Michelle Duggar is on a mission to personally welcome each one of her and husband Jim Bob Duggar’s grandchildren into the world and she’s managed to (almost) do so, despite nearly 40 babies being born into the ever-growing Duggar family over the last 16 years.
On Tuesday’s episode of The Jinger & Jeremy Podcast, Michelle and Jim Bob’s daughter Jinger Vuolo revealed that her mom has been present for nearly all of her grandchildren’s births, including all three of Jinger and husband Jeremy Vuolo’s children.
Jinger and Jeremy both praised Michelle for being so committed to helping her kids (and their partners) during the post-partum period.
“I think that she’s only missed two [births], but each of ours she’s been there,” Jinger said, referring to daughters Felicity and Evangeline, as well as son Finn, whom Jinger gave birth to last month.
“Finn is grandbaby No. 37 for my parents,” Jinger continued. “And that is insane to think about.”
As fans may remember, Michelle and Jim Bob’s eldest son legally challenged son Josh Duggar (who is currently imprisoned) and wife Anna welcomed the first Duggar grandkid, Mackynzie, in 2009. Michelle and Jim Bob became grandparents while still welcoming children of their own, as Anna’s was pregnant with Mackynzie at the same time that Michelle was pregnant with daughter Josie, who was also born in 2009.
In the years that followed, Michelle and Jim Bob became grandparents to 36 more children for a total of 37– a number set to increase by at least two this year, as son Jeremiah Duggar and wife Hannah are due to welcome their third child this spring and daughter Jessa Seewald and husband Ben announced last month that they are expecting Baby No. 6.
Despite the Duggar family tree constantly growing, Jeremy commended his mother-in-law this week for not only being present for the births of nearly all of her grandchildren, but also for being there to support her own children before and after their new addition arrives.
“She came a week before [our kids’ births], she stayed a week-and-a-half after and she’s fully committed,” Jeremy said. “So she comes and serves. She’s like, taking everything off of your plate every morning. I mean, she wakes up before any of us.
“It’s really sweet,” he continued, before admitting to listeners that he was “getting emotional” over Michelle’s support.
Fans of the Duggar family’s former TLC shows, 19 Kids and Counting and Counting On, may remember Michelle and Jim Bob implementing a “buddy system” with their own children. With this “buddy system,” the older female siblings– sisters Jill, Jinger, Jessa and Jana– were each assigned a “team” of younger siblings (aka “buddies”) that they were in charge of caring for, thus alleviating Michelle and Jim Bob from doing much of the actual parenting responsibilities for their 19 children.
Michelle has even admitted in her books as well as in multiple interviews that she typically weaned each of her babies from nursing at around five months, at which point the baby was then assigned to a buddy group and Michelle and Jim Bob would get, um, “cracking” on making the next Duggar “blessing.”
Despite Michelle seemingly having a very hands-off approach with her own children, Jinger revealed on her podcast this week that she “probably would’ve been way more stressed out” if Michelle hadn’t been by her side when she welcomed Finn last month.
“There’s something so comforting about having my mom next to me through this season and she has such a way of keeping me calm and reminding me that this is a normal process of life that God has created,” Jinger said. “Even without saying it, it’s just her demeanor. She’s so calm, so chill, so prayerful and considerate.”
Back in 2020, Michelle– who at the time, had just 17 grandchildren– spoke to Us Weekly about the difference between being a mom and being a grandmother, revealing to the outlet that the latter allowed her to “enjoy the fun” without “all the responsibility.”
“My kids joke and say, ‘You’re in grandma mode,’ and I am. I really am!” Michelle said. “ … I heard people tell me for years, ‘You’re going to love these grandkids,’ and it’s the best. It’s amazing because you get to enjoy the fun, but not all the responsibility of packing the diaper bag and remembering all the details that you need to do.
“It’s wonderful,” she continued. “It really is. It’s the best thing ever. I love having these grandkids.”
RELATED STORY: ‘Counting On’ Star Jinger Duggar Vuolo Addresses Rumor That She Hides Her Kids’ Faces Due to Her Daughter Being Disabled
(Photos: Instagram; TLC)
12 Responses
Well, she did teach her kids that their goal should be to have as many kids as possible. The least she can do is be there to help when the little blessings are born.
Funny that she thinks “remembering to pack a diaper bag” is all the responsibility involved in parenting…….but she did dump her babies on her older daughters at 5 months old so I can see why.
I am emotionally fragile right now, but if I had a mother there for me (in-law, my own, etc.) it would have been a great help whilst giving birth. I had neither. I probably would have welcomed Michelle at any point 😢
Sorry to hear about your fragile state. Sending you well wishes through the internet. Stay strong
I hope you have some support you can rely on; postpartum depression is no joke. I was in such a bad way after a traumatic delivery that I was put on a watch list by the hospital and received monthly visits from a county nurse. Saved my life. Please reach out to your doctor or a friend or SOMEONE to let them know you need help. 💙
I’m confused, I thought Jinger was one that was distancing herself from the “family”…why would she want her mom’s help with ANYTHING?
I love that she does this for them. I hope to do the same for my children when they have kids. You are so tired after having a baby you really do need the support.
She didn’t actually raised her kids and didn’t support her daughters when they were abused by their brother but now she helps them give birth, okey dokey
So, it’s a bad thing to be supportive to your daughters? The Duggars do a lot of things I absolutely don’t agree with. But this isn’t one of them. My mom left my first baby shower early while I was opening presents. She had to go see her boyfriend. He was married with kids, soooo..
When the women are indoctrinated to be nothing but breeding machines for their husbands and that same mother helped cover up the molestation of her daughters by her son AND wrote a letter of support to the court in favor of said son where she dotted the i in her name with a heart…yeah, not much to support. This is just another innocent child being born into a cult. His parents are members of a church that blames victims of sexual assault for what happened to them. This is SAD.
As a mother of three whose parents and in-laws have no interest in helping with any of their grandchildren, I can attest that this is a wonderful thing she is doing for her adult children. This boomer generation dropped us with our grandparents nearly everyday yet they would never even consider supporting their own kids in the same way. Sadly the “village” of child rearing is gone.
@dickie ~ i didn’t see where theashley said it was a bad thing…??
(other commenters may have said this, but your comment was first ~ seemingly referring only to the post itself 🤷🏼♀️)