Why Do the Duggars Give Birth at Home? Some Go to the Hospital

Just another way the Duggars do things a little differently. Some of the Duggar daughters have opted to give birth at home rather than in a hospital, and some of them have made that choice with multiple labors! But why do the Duggars sometimes decide to give birth at home? The truth is, members of the supersized family do it less often than you may think.

Anna Duggar, for example, seems to like having the option of not giving birth in a hospital. Her oldest daughter, Mackynzie Renée, was born at home, and her birth was even featured on TLC’s 18 Kids and Counting special “First Grandduggar” back in 2009. A midwife and doula attended the birth. Her sons Michael and Mason were also born in their parents’ home, as was Anna’s daughter Meredith. Her son Marcus was born at the home of a midwife, instead.

Meanwhile, Jill Duggar wanted to give birth to her first son, Israel Dillard, at home but ended up having him in a hospital instead. She also attempted to have her second son, Samuel Dillard, at home but was once again rushed to the hospital for complications. Jill has training as a midwife, so she was at least likely prepared for the possibility more than others.

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Jessa Duggar, on the other hand, had both her sons — Spurgeon and Henry — and her daughter, Ivy Jane Seewald, at home. But her births were not without their own complications. With both Spurgeon and Ivy, she had major issues with bleeding and had to be rushed to the hospital. Henry’s birth went much more smoothly.

Then there’s Joy-Anna Duggar, who has one child with husband Austin Forsyth. She gave birth to Gideon on February 23, 2018, after she also attempted to give birth at home. She, too, was taken to the hospital after she labored for about 20 hours before her birth team discovered the baby was breech. She ended up needing to have an emergency cesarean-section in order to deliver her son safely.

What about the other Duggar daughters and daughters-in-law? Check out our gallery below to see who opted for a home birth and who had their babies in a hospital!

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Anna Keller Duggar

Anna has six kids with her husband, Josh Duggar, and none of them were born in a hospital. One was born at the home of a midwife rather than his mom’s home, however. Though the couple didn’t share too many details about the birth of Anna’s sixth child, it seems little Maryella Hope was also born at home.

Abbie Grace Burnett Duggar

It might not come as a surprise that the Duggar daughter-in-law who is a nurse opted to head to the hospital when it was her turn to give birth. Abbie Duggar (née Burnett), John David Duggar’s wife, had a rough start when she went into labor with daughter Grace Annette, but eventually the little girl came into the world under medical supervision.

Jill Duggar Dillard

Jill labored for a combined 70 hours when she tried to give birth to her oldest son at home. Israel was in breech position, so she ended up having an emergency C-section.

Jill tried doing a home birth again with her second child, but the experience ended much the same way. After trying to labor at home, she went to a hospital for another C-section and safely welcomed her son there.

Jessa Duggar Seewald

Jessa had a very difficult time when she tried to do a natural birth at home to welcome her son Spurgeon. She gave birth there, but was taken to the hospital for excessive bleeding. She needed a blood transfusion and had to stay overnight at the hospital, which we’re sure was not part of the plan.

Henry’s birth went much more smoothly, but while Ivy was also born at home, Jessa was taken to the hospital after her birth as well when her bleeding wouldn’t stop. All three kids are happy and healthy today, though!

Jinger Duggar Vuolo

Jinger Duggar checked out a birth center in San Antonio before she gave birth to her daughter, Felicity. But she ended up giving birth in a hospital in the end.

“Some of my sisters have been through a bit of a tough time with labor and delivery so I have decided to just go ahead and switch to the hospital,” Jinger said in a Counting On confessional. “I think that kind of puts me at ease knowing, ‘Okay, if I need anything, it’s here.’ And I think it’ll help me be more relaxed in the long run.”

Kendra Caldwell Duggar

Kendra Caldwell had her son, Garrett David Duggar, in a hospital with her husband, Joseph Duggar, by her side. They also headed to the hospital for the birth of their second child, though Kendra’s labor happened without the help of a doctor. While her physician was delivering another baby, the attending nurse helped her welcome her daughter, Addison.