Arkansas couple welcomes 17th child

[caseydog]

By JILL ZEMAN, Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - It's a girl — again — for the Duggars. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar welcomed their 17th child, and seventh daughter, into the world Thursday.


Jennifer Danielle was born at 10:01 a.m. at Saint Mary's Hospital in Rogers, Ark., the Duggars said in an interview. Jennifer weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces and arrived five days after Michelle's due date.

Less than 30 minutes after giving birth, the Duggars already were talking of having more.

"We'd love to have more," Michelle said, adding that the girls are outnumbered seven to 10 in the family. "We love the ruffles and lace."

Jennifer joins the fast-growing Duggar brood, who live in Tontitown in a 7,000-square-foot home. All the children — whose names start with the letter J — are home-schooled.

The oldest is 19 and the youngest, before Jennifer, is almost 2 years old.

"We are just so grateful to God for another gift from him," said Jim Bob Duggar, 42, a former state representative. "We are just so thankful to him that everything went just very well."

Jennifer joins siblings Joshua, 19; John David, 17; Janna, 17; Jill, 16; Jessa, 14; Jinger, 13; Joseph, 12; Josiah, 11; Joy-Anna, 9; Jedidiah, 8; Jeremiah, 8; Jason 7; James 6; Justin, 4; Jackson, 3; Johannah, almost 2.

The family includes two sets of twins.

Michelle Duggar said that Joshua, Janna, Jill and Jessa were at the hospital, but that the rest of the family planned to visit their new sister later Thursday.

Michelle Duggar said she started feeling contractions Wednesday night and went to the hospital at about 5 a.m. Thursday.

"It actually went fast," she said. "I guess once I started progressing, it went within 30 minutes."

Jennifer was born via a VBAC — or vaginal birth after Caesarean, Jim Bob Duggar said.

The Duggars have been featured on several programs on cable's Discovery Health Network. The next special, the Duggar Family Album, is scheduled to air next month, Jim Bob Duggar said.

Among the "fun facts" listed on Discovery Health's Web page devoted to the Duggars: A baby has been born in every month except June; the Duggars have gone through an estimated 90,000 diapers, and Michelle, 40, has been pregnant for 126 months — or 10.5 years — of her life.

[gailkaitschuck]

I'm sure it did go fast. It's a heavily used body organ.

Gail

[cguardsman]

as many as she has had i am surprised her body is still able to hold them to term Their family vehicle is an RV.

[Ira]

Look--this is retarded on all levels. Plus, they're all home schooled?

How the hell can you homeschool all of them there that are of schooling age? And my guess is that Mom herself dropped out in the 5th grade.

[Podunkfla]

Hey, the Duggers are just doing their part to combat the massive influx of illegal aliens.

[caseydog]

And my guess is that Mom herself dropped out in the 5th grade.

That's probably when she had the first kid.

CD

[Laredo]

She's 40 now and her oldest kid is 19. Her youngest kid is days old.
How long before she's a (multiple) grandmother?

And what kind of job does he have, that he can afford a 7,000 sqft house and 17 kids?

[caseydog]

She's 40 now and her oldest kid is 19. Her youngest kid is days old.
How long before she's a (multiple) grandmother?

And what kind of job does he have, that he can afford a 7,000 sqft house and 17 kids?

Supposedly, they built the house themselves. According to the Science Cahnnel, they are debt free.

I would be worried about the Mom's health, though. From what I understand, having all those children is not the best thing for her body. I hope she lives to see the newborn grow up.

[Nitetimes]

I would be worried about the Mom's health, though. From what I understand, having all those children is not the best thing for her body. I hope she lives to see the newborn grow up.

I'm afraid with all those kids I'd have to be more concerned with all of them seeing their 18th birthday!!!

I'm not sure I have that much patience.

[del]

a 7,000 sqft house and 17 kids?

A 7,000 sq ft house with only three bedrooms.

[dmb90260]

a 7,000 sqft house and 17 kids?

A 7,000 sq ft house with only three bedrooms.

Apparently that is three too many.

[Toolie]

Hey, how does he afford the family?
Wasn't Mr. Dugger a state representative or congressman or something?
Serve one term, get a pension and health insurance for the rest of your life, right??

My hat's off to anyone who has the guts to raise a large family. I don't mind as long as I don't have to pay for it.

[Coca Cola Teardrop]

I always read that he used to be a state representative or something but i never read what he does now to support the family.
I read not long ago that they shop once a year at Good Will or Salvation Army.
3 bedrooms. Mom and Dad's and a barrack for boys and a barrack for girls. Man the kids really have privacy don't they.

[Arne]

If you want my opinion, just read my tag line...

[sledge]

My first wife came from a family of 13 children , me and her only had one Son, and it was hard for me to support us 3 , she never worked, ... Her family thought it was just a shame we only had the one........ But, they was all raised on Food Stamps and Welfare..... and I just wasn't gonna do that. I just wonder how much the state is spending on this one family