Jessa Duggar Said Josie Duggar Gets a ‘Lot of Attention’ for Being the ‘Baby of the Family’
It’s still hard to believe Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar have 19 kids. The couple’s well-known for their huge family, and TLC cameras have followed them for over a decade. Now, their youngest child, Josie, is 11 years old — and she’s come a long way, as cameras captured the uncertainty of her birth.
When Josie was younger, Jessa Duggar noted Jim Bob and Michelle were particularly doting on the little girl. Here’s what Jessa said about Josie getting the most attention.
Josie Duggar was born 3 months before her due date
Josie was born three months prematurely, and Jim Bob and Michelle weren’t sure the little girl was going to make it. She weighed just 1 pound 6 ounces when she was born, and she went through a number of medical difficulties in her first few weeks of life. The micro-preemie had a perforated bowel at the time, too — though doctors were able to help the situation.
Being pregnant with Josie wasn’t easy for Michelle, either. The mom developed preeclampsia and had to have an emergency C-section. “I had preeclampsia 20 years ago with my first set of twins,” Michelle noted to CBS News. “They were born two weeks early. It’s one of those things. They still have not determined completely why it happens.”
While fans know Josie is thriving now, Michelle recalled how scared she was when she was told she needed a C-section. “I thought, this baby is too small to live,” she recalled to CBS. “I was terrified. I cried out to God to have mercy on my baby and me. This was too soon for this baby.”
Jessa Duggar said Josie gets a ton of attention for being the youngest
The youngest children in families often are stereotyped for getting the most attention. And such may have been the case for Josie. While the older Duggar kids were often taking care of their younger siblings and helping them with their schoolwork, Josie didn’t have these additional responsibilities. And she was often labeled as the “miracle” of the Duggar family.
TLC captured a moment when Josie was about to lose a tooth — and it became a huge family affair. “We don’t typically give money for every tooth lost, but in Josie’s case, we thought maybe that would motivate her to make it happen,” Jim Bob told the cameras in regard to Josie’s loose tooth that needed to be pulled.
Just as Josie was trying to yank the loose tooth out, Jim Bob, Michelle and a few of the other Duggar kids stood around to watch and cheer her on. And Jessa commented on the family affair. “Being the baby of the family, Josie definitely gets a lot of attention,” she said. “And something like a loose tooth, I’m sure everybody was crowding around.”
Jim Bob Duggar didn’t seem as enthused when another daughter lost her tooth
There was a lot of cheering when Josie finally removed the loose tooth. But there wasn’t as much excitement when another young Duggar told Jim Bob she also lost a tooth the day before.
“So, after we offered Josie a dollar to help her get her tooth out, then, Jenny came up and said, ‘Hey, I just lost a tooth yesterday,'” Jim Bob told the cameras. “So, then I gave her a dollar. And then it looked like Jordyn was over there working on a few of her teeth trying to wiggle them out. I’m not sure they’re supposed to be coming out.”
We’re sure Jim Bob and Michelle try to pay special attention to each of their kids — but the stereotype of the youngest child getting the most intention might, indeed, be true.
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