Joy-Anna Duggar Planned To Give Birth At Home With ‘Plan B’
Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth announced they became parents but did not reveal much about the birth. TLC provided the details by sharing the moments leading to the birth of their first child.
The Counting On couple announced pregnancy in August last year and welcomed their firstborn on February 23, according to People.
“We are blessed beyond measure with the arrival of our son, Gideon Martyn Forsyth. Looking at our child for the first time was such an incredible moment! God is so good, and we are so thankful.”
In a TLC Me video that appears to have been shot days before the arrival of baby Forsyth, Joy-Anna tells Duggar fans that nine months have been smooth but the last weeks of her pregnancy have been difficult.
“The baby has been gotten bigger and I do not have much room. Other than that, it has all gone really smooth. We got the birth pool set up, we got our house cleaned up and tried to finish some of the big projects before the baby arrives.”
The 20-year-old revealed more about her preparation plans to give birth at home.
“The advice I have gotten is to be flexible and prepare for the birth, have plans but if something doesn’t go as planned, then have another plan,” Joy-Anna said without detailing whether ‘Plan B’ was to keep a nearby hospital on standby.
Duggar family is a proponent of home births. Joy-Anna’s sisters, Jessa and Jill, have attempted delivering at home. While Jessa Seewald succeeded, Jill Dillard did not. Jill’s boys, Israel and Samuel, were born through C-section after intense labor.
Jill’s attempt to give birth naturally to Samuel, after giving birth through a C-section first time, was cause of concern. Critics hit out at Derick and the Duggars for putting her through labor, given increased risk of complications and odds of having a second C-section.
https://www.facebook.com/duggarfamilyofficial/posts/1223586991108281
Last year, Jessa Seewald gave birth to Spurgeon while Counting On cameras rolled, with husband Ben Seewald by her side. Ben earned praise from Duggar family fans for being by Jessa’s side through the birth. Incidentally, Austin Forsyth told TLC that he will be Joy-Anna’s labor coach.
“I am planning on being Joy-Anna’s coach. And just being there to clam her down and help around whatever she needs,” Austin said.
It has not been confirmed if Joy-Anna Duggar indeed gave birth at home. The couple, though, let Counting On fans know the baby weighed 10 lbs 3 oz and measured 22 inches at birth. Joy-Anna and the baby are well.
After a three-month engagement, Joy-Anna wed Austin May last year. Counting On fans saw the couple enter courtship and Austin propose marriage. The pregnancy announcement led to speculation that she had conceived before the wedding, a taboo for conservative families like the Duggars. The birth announcement is likely to put the rumors to rest.
Joy-Anna and Austin also surprised fans when they decided to not find out their baby’s gender until birth. In the video, the couple reveals they think they are having a boy. Counting On Season 7 premieres later on Monday. Duggar followers can expect to learn about the couple’s honeymoon in Switzerland and how the pregnancy news was shared with the families.
