Josie Duggar Update
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's Nineteenth Child is Growing
All that changed December 10, 2009, when problems related to preeclampsia, high blood pressure and gall stones forced doctors to put an early end to Michelle Duggar's pregnancy. A C-section (Michelle's fourth) produced baby Josie Brooklyn, born 13 weeks prior to her March 18 due date.
Tiny Josie weighed just 1 pound, 6 ounces. Survival is a full-time job for such micro-preemies, and Josie faced an obstacle just a week after birth when she developed a bowel perforation (this is a fairly common complication for preemies, who are born with immature intestines). Doctors at Arkansas Children's Hospital were able to treat Josie without surgery by using antibiotics and an abdominal drain.
Early February saw Josie recovering well from her early birth. She reached a weight of 2 pounds, 3 ounces. The Duggar family (including other children who range in age from 13 months to 21 years) are spending as much time as possible with little Josie and hope to bring her home a few weeks prior to her original mid-March due date.
The family is living in a rented home in Little Rock during Josie Duggar's hospital stay. Oldest son Josh (along with wife Anna and new baby Mackynzie, the Duggars' first grandchild) have visited, as have Josie's siblings Jana, John David, Jill, Jessa, Jinger, Joseph, Josiah, Joy-Anna, Jedidiah, Jeremiah, Jason, James, Justin, Jackson, Johanna, Jennifer and Jordyn. Since underage visitors are discouraged from visiting the NICU, Dad Jim Bob films Josie each day on his iPhone and shows the videos to the other children in the evenings.
As always, the Duggars' strong Christian faith is sustaining them through these difficult weeks. Jim Bob emailed ABC News: "We are so grateful for all of the prayers and emails of support for our family since Josie Brooklyn Duggar was born."
SOURCES:
People: Josie Duggar's Amazing Recovery
People: Baby Josie Duggar's Siblings Get to Know Her Onscreen
Published by Susan Braun - Featured Contributor in Arts & Entertainment
Susan Braun is a freelance writer with special interests in education, the arts and music. She freelances for several sites, and is one of Associated Content s Top 1000 Sources for each year from 2008 to 201... View profile
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6 Comments
Post a CommentKEEP GOING JOSIE. MY FAMILY IS PRAYING FOR YO ALL.
Grow little one, grow. You have a wonderful world to see... just stay healthy and grow!
Great article Susan!
Thanks for the non-judgemental post. All of us Duggar fans and they are many, are anxiously waiting for news of the baby. I imagine we will get another update of sorts in the new episode tomorrow night and can hardly wait.
Glad baby is doing well...19 is still unfathomable to me!
Fascinating subject and article..Thank you very much, Susan!!
I'm so glad she's doing well. She'll have plenty of TLC once she gets home, eh? Did you hear about the two Duggar boys who saved a little girl's life?