Esther Shrader (Anna Duggar's sister) living in a pop up

[Isodolly]

19th of February or March?

Woops, 19th February.

[BravaAmica]

I was thinking the same thing surely someone in the family would ask for prayer if something went wrong. I too hope that everything is fine and that little Sophia is here and keeping mommy and daddy too busy to post any updates to their Facebook. Thing is most new parents find a moment to post a quick birth announcement. Surely he would let the friends on Facebook who have been asking about Esther and the baby know if some bad had happened wouldn't he? I've seen no mention of Esther or the baby on any of the sibling's Facebooks or blogs does anyone know if either set of grandparents has a Facebook or blog?

I think if something went wrong- as in, Esther was rushed into surgery for an emergency c-section or the baby was rushed into the NICU- they'd ask for prayer. But if one or both died, I can see them not making a public announcement right away. Particularly if Esther delivered under the auspices of an unlicensed midwife and Esther or the baby died.

[Slt]

Woops, 19th February.

Wow. Now I am really scared for her. She has had so many children, it's pretty rare to go overdue, let alone almost 2 weeks overdue after that. I hope we get an update soon...

[browngrl]

I just had a crazy thought: is the reason there have been no prayer requests because there is no baby? Is this another imaginary pregnancy? I hope this is way, way off the truth. I hope that the real problem is just that she had her dates wrong but it is worrisome.

[ILoveJellybeans]

facebook.com/john.shrader.125#!/photo.php?fbid=4369071675174&set=a.1529478447118.2066011.1539439108&type=3&theater

^ Nope, there appears to be a fetus in there, so its not an imaginary pregnancy

I hope theyre ok, theres been no updates in a while and Esther doesnt seem to be very well.

[fundyfunland]

I haven't paid attention to this thread for ages, but catching up now, I'm really worried for her. I hope all this speculation is wrong, and that they're just busy with their baby, but I just checked up on their Facebook pages (which I've never done before) and there is still no update, despite that there were so many people concerned about her. What gives me hope that all is well, is that no FB friends or family have posted any words of condolence on any of the family's FB pages or blogs. I'd think they'd have to be sitting at their computers all the time in order to moderate any condolence messages.

[anjulibai]

http://www.facebook.com/john.shrader.125#!/photo.php?fbid=4369071675174&set=a.1529478447118.2066011.1539439108&type=3&theater

^ Nope, there appears to be a fetus in there, so its not an imaginary pregnancy

I hope theyre ok, theres been no updates in a while and Esther doesnt seem to be very well.

Interesting that in that link he said "two months to go", and it was posted January 17th. Maybe the due date wasn't February 19th, but March 19th, in which case all that's been going on has been false labor.

[simplymom]

Interesting that in that link he said "two months to go", and it was posted January 17th. Maybe the due date wasn't February 19th, but March 19th, in which case all that's been going on has been false labor.

Actually on January 17th he said the picture was taken "two months ago" on November 3. He said they were looking forward to meeting her in just a few weeks.

[Miggy]

I don't think we need to panic about her being dialated 6cm. I was dialated 4cm at my 38 week check with baby 3 due to Braxton Hicks contractions and still went another 4 weeks before delivering.

I wondered at first when John said the midwife was keeping her at the birth centre. (I don't believe it is a birth centre but that is not relevant here.) Now, as the week goes on and no baby appears, I suspect the midwife is actually keeping her there so she gets some rest before delivering. The flu + caring for 7 kids + a useless husband is not a good lead up to giving birth and caring for a newborn. I also suspect Esther is the type who would run around after everyone else even when what she actually needs to do is take time out to look after herself. (Typical J.O.Y. / Good Mother syndrome where the wife martyrs herself to the family.) I think the midwife may have seen an opportunity to make John look after the kids and give Esther a rest by saying the labour is stalling / need to treat infection and she needed to be kept under observation.

Of course, I could be completely wrong and this could be a complete disaster but here's hoping ...

[LilMissMetaphor]

The whole Carrie saga is sad but honestly I am seriously pissed off at the husband for refusing to take his own wife to the hospital when she was begging him. What kind of jackass refuses to do that? Yes, the midwife is at fault too but the husband of all people should have stood up and said we are going to the hospital instead of this "trust in God" crap. He bears more responsibility in this, IMHO.

This is what bothers me about fundie husbands making the decisions for their wives' medical care. The woman has no autonomy even in these situations and it's the stuff disasters are made of.

A similar story we talked about here, though in this case mother and baby survived.

http://freejinger.yuku.com/topic/7326/H ... -me?page=5

[mrs]

Whoa, that is cunning. Wonder what happened with the midwife.

The whole Carrie saga is sad but honestly I am seriously pissed off at the husband for refusing to take his own wife to the hospital when she was begging him. What kind of jackass refuses to do that? Yes, the midwife is at fault too but the husband of all people should have stood up and said we are going to the hospital instead of this "trust in God" crap. He bears more responsibility in this, IMHO.

This is what bothers me about fundie husbands making the decisions for their wives' medical care. The woman has no autonomy even in these situations and it's the stuff disasters are made of.

It is so sad how brainwashed these mothers may have become. Carrie could have called 911. Imagine the guilt she experienced. Her story is heart wrenching.

[mrs]

A similar story we talked about here, though in this case mother and baby survived.

http://freejinger.yuku.com/topic/7326/H ... -me?page=5

Here is another case,which was posted a few months ago, viewtopic.php?f=8&t=13765&p=417884&hilit=church+of+wells#p417884

[NurseNell]

But if one or both died, I can see them not making a public announcement right away. Particularly if Esther delivered under the auspices of an unlicensed midwife and Esther or the baby died.

In that case Dr. Amy would know and we'd read it there. :shock:

[Jinderella]

I don't think we need to panic about her being dialated 6cm. I was dialated 4cm at my 38 week check with baby 3 due to Braxton Hicks contractions and still went another 4 weeks before delivering.

I wondered at first when John said the midwife was keeping her at the birth centre. (I don't believe it is a birth centre but that is not relevant here.) Now, as the week goes on and no baby appears, I suspect the midwife is actually keeping her there so she gets some rest before delivering. The flu + caring for 7 kids + a useless husband is not a good lead up to giving birth and caring for a newborn. I also suspect Esther is the type who would run around after everyone else even when what she actually needs to do is take time out to look after herself. (Typical J.O.Y. / Good Mother syndrome where the wife martyrs herself to the family.) I think the midwife may have seen an opportunity to make John look after the kids and give Esther a rest by saying the labour is stalling / need to treat infection and she needed to be kept under observation.

Of course, I could be completely wrong and this could be a complete disaster but here's hoping ...

Please, let this be true!

[nokidsmom]

I'm more bothered by the midwife. She was the one who should have had the medical training and should have realized that something was majorly wrong. The midwife was medically negligent, the husband was just a jackass.

Totally agree that the midwife was medically negligent and bears responsibility. But when a labouring woman in distress is begging to go to the hospital, it was up to the husband to think "screw it, we are going to the hospital" and take her or call 911 regardless of the midwife's read on the situation. His actions (or lack thereof) could have made a big difference in the outcome from where I see it.

ETA: On one fundie blog (forget the name) I recall the woman trying to deliver at home, having problems, husband and midwife conferred, husband made the decision to go to the hospital and woman delivered the baby in hospital safely. But husband was smart enough to decide this, who knows what the outcome would have been had he decided to "trust in God". That's my point: fundie husbands who are ceded this level of authority in medical decisions for their wives, then carry the main responsibility, IMHO. With that power, comes the responsibility.

[SPHASH]

Maybe the reason John hasn't updated is cuz he knows we're all talking about it here. Anyhow I hope Esther is OK.

[carolinegrace]

Is it possible he has posted more recent updates on facebook but it is only viewable by his friends and not public? Is anyone friends with him on facebook and can confirm or deny this? Really hope she and baby Sophia are doing ok!!

[Coconut Flan]

Still no word. Several people have asked how she's doing but he hasn't responded. It gets more worrisome to me every day that goes by with nothing.

[sun_shiine64]

Is it possible he has posted more recent updates on facebook but it is only viewable by his friends and not public? Is anyone friends with him on facebook and can confirm or deny this? Really hope she and baby Sophia are doing ok!!

I'm friend with him on Fb and he didn't post anything since Monday !

I hope everything is fine for Esther and baby Sophia

[NoneandDoneinCali]

Much as I enjoy talking crap about their lifestyle (as in "I'd rather permanently live in a cabin in the woods with only my dog for companionship, eating nothing but tree bark, and I'd still find more enjoyment in my life than poor Esther probably does"), I find myself pretty concerned. I've never met this woman, I don't have kids, and I'd eat my own feet before submitting to any sort of "headship," but I really, really hope she is okay. I had a sudden, cruel moment of "that's what you get when you make such idiotic choices," followed by immediate guilt and frequent checking of this thread to see if there are any updates.

God speed out of the womb, little one :(

P.S. Did John really mention taking the kids so Esther can rest? Like that's a big imposition for a man whose wife is incredibly ill and possibly birthing THEIR baby? I wonder how he finds the time, what with his busy schedule of begging for money, bush-piloting, and posting complete inanities on his blog. Maybe if you hadn't isolated your wife in a pop-up trailer several states away from her family, you'd have some help! Idiot.

[MMS]

Just reading John's status updates, and about a week ago he posted that his younger sister that just had her baby has pancreatic cancer. We discussed the sister and how pretty she is and the fact she and her husband obviously do quite well with a lovely home and nice cars. I really hate to hear this news about his sister. She is quite young.

[lilwriter85]

Maybe the reason John hasn't updated is cuz he knows we're all talking about it here. Anyhow I hope Esther is OK.

I also think that could be a possibility. I also wonder if John stopped updating partially because of CPS fears. I know CPS isn't always right, but in cases like this I sometimes wish they would step in.

[RealityTVRN]

Totally agree that the midwife was medically negligent and bears responsibility. But when a labouring woman in distress is begging to go to the hospital, it was up to the husband to think "screw it, we are going to the hospital" and take her or call 911 regardless of the midwife's read on the situation. His actions (or lack thereof) could have made a big difference in the outcome from where I see it.

ETA: On one fundie blog (forget the name) I recall the woman trying to deliver at home, having problems, husband and midwife conferred, husband made the decision to go to the hospital and woman delivered the baby in hospital safely. But husband was smart enough to decide this, who knows what the outcome would have been had he decided to "trust in God". That's my point: fundie husbands who are ceded this level of authority in medical decisions for their wives, then carry the main responsibility, IMHO. With that power, comes the responsibility.

Brandi, the "midwife" involved in this case is now being interviewed as a sort of expert by our local media. It's sickening. There are laws against allowing these lay midwives from practicing, but no one will do anything about it. :(

http://www.wthr.com/story/19479334/home ... =printable

[gustava]

So Indiana is just discovering home births? A bit late, IMHO.

[apple1]

Bumping this thread. It seems to me that, as time goes on, the likelihood that something went very wrong is increasing. Especially considering the previous frequent updates.