's, became abusive, and eventually dead. That's how I see Anna, as someone who'll want to out-Duggar the Duggars, only I don't think she'll be abusive or die from it.

I think they'll have 6, maybe 8, and then be done. Vasectomy or even sabotaging their chances.

Jill I think would be happy with tons of them. She's the Golden Girl who probably sees fame and glory. But Derrick has been an adult for a while now, and he knows how hard it is supporting himself, and I think he'll stop. He's spouting the Duggar lines now since he had to, but I don't think he'll want a lot.

Both of those couples are in for some problems, unless Anna and Jill come around.

I think Jessa and Ben are horny dreamers. Pregnancy is proof of sex. Hey, did we all know they're having lots of sexy sex sex with a side of more sex? And adopting has his romantic aspects to some people. I don't see either of them as hard-working enough to do what they would have to to adopt, and I think the unsexy parts of pregnancy and childbirth will put the kibosh on them getting knocked up as fast as they can. The aches and pains and swelling ankles and discharge, then being stretched out for a while, no sex for at least a month, the baggy skin, is all stuff I don't think they're mature enough to handle. Ben crushed on her after seeing her on TV. She's pretty, and in his eyes, sexy. He was in luuuurve with her before meeting her. What's going to happen when she doesn't look the same? Jessa'a vain. Same thing. Will she enjoy feeling fat and bloated for months at a time and dealing with stretch marks?

Jana, not many kids. If she got engaged today, she'd be married by summer, and wouldn't have her first until she's 26. That's getting close to the decline. In their world, younger women are wanted more for a reason. Better breeding stock, more time for babies. Whoever would go for an "older" woman is likely to be someone who doesn't want so many kids. Run down the clock. That's why I think JD hasn't been serious about anyone. He's a hard-working young man who knows how much money can be earned, and he probably sees how much more is needed to raise tons of kids.

I'm losing hope for Jinger to escape unless she goes the way of Jana. I think JoyAnna will bolt.

Crapshoot on the rest. I think more of the rest of them will not follow the lifestyle at all. JB&M will be too tired and so over being involved, just like they were so over parenting by the time #8 or so rolled around.

Amen :clap:

[DGayle]

I wonder what the Duggar kids would be like if the show never came along? Would Jill still be working? Would Jessa been able to get married? Would they be so eager to have large families if People magazine wasn;t paying $$ for every pregnancy related story? They are lucky that Arkansas cost of living is low so I think some fo the kids could pull off large families without the media money but not many of them.

I don't think Jill would have been allowed any sort of job, and Jessa and Ben wouldn't have met. I think the kids would all be more eager to have more kids because that would be their only way to get some spotlight.