Jessa, Ben and Their Brood: Making a (Diaper) Mountain out of a Mold House

[skatelady]

2 hours ago, Future Cat Lady said:

No way! That's not how TV work. The producers/network don't let the talent make the decisions. 

"Talent". LOL

[Temperance]

The viewers knew Jessa hadn't died thanks to the gossip magazines and social media. 

I've known at least one other woman who had problems with post partum hemorrhage. She gave birth in a hospital. Jessa should also give birth in a hospital since waiting for ambulance is bad with hemorrhaging. 

7 hours ago, BitterApple said:

I think Jessa is cheap and has no health insurance, which are the main factors in her decision to home birth. She's also willful and stubborn, so I can see her deliberately going in the opposite direction of whatever the hospital personnel tell her. The Duggars are the type of people who never learn unless something catastrophic happens.

Jessa's hemorrhaging is catastrophic. 

[emmawoodhouse]

3 hours ago, Absolom said:

No.  The network retains executive producer status.  JB and Michelle were listed as producers at least for a time.  I didn't check last season.  That's getting credit for coming up with some show ideas and similar.

They haven't been in the "special thanks" category since the demise of 19 Kids. Remember, they didn't even APPEAR in the first several seasons, on!y to eventually worm their way back to full on "talent" (snort) status.

[sheshark]

On 2/18/2021 at 3:03 PM, laurakaye said:

 

 

On 2/18/2021 at 5:04 PM, Zella said:

Even the creepy death Wal-Mart, which is quite a bit farther from the hospital than where she is and on the comparative outskirts of town, is only a 10-minute drive to Washington Regional on the interstate. 

What is the “creepy death Wal-Mart?

[Zella]

4 minutes ago, sheshark said:

 

What is the “creepy death Wal-Mart?

It's the Wal-Mart on MLK Blvd in Fayetteville. It's about 5-10 minutes from Jessa. I used to live not far from where Jessa is, and that was the closest WM for me. I am sure it is for her too. It's on the proverbial "other side of the tracks" for Fayetteville in that it is both west of the interstate and south of MLK, so when I was trying to calculate a farther away place from the hospital than where she lives, my mind went there automatically.

It's the creepy death WM because it is a) a super fucking creepy Wal-Mart and b) the place where some local nonfiction writer killed himself while evading a shoplifting arrest. (Bonus Duggar trivia: That writer wrote about corruption in Madison County, where Austin is from. Bonus Arkansas fact: that book about Madison County is the most stolen book from my library system, which is adjacent to Madison County)

I hadn't realized he killed himself in that store until after I'd moved, but I can't say I was surprised. It just has that vibe. 

[Joan of Argh]

I can understand being cheap or frugal or whatever they want to call it but shouldn't that be limited to canned goods, 3 cans of beans for a dollar or 2 packs of toilet paper for a buck fifty.

You really shouldn't pinch pennies when you're someone with a history of hemorrhaging during child birth... Go to the damn hospital!.... It's not just about you, what about the 3 small children at home that need a mother?

You can bet if it was Jboob or any of the men giving birth they'd be all bedded down in that hospital a week ahead of time getting every type of pain killer known to mankind.

Pisses me off how most the women are such idiots and wear natural births like badges of honor.

 

[65mickey]

In addition to being cheap I think the home births are so that TLC can film the birth and hospitals and will not allow this.  This way they can get an entire show out of the women moaning and groaning and everyone hovering around them.  And in Jessa's case why go to the hospital when you have a well used and perfectly good brown sofa on standby for birthing these babies. 

[Albanyguy]

13 hours ago, SMama said:

TLC added a blurb stating Michelle requested her knees blurred due to modesty...That does not equate editing control.

I think that TLC was probably delighted to accommodate Michelle's request because it added a note of interest to what would otherwise be a bland, quickly forgotten scene and pointed up how weird the Duggars' modesty rules really are. After all, by agreeing to blur out Michelle's knees, TLC ensured that we'd still be talking about it years later. I'm sure that there have been other editing requests made by the Duggars that TLC has ignored.

[GeeGolly]

I would say on average every show has at least one subtle nod to the hate watchers, courtesy of the film crew.

One of the best was when Miss Cathy was at the TTH. Either during the courtship or shortly before Izzy was born. Anyway, they were talking about raising kids and maybe Michelle complimented Cathy. Cathy replied, "Well we used the same book to raise our boys that you used to raise your kids...". The camera quick pans to Michelle's panicked face (I'm guessing Michelle was thinking Pearl). Cathy then finishes her sentence "... the Bible". Michelle's shoulders must have dropped 3".

The show's crew did this from the beginning too. One time they were filming the kids each reciting a character quality (or something). Each kid did a verse. When they got to Jessa, who was maybe 11 or 12, she not so nicely, shoves a younger sibling out of camera range. 

Edited February 20, 2021 by GeeGolly

[Ljohnson1987]

TLC has filmed births in hospitals before. I bet Jessa does home births because she and Ben are cheap. 

[65mickey]

Maybe but I had the impression when the births were filmed it was someone in the family filming it. Even before the pandemic I cannot imagine a hospital allowing a reality TV film crew in to the labor and delivery area to film for a TV show.  But the whole thing about having all of these  random people hanging around and watching and filming while giving birth is super gross to me.  

[3 is enough]

Pre Duggars, TLC had a series called "A Baby Story".  They essentially followed couples through the pregnancy and delivery process.  They did film in the hospital.  

The problem today is COVID restrictions, I think.  They definitely filmed Jinger in the hospital, maybe not during the actual birth, but certainly during labor.

[iwantcookies]

That poor birthing couch. Which lost girl will have to clean it???

 

 

[Teriacky]

It’s time for TLC to buy Jessa and Ben a new couch.

[Madtown]

Ivy's new dress...

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLhJRI_jmQ7/

 

[iwantcookies]

No headboard, bed unmade, and what’s up with that big picture of them kissing on the wall??? 
 

 

[GeeGolly]

18 minutes ago, Madtown said:

Ivy's new dress...

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLhJRI_jmQ7/

 

That's the oddest thing.

Was Ivy shell-shocked? Afraid to say or do the wrong thing while being filmed? 

[floridamom]

I'll tell you what is up with that mess of a bedroom, iwantcookies....Jessa is still a slob. You can see a bottom drawer randomly left open and junk all over the furniture on the right of the video. Ben lives in a filthy/unorganized/smelly little cracker jack box of a house. In Jessa's building the bunk beds video, the side entry door from the carport looked like it had been through rough times. It was scuffed up and needs to be replaced. New paint could not remove the dents and scrapes in that door.  I had a hard time believing that is the same little girl in the recently posted 'beach' photo/video. Ivy looks almost one year older than she did at the beach. Did anyone else notice that? I bet that video was NOT their recent trip to Orlando/New Smyrna Beach in Jan/Feb 2021. I noticed that sand is NOT Florida beach sand...way too dark and 'broken shell-like" to be Florida. Jessa's posts are not completely 'honest'. 

This new dress video is no more than a commercial advertising. Personally, I don't care the the dress, fabric or quality of it. It just looks like a cheap dress. Why is Ivy's hair a mess under that matching head bandage they stuck on her head? 

[iwantcookies]

2 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

That's the oddest thing.

Was Ivy shell-shocked? Afraid to say or do the wrong thing while being filmed? 

Poor kid is probably sick of the phone in her face 24/7 recording her every move. Jess didn’t coach her how to act for this video.

[iwantcookies]

57 minutes ago, Teriacky said:

It’s time for TLC to buy Jessa and Ben birth control

FIFY

[Future Cat Lady]

She could've brushed the kid's hair. 

[rue721]

My dog gets that “I’m so beautiful and you love me so much!” look of wonder on her face when she gets new clothes that she loves. Which is often, because my mom loves to spoil her. Anyhow, it’s adorable... and maybe Ivy’s feeling the same thing. I think it’s sweet.

[crazy8s]

they confuse me. their house is what 900sq feet at most and they have 2 tricycles in their bedroom and that outdoor slide in the living room. But when Henry got the garden shovel for birthday week, he went right out and shoveled dirt onto a stuffed bear laying on the ground??

 

[Monkeyrocks]

17 hours ago, Temperance said:

The viewers knew Jessa hadn't died thanks to the gossip magazines and social media. 

I've known at least one other woman who had problems with post partum hemorrhage. She gave birth in a hospital. Jessa should also give birth in a hospital since waiting for ambulance is bad with hemorrhaging. 

Jessa's hemorrhaging is catastrophic. 

I wonder if she has von willebrand syndrome. It’s fairly common. I hemorrhaged (not severely, luckily) while giving birth, and my daughter was dx’d with it at age five after a fall and persistent bruise. It’s inherited, and the doc asked me some questions and said she probably got it from me. But lots of people go their whole lives without it being dx’d. And the levels of the clotting factor can vary, so, it’s not inconceivable she might have had one birth out of three that went okay...

 

in any case, it’s not something to mess around with and pretty controllable; my daughter had planned surgery, was given ddavp (a medicine to help) and had no complications. Then she had a freak accident a couple years ago and almost lost her sight to bleeding in her eye, until I told the doc she has vw, and to call hematology to see if she should get ddavp. She did and it helped. 
 

If you routinely hemhorrage during birth, it’s not something to screw around with, regardless of cause. 

Edited February 20, 2021 by Monkeyrocks
Typos

[DangerousMinds]

4 hours ago, Ljohnson1987 said:

TLC has filmed births in hospitals before. I bet Jessa does home births because she and Ben are cheap. 

I doubt those trips to the ER after hemorrhaging are cheap, though.

[BitterApple]

Ivy looked adorable.

Jessa never makes her bed. In every video she's ever posted, the bed is always rumpled with tangled blankets and sheets. Although in fairness, Bin has two working arms and he doesn't do much to remedy the pigsty either. 

[Westiepeach]

2 hours ago, Teriacky said:

It’s time for TLC to buy Jessa and Ben a new couch.

She would cram the old birth couch into one of the overstuffed bedrooms.

[lascuba]

There's a very large contingent of home birth advocates that will give birth at home no matter what, and it think Jessa is in that group. If she and Ben had money and health insurance, I think she'd still choose home birth.  It's bizarre, but people are ridiculous, especially  with regard to their own health. It's especially common in both extremes of the ideological/political spectrum. 

[madpsych78]

4 hours ago, Monkeyrocks said:

I wonder if she has von willebrand syndrome. It’s fairly common. I hemorrhaged (not severely, luckily) while giving birth, and my daughter was dx’d with it at age five after a fall and persistent bruise. It’s inherited, and the doc asked me some questions and said she probably got it from me. But lots of people go their whole lives without it being dx’d. And the levels of the clotting factor can vary, so, it’s not inconceivable she might have had one birth out of three that went okay...

 

in any case, it’s not something to mess around with and pretty controllable; my daughter had planned surgery, was given ddavp (a medicine to help) and had no complications. Then she had a freak accident a couple years ago and almost lost her sight to bleeding in her eye, until I told the doc she has vw, and to call hematology to see if she should get ddavp. She did and it helped. 
 

If you routinely hemhorrage during birth, it’s not something to screw around with, regardless of cause. 

I wonder if that is what Erin Bates Paine has.

[sheshark]

5 hours ago, Madtown said:

Ivy's new dress...

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLhJRI_jmQ7/

 

Must run in the family. She’s as in love with her reflection as Jessa.

[drafan]

4 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

That's the oddest thing.

Was Ivy shell-shocked? Afraid to say or do the wrong thing while being filmed? 

I think I saw her sign with her right hand. Is she hearing impaired? Or maybe using baby signs?

She's more likely resolving herself to a lifetime of not being able to play rough and tumble with her brothers. The tutu skirt will squelch that idea. That stuff clings to any synthetic like crazy. ((goose bumps))

[leighdear]

Potato baby is going to bust out of that wrapper in about 5 pounds.  The dress is already too snug for her.  

[Oldernowiser]

I’m sorry, but all of Jessa’s kids have a bit of a creepy thing going...like they’re aliens disguised as what aliens think human babies look like.  
Very Toddlers of the Corn...

[GeeGolly]

Looks aside, I found that video of Ivy very unnatural. She didn't even utter a sound the entire time. Almost like they dressed her in her sleep and she wasn't quite awake yet. Yet didn't look sleepy. IMO, the video was creepy.

[farmgal4]

1 hour ago, leighdear said:

Potato baby is going to bust out of that wrapper in about 5 pounds.  The dress is already too snug for her.  

Ivy will outgrow that dress before warm weather ever gets here.  Can I just say that Jessa needs to take Ivy to a real hairdresser and have the rat’s nest, that is currently on Ivy’s head, cut!  Her hair is ALWAYS an awful mess!!  It drives me crazy!

[QuinnInND]

5 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

Looks aside, I found that video of Ivy very unnatural. She didn't even utter a sound the entire time. Almost like they dressed her in her sleep and she wasn't quite awake yet. Yet didn't look sleepy. IMO, the video was creepy.

This. It was very odd. I've never seen a toddler act that way. 

1 minute ago, farmgal4 said:

 Can I just say that Jessa needs to take Ivy to a real hairdresser and have the rat’s nest, that is currently on Ivy’s head, cut!  Her hair is ALWAYS an awful mess!!  It drives me crazy!

And take Spurge with them. 

[emmawoodhouse]

2 hours ago, madpsych78 said:

I wonder if that is what Erin Bates Paine has.

No. The Bates girls over clot. They take thinners during pregnancy then have to stop a couple of weeks before delivery so they don't bleed out.

[QuinnInND]

27 minutes ago, Oldernowiser said:

I’m sorry, but all of Jessa’s kids have a bit of a creepy thing going...like they’re aliens disguised as what aliens think human babies look like.  
Very Toddlers of the Corn...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that. 

[xtwheeler]

On 2/19/2021 at 5:17 AM, Snow Fairy said:

No, this is how nature works. Almost every friend I know had one miscarriage. Even me.

Those were early, first 8 weeks, but it happens very often. If you aren't actively trying to conceive and do not test early, for some you wouldn't even know it happened. 

I'm so sorry. It is estimated that 1 out of 4 known pregnancies end in miscarriage. Many, many miscarriages happen before the woman even knows she's pregnant. 

I applaud them talking about miscarriage, which still carries such a stigma. I wouldn't be surprised if these were even rougher on this crowd because they blame women for EVERYTHING. When your worth is exclusively tied to your ability to churn out Jesus's Army, losing a pregnancy must be extra absolutely horrible. Yet another way these assholes weaponize uteruses to serve themselves. 

[YupItsMe]

8 hours ago, rue721 said:

My dog gets that “I’m so beautiful and you love me so much!” look of wonder on her face when she gets new clothes that she loves. Which is often, because my mom loves to spoil her. Anyhow, it’s adorable... and maybe Ivy’s feeling the same thing. I think it’s sweet.

That’s exactly the impression I got. She is thinking about how beautiful she looks and that Daddy is smiling while holding her.

[Joan of Argh]

I thought Ivy looked absolutely adorable but I got the impression that she's never had a dress with matching headband and a flowy fancy skirt before and she couldn't believe her eyes which is a little sad because when my girls were little they had lots of pretty dresses for special occasions plus their playroom had a trunk full of tutus, sparkly princess dresses and costumes that they'd dress up in and have little tea parties and dance with our dog.... our dog was very good natured and she was OK with it as long as she could have some of the tea party food 😂

[madpsych78]

5 hours ago, drafan said:

I think I saw her sign with her right hand. Is she hearing impaired? Or maybe using baby signs?

She's more likely resolving herself to a lifetime of not being able to play rough and tumble with her brothers. The tutu skirt will squelch that idea. That stuff clings to any synthetic like crazy. ((goose bumps))

Unlikely that Ivy is hearing impaired. Her speech is better than Henry's (not that he is hearing impaired either).

[Joan of Argh]

5 hours ago, drafan said:

I think I saw her sign with her right hand. Is she hearing impaired? Or maybe using baby signs?

I saw that too and I think she's just waving at herself in the mirror... She does a typical baby wave opening and closing her hand.

A couple weeks ago Jessa mentioned that Ivy is fascinated with waving and how she does it all the time lately.... On the trip to the beach Ivy was waving at strangers, waving at the birdies and everything else that got her attention. 

[FizzyPuff]

7 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

Looks aside, I found that video of Ivy very unnatural. She didn't even utter a sound the entire time. Almost like they dressed her in her sleep and she wasn't quite awake yet. Yet didn't look sleepy. IMO, the video was creepy.

I thought she looked like she had just woken up so I didn’t think her behaviour was weird tbh.

7 hours ago, farmgal4 said:

Ivy will outgrow that dress before warm weather ever gets here.  Can I just say that Jessa needs to take Ivy to a real hairdresser and have the rat’s nest, that is currently on Ivy’s head, cut!  Her hair is ALWAYS an awful mess!!  It drives me crazy!

Jessa is the hairdresser. 

[ginger90]

Announcing a past miscarriage, and pregnancy publicly at the same time is odd to me. 

[beckie]

1 hour ago, ginger90 said:

Announcing a past miscarriage, and pregnancy publicly at the same time is odd to me. 

Odd to us, but strategic to Jessa. She knows people probably won't be all excited to them having another baby, but mention a miscarriage with it and she gets the attention she wants, in my opinion. 

[Madtown]

12 hours ago, QuinnInND said:

Can I just say that Jessa needs to take Ivy to a real hairdresser and have the rat’s nest, that is currently on Ivy’s head, cut!  Her hair is ALWAYS an awful mess!!  It drives me crazy!

Unfortunately, Ivy is going to have the same ugly ass hair as her mother in a few years. Ivy will probably have her hair trimmed(if even)once every 7 years.

 

[madpsych78]

Ivy is wearing a pretty dress. But to add to the conversation speculating what she may be like in a few years, I feel like she is going to look so different in some respects from many of her cousins. Anna has generally made sure that her kids look well put together, and I could see many of the others (Kendra, Lauren, Jinger, Abbie in particular) doing the same with their daughters. Concerned that Ivy is just going to seem more feral compared to her female cousins. I hate to say it, but of all of the adult children, Jessa appears to be modeling Michelle's parenting skills the most.

[Ljohnson1987]

Do Bin and Jessa think they'll be able to keep Spurge and Henry's lips sealed, if they let them know the gender of the baby? I doubt it. Just announce it. You only keep it a secret because Smugs bet that you couldn't. 

[Tasya]

God that child's hair is just awful. My son has very curly hair; basically a curly fro. I NEVER let him go anywhere with his hair not moisturized and taken care of. My sister used to watch him, and she would frequently let him get up and go and it drove me crazy. Clearly Jessa is the same. Just take some time and take care of her hair. Ridiculous. 

I tell you what, it's going to be very interesting to watch the next generation of Duggar spawn. Even though they are all being raised pretty strict Christian religiously, the rest of their upbringing has the potential to be really varied. Will Felicity and Evy really be close to their yokel cousins? Will Izzy and Sam want to have anything to do with Spurgeon and Henry? Lauren is annoying, but her kids are going to be much more stylish and put together than Ivy, I think Gracie and any other JD/Abbie kids will have a lot more outside influences (Abbie has "normal" friends). I'm just really curious. Within my family, we are "close" but there's a real different between my cousins who grew up in less fortunate circumstances. We love our family but there are clearly two separate groups when we all get together.