Lauren Duggar and Bella Duggar
Josiah and Lauren's Baby Part 1
Josiah and Lauren's Baby Part 2
Recap
At 11:25am on November 7, Lauren, whose due date is still 10 days away, is having significant contractions, so she and Josiah head to the Swanson home to exercise (lunges and walking on the treadmill and stairs). They return home and then leave for the hospital later that night. Lauren is 3cm dilated and 80% effaced. Lana (Lauren’s mom) and Michelle arrive before midnight. Jill joins them as another support person. Unfortunately, Lauren is having back labor.
Around midnight, Lauren receives an epidural. She starts to feel faint and dizzy, so she lays down. After a while, she is still feeling back pain, so the doctor gives her another epidural.
By 8am on November 8, Lauren is still experiencing painful contractions, so the doctor gives her medication to help her relax and breaks her water. That helps her dilate more, but she is exhausted.
At 4:15pm, Lauren starts to push. Between pushes, she is able to relax well. Bella arrives at 4:24pm, weighing 6 lbs 5 oz and measuring 18.5 inches, after about two days of labor. Before long, Bella’s eyes are wide open, and she happily laying on Lauren’s chest.
Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com
This sounds like a tough labor. I'm glad they went to the hospital so Lauren could be taken care of properly. No wonder she was exhausted after all that.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations sweet baby girl
ReplyDeleteBella has no hair like Si! And Lauren’s eyes
ReplyDeletelol. Hopefully Bella will be able to GROW hair. I think Si is on the downward trend with hair.
DeleteI almost started crying. Lauren did SO good! Poor mama. I can't imagine having such a long labour. Mine were all extremely intense, but I didn't have to go for days.
ReplyDeleteAnd Bella is such a beautiful little girl. I'm so happy for both Lauren and Siah.
I think Lauren suffers from anxiety attacks. She was experiencing every symptom the Dr said could be a concern with the epidural before it was even fully administered. I think her mind manifests her fear physically. In no way am I judging. I have suffered panic attacks and anxiety. It’s not something you just “snap out of” or lack of faith. Through counseling and the right medication, and of course a lot of prayer, I am much more controlled now. But, I have empathy for Lauren. What comes across as perhaps whiny, negative or as some on here have called “princess” behavior I think is panic attacks. Happy everything went well and their arms are full.
ReplyDeleteI agree. And her tension could even have made labour longer...
DeleteI'm sure she was anxious as a first time mom. I think she did great considering the length of her labor.....although I did notice almost as soon as the epidural was administered she did seem very reactive....again uneasiness with the unknown is common. A beautiful ending to a difficult labor....Bella it seems has smiled since birth.
DeleteThat could be quite possible. Anxiety is no joke and can take a lot of effort to get under control.
DeleteSomeone who has panic attacks would never be as calm under pain like Lauren was -and she had back labor which is far worst!
DeleteI find it so sad that people assume Lauren has this or that without ever meeting or actually knowing her. This is how rumors start. Lauren has never came off as whinny or negative. I’ve only heard her say she was grateful to God even with going through hard times. What she has gone through in just a year wasn’t by an means easy. Also, back labor is the worst! She seemed pretty under control if you ask me from what was a very long.
DeleteThank you for sharing your own experiences. I can not imagine what that must be like and I think you are probably correct.
Delete4:54. I’m the OP, and you are completely incorrect. The reason it took so long for me to be diagnosed with panic attacks/anxiety is we become masters at trying to hide it. Especially as Christians. Unless you have experienced it please don’t say someone would “never” be such and such. That perpetuates the reason people suffer and don’t seek help.
DeleteWhen I watched the video above, I saw that her BP dropped after receiving the epidural. I am thinking that is what everyone on here was calling " princess", " dramatic" and "historonics". She said she felt dizzy not that she felt all the alarming things that the anesthesiologist mentioned. Maybe I viewed a different video than the other commenters?
DeleteSo...I have regular anxiety and panic attacks, I don’t necessarily think I try to hide it, but I tend to take myself out of the situation that is making me panic, or atleast try to. It is very true, when you have anxiety, you tend to not trust anything anyone tells you, so you just want to be in control, and get out. It’s lije when I go to the dentist, I have to completely relax my body and tell myself it will be ok, they know what they’re doing...because if you tense up too much, the medicine won’t work, you have to relax your muscles so it can flow through you.
DeleteBack labor is no joke, ouch! Epidurals do not usually relieve the pain of back labor. So I'm not surprised they didn't work on Lauren's back labor.
ReplyDeleteWhat usually helps is staying off of your back, having someone skilled apply counterpressure, and relaxing in a warm bath or shower. You can't try any of those more effective tactics once an epidural has been placed.
But, maybe she had already tried those risk-free options beforehand, or maybe they weren't supported at her hospital (they often aren't). The remaining option that you can try after an epidural is IV opioids, which does work for back labor and it sounds like she had.
Back labor plus a first labor is extra hard. Good job, Lauren!
She's a very expressive baby. LOTS of personality!
ReplyDeleteI am so surprised that all of these couples share the births. Especially if it's your first baby, you have no idea how things are going to go. I would feel very uncomfortable having a camera in the room and knowing that anyone could watch the birth. That aside, I am so happy that Bella arrived safely! She looks like such a sweetheart, and I love how she makes eye contact with Lauren at the end!
ReplyDeleteI actually stopped watching, I felt like I was intruding. I wonder if they negotiate for approval rights. It felt too much like pure exploitation of these kids and not something I wanted to see (note: i am being critical of tlc, not the kids.)
DeleteI think it's great that they have professional films from their birth experience and I'm sure they got final approval of the film. They may have also been paid a bonus for sharing.
DeleteThe were likely paid well.
DeleteI wouldn't have wanted any of mine televised! That was a personal time. At the same time, I enjoy the birth episodes. I cry every single time a baby is born.
Delete3;54. The “kids” are putting themselves on TV for money. They are not being exploited by TLC. They can choose to walk away whenever they want. But, money talks so...
DeleteUh yeah, they agreed to film the birth, that was their decision!!!
DeleteI'm always amazed at how little time elapses after one of these young women going into labor and Jill's arrival on the scene. I'm glad they went to the hospital and Jill's role in the proceedings was limited to a supportive one.
ReplyDeletei think they trust Jill as their advocate in hospitals and home births.
DeleteThat's nice of Jill to drop what she's doing to be there for them. I'd love it if my sisters could have been at my births.
DeleteI’m pretty sure Jill acts as a doula for the girls. She is good at that, her role just shouldn’t go any further than that at her sister’s/in laws deliveries.
DeleteAnonymous dec10@1:51pm. Quit making fun of Jill. It was nice to see her in Counting on. I love Jill. She nicer they joyanna. Lauren crystal like a baby at times.
DeleteBack labor is the wors I also went two days Glad all went well She is beautiful.
ReplyDeletePosterior positioned babies have to make a pretty big rotation as they come down, takes a while and oh the back pain is intense.
DeleteYes, it is! I had it with my first too.
DeleteWow that was a very long labor. See how many babies Lauern wants to have,after having such a long difficult labor. Poor girl.
ReplyDeleteIt was long, but only about twice as long as average for a first birth. Subsequent births are usually much shorter. This shouldn't pose any problems for her future labors.
Delete"Only" twice as long? Um, that's still pretty long, especially if you are the one going through it.
DeleteBeautiful little girl she is. Her first name is Italian while it’s only her middle that is Spanish. Beautiful nonetheless
ReplyDeleteI’m a native still Spanish speaker. Bella does exist in Spanish but it is pronounced “Beja”, “Beia” or “Besha” depending on where you’re from lol. I pronounce it “Beja”.
DeleteAlso, the grammatically correct way of saying beautiful miracle is “Milagro Bello”
Actually, the name Bella has both Spanish and Italian origins.
DeleteI noticed that - they say Bella but then they go "Meeeee LA gro" with an accent. Strange.
DeleteI don't think it's strange. They pronounce each of her names in the way they intend for them to be pronounced.
DeleteOh wow! I loved how baby Bella made that instant connection with Lauren and Si! She seemed so alert and Lauren did a really good job despite the hard labor. She had so much support. Her family ( and The Duggar family too) really rallied around her and encouraged her every step of the way. I can totally relate to the long hard labor as I had back labor with babies #3 and #4. Like Lauren, I also had 2 failed epidurals (for 3rd baby). It was a pain like no other. I thought something was horribly wrong as the first 2 deliveries didn’t feel that way. Same thing happened with the 4th baby. What made it worse is that the nurses didn’t believe me when I said the epidural wasn’t working. The only reason I kept my cool was bc my husband worked at the hospital and his colleagues were there( he is an Neonatal intensive care specialist ) and I didn’t want to come across as a needy princess. So I put my best face forward and stoically braved through it. But after the baby was born I was able to get up and walk, which surprised the nurses. I received several apologies from staff, as they really thought the epidural worked. I was like, well I have a high threshold to pain, So I was able to hide it really well. I really wanted to punch your face during contractions but I didn’t. You should be thanking me...
ReplyDeleteIf you could deal with the pain, then why’d you get an epidural in the first place? I had both my 2 with absolutely no drugs and one was back labor. The first one was piggy back contractions with no break at all, he was born 2 hours after my water broke at 2cm
DeleteThe OP's intention was not to brave the pain, it was to get an epidural, and it was obviously very painful for her when it didn't work. It's not like you can foresee how painful the contractions are going to get or whether you can handle them at the point of getting an epidural. If she said she stoically braved through the pain and felt like punching someone then, yeah, she really needed the epidural.
DeleteWhy do they suddenly have Spanish accents when they say her middle name?
ReplyDeleteThey are just respectfully trying to pronounce it correctly.
DeleteDisappointed as I won’t be able to watch this in the UK. My son was back to back & my epidural didn’t work either, it was excruciatingly painful & he had a big head & weighed 8lb 6oz & was a huge 24” in length. I totally sympathise with Lauren, bless her babies delivered that are lying in the occiput posterior position are extremely painful. Bella is a beautiful baby though & im sure all that pain was well worth it to hold her little girl in her arms. Hopefully if Lauren has another baby she has a normal cephalic presentation & it should be much less painful. My daughter was a CP birth & even though she was 9lb 5oz it was an easy birth, a total breeze compared to her brother. Hopefully we get to see this birth in the UK at some point. I’m just thrilled for Josiah & Lauren, they have a lovely little family & will no doubt have an amazing Christmas with their little fairy Bella. God bless to all three of them.
ReplyDeleteI am confused. two epidurals?
ReplyDeleteFor an epidural:
The doctor injects medicine just outside of the sac of fluid around your spinal cord. A small tube (catheter)is left in place so you can receive more medicine through the catheter. Since the whole procedure is 'tricky' with the woman having to stay motionless as the catheter is inserted, a doctor would NOT do it twice.". He would insert the catheter and continuous give the woman medication to keep her pain manageable.
I actually think they mean spinal, not epidural.... Those are different. And epidural doesn't take away everything. I had back labor, the pain is still there but it's manageable. It depends a lot on how much pain you handle 😅 seems like she has a low pain tolerance.
DeleteIf the placement of the catheter is off for the first epidural, the medication would not get to where she needed it (it would be like medication going through a misplaced iv that's not properly in the vein, so it wouldn't get into the bloodstream). The dr had to remove the first one and place a new catheter into the fluid surrounding her spinal cord. I even heard the dr say something about her second epidural being placed well. That is why she had two epidurals. In the end, all that matters is that little Bella is here, she's doing well, and so is Mommy. Many blessings to their family.
DeleteGod bless you,
Kristin Cortez
Anon 5.07. Sometimes the anaesthetist re-sites the epidural if it hasn’t worked the first time. If the spinal block isn’t working there isn’t much use in topping up the pain relief so the epidural is done from scratch again. This is what happens sometimes when the epidural doesn’t take on patients in the UK. I assume it’s the same in the US & that’s why it states Lauren had two epidurals. I can’t watch this online so I’m only going by what I know happens in some births.
DeleteI get it now. The anesthetist made a mistake, either because of the woman's different than normal spine or the woman moved or the anesthetist is not experienced enough or the woman is too fat (not the case here). I read that an estimated 12% have to be repeated.
DeleteI would think that only a very experienced anesthetist should do the procedure. Repeating it can be dangerous. I have not heard of anyone who has had to have the procedure repeated here.
I had the procedure with both of my children. With the first, it was difficult to remain still (my husband helped). I still felt the contractions but the pain was more manageable.
10:24, the anesthesiologist didn’t necessary mess up, some women’s bodies metabolize pain medication, so epidurals don’t work for them.
DeleteAnon 10.24. I wouldn’t say the anaesthetist necessarily made a mistake, some people just have scar tissue in their spine & it can impede the epidural acting effectively, therefore it needs to be re-sited. No one is at fault & often even the patient won’t realise they have scar tissue from a previous injury or surgery.
DeleteWhy did they wait so long to break her water?? No need to Labor that long in this day & age!! The whole family takes risks or risky options, like castor oil for example.
ReplyDeleteHow do you know it wasn't a medical professional who made that call? I never got to choose when to have my water broken, it was decided for me.
DeleteCastor oil is a whole lot more natural than an epidural!!!
Delete12:40, so is arsenic. That doesn’t mean it’s wise to ingest it.
Delete5:10, they avoid breaking your water if at all possible. Also 12:40, castor oil has no proven effect of usefulness, it’s just an old wivestell and can lead to fetal distress. While an epidural does have possible side effects, it is used for pain relief and they do NORMALLY work, just sadly not in Lauren’s case.
DeleteThat was so sweet, Lauren did amazing!!! I had back labor with my second one, but no epidural, but hers failed, so I can relate to that pain, not fun.
ReplyDeleteBack labor is the worst! I had that too.
ReplyDeleteI find Lauren too much of a drama queen. Can barely watch her
ReplyDeleteI thought that too until I noticed the epidural really and true did not take effect. Before the anesthesist had to reinsert a 2nd epideral you can see Lauren having a contraction and she is moving her legs. Clearly still in pain and clearly the first epidural didn’t work. I’ve had back labor before and it’s no joke! While I think Lauren can be dramatic this wasn’t a time where she was acting
DeleteI know how that feels I labored 36 hours to find out I had to have C section I understanding Labors so flag she and Bella are doing good
ReplyDeleteWhat a pleasure to be able to be a part of this birth. What a treasure this film will be to this family. Beautiful baby girl! Well done Lauren and Si. May God continue to bless you all.
ReplyDeleteI was not sure if we would get to see Bella be born, but I am grateful to Lauren for sharing her hard experience with us all that ended with a beautiful baby girl, with a beautiful name !Thank her for us ! God Bless !
ReplyDeleteI am so happy for you Lauren. God is able.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful girl. Good things come to those who shoot straight. Or take the pain. I was 16 first baby back labor for 16hrs before my baby girl finally arrived. Epidural didn’t help much. Congrats Lauren and si. She’s beautoful
ReplyDeleteYou had your first baby at 16? Am I reading that right?
DeleteSome people have children very young, why is that shocking to you?
DeleteI’m 40, and have 3 grandkids...
DeleteI agree. The epidural caused more harm than good. So did all that unnecessary monitoring, and cervical checks, I’m sure. How can someone relax and open up in that environment? She’s very lucky she didn’t end up with a c-section.
DeleteThis was the most beautiful delivery video I think I have ever seen. Thanks so much for sharing with us. I cried for real. My first born was a daughter who was also born face up and eyes open. Little Bella is so so cute and alert. I also labored two days with back pain and it is very difficult. Good job Lauren and Si and God bless your little family.
ReplyDeleteLauren is such a princess. I have had four children. There is no need to be so dramatic at only 3cm. She is putting it on for the cameras. I have had four children. The most recent only last year. I am around the same size as Lauren and my babies were all bigger. She is just being a drama queen. She is putting on a much bigger show than Jessa who had absolutely no pain relief.
ReplyDeleteEveryone's experience is different. Different people have different pain tolerance levels. Unless you were in her body experiencing the pain, you cannot comment on her situation accurately.
DeleteI think we all handle pain differently. I don't think she put on a show for the cameras. She doesn't have a drama seeking personality either. I think we ought to remember that every labour and delivery is different. Labour can be really intense and/or painful even from 3 cm. Trust me, I've been there. Going from no contractions at 2-3 cm to having delivered my baby in 90 minutes, I sure can testify to experiencing intense pain from 3 cm and throughout.
DeleteHaving bigger babies doesn't automatically mean more difficult deliveries either.
Clearly Lauren was both nervous and in pain. I just don't think it's fair to judge her. We weren't there, we didn't walk her walk...and as I said. We all handle pain differently.
I think these couples should STOP sharing so much information about everything that happens during labor and delivery. It leads to comments that are both unkind and unfair to them.
DeleteDisagree with this statement! For a labor as long and intense as this one she handled the pain very well! I was moaning a LOT louder with my three very intense births and I can promise you none of that was for dramatic effect
DeleteAnon 8.18. Every woman’s birth is different. Just because you have had good experiences & coped with pain well does not mean that others do the same. Everyone has a different pain threshold too & some people can handle pain much better than others. I’m glad you have had 4 good birth experiences but not everyone is as lucky as you, & no mum should be shamed because they deal with pain in a more vociferous way than someone else. Believe me some mums are in agony at 1-2cm& their pain is very real, no histrionics, genuine pain that many feel is in are able. There is nothing worse than telling a mum at 1-2cm that she isn’t far enough along for a epidural when she is writhing in agony & your only able to offer her basic pain medication.
DeleteI'm guessing the OP has never had back labor. It's a whole 'nother layer of pain. I had it twice out of five times. It's important to realize that our experiences are just that, our experiences, and may not line up with other peoples'.
DeleteUh yeah, I don’t think Lauren was being a drama queen, she handled it beautifully. I had back labor with my second, no epidural, no drugs, and I was screaming, I felt like my hips were separating, it’s painful. Geez, she’s giving birth to a baby, give her a break. Besides, I’ve seen births where women just push it out and barely make a sound, I’m like really??? I was screaming...
DeleteI rushed to our birth center with my firstborn, thinking my baby was on the way, only to learn I was 1cm! I also delivered drug-free after 48 hours with an out-of-position baby, at 42 weeks. I think having freedom of movement, versus laying down on a bed being strapped to monitors, was very helpful. Midwives can check a moving, laboring mom remotely. This birth came across as unnecessarily intervened with and over-medicalised.
DeleteI have also had four children and with each one the pain has been different. I had back labor with two out of the four and it is so much more intense even at 3 cm. I don't blame Lauren at all for how she reacted. She reminded me of my last delivery with back labor where I felt like I would pass out with each contraction. I don't believe for a second that she was putting it on for the cameras. Everyone handles pain differently and for you to say that she is being a drama queen is uncalled for. It amazes me the things people say on here. Good grief!
ReplyDeleteI can't help but wonder if TLC edited the footage to tell a story of pain, making it appear like Lauren is a drama queen. In the beginning they let Josh look very arrogant, the it was Derrick was the bad guy, now they are positioning Lauren into the role. The TV is better when there is somethimg to dislike.
ReplyDeleteI don't think she came across as a drama queen at all, which I was prepared to see after reading these comments. Maybe you've never experienced back labor, but it's pretty much constant pain, on top of the contraction pain. She actually showed a lot of self-control for what she was going through.
DeleteI think Lauren did a phenomenal job, especially with back labor.Everyone is different, I wish people would stop comparing.Thanks for sharing,it was truly beautiful to witness.😇
ReplyDeleteI agree, she seems to be very fragile
ReplyDeleteWow, Bella looks like a Duggar here, but in her first pictures I thought she looked a lot like Lauren.
ReplyDeleteI had back labour too, no pain relief at all. In the Netherlands a lot of women give birth without pain relief. But when you finally hold your baby you forget about the pain. I think Bella is a beautiful baby.
ReplyDeleteYou don’t forget the pain, it just becomes worth it once you have your baby. No women who gives birth would ever tell you that it’s painless, so you obviously don’t forget it.
DeleteI three times delivered without any medication... Last two at home... (Here in the Netherlands we only have professional midwives) No problems... But... I was not a teenager that rushed into marriage and motherhood... I think that's a huge difference...
Delete7:20, how does rushing into motherhood have anything to do with how much pain you have in labor, how the baby is positioned, etc.? It doesn't.
Delete7:20, Lauren is not a teenager, she did not rush into marriage, and it’s no one else’s decision but a couples as far as deciding when to have children. Take your judgment elsewhere.
DeleteI just finished watching this, and those who are calling Lauren a drama queen are just plain mean. The poor girl had back labor, which is extra painful, she had no relief from not one but two epidurals, and she was in labor for two days. She was also not wailing or yelling through the delivery. She was a tough cookie to go through two days of that, and I hope she's been spoiled during her recovery period and getting lots of support.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that there is blow-back about Lauren is a big reason NOT to film and air these birthing situations, IMO. Bringing a new life into the world should not be reduced to fodder for the masses who are looking for anything remotely controversial or something to criticize. I hope this new generation of Duggars starting families will wise up and cut the cord with TV and mass media. Let their kids live normal lives away from cameras and gawking fans/critics. Some things are more precious than money.
DeleteAgree
DeleteAgree. I bet most the people commenting on this haven’t given birth or experienced back labor! I had it with my second and it was horrible. I think she did amazing. And what matters is that her and baby are healthy
DeleteI agree, she is not a drama queen. She’s just asking for something God didn’t intend: a pain-free birth. It’s called labor for a reason— I wish she would’ve gotten off her back to let gravity help that baby out as nature intended!
Delete3:46, she may have felt too tired to be out of bed
DeleteAwe, congratulations to the Duggar and Swanson families and Josiah and Lauren, what a beautiful treasure in Bella, she is so tiny, adorable and alert, those little eyes were wide open as soon as she was out and the way she looked at Lauren and seemed to smile gave me tears! Si was an incredible husband and support person and Michelle and Jill being there I am certain provided lots of encouragement and help, Lauren's Mom is sweet but I don't know if she could deal with seeing her daughter in tremendous pain and 2 failed epidurals, so Michelle and Jills experience was so needed, not sure many Moms are great at watching their child suffer. I love seeing these deliveries, I was holding my breath and pushing lol. Awe, so happy Bella and Mommy are doing great! Lauren was blessed to have all the best encouragers helping her, great job, team Lauren!
ReplyDeleteLauren looks beautiful as always, but so drugged. This is not how God meant birth to look. Everything was going great, it makes me sad that they left home and took so many drugs during such a precious, vulnerable, bonding moment.
ReplyDeleteYeah, you live and learn. She may make different choices next time.
DeleteShe looks exhausted not drugged. Epidurals don't have that affect or work like that.
DeleteLove how attentive & involved Josiah is for the birth of his daughter, even climbing into the bed to counter Lauren's back pain! The Duggars raised excellent husbands! ❤
ReplyDelete"Unnecessary intervention & overmedicated" sums it up & they waited too long to break her water, which could have helped move her labor along ! Bella is expressive like Josiah with her mother's eyes. Blessings ❤
ReplyDeleteNeed to get away from TLC, it is RIDICULOUS that so many friends, and 'fans' are from other countries but tlc won't let them watch the videos online, even if we offer to pay to watch.
ReplyDelete