Why Michelle Duggar called 911 after Jessa's home birth

by

Sara McGinnis

posted in Celebrities

There's another home birth being celebrated by the Duggar family, but the arrival of Jessa's baby boy wasn't without a few moments of worry. In fact, family matriarch Michelle Duggar ended up calling 911 shortly after her grandchild arrived.

The emergency call, which was obtained by Daily Mail Online, reveals that the first-time mom suffered from heavy bleeding following the birth of the 9lb, 11oz boy. It's also been announced the newborn was 21 and 1/4 inches long.

On the call Michelle's voice can calmly be heard explaining, "Mother is bleeding after birth. We need her to be checked out," but then she gets a bit thrown off.

When asked how old Jessa is, the mother of 19 struggled to remember but eventually said, "She’s 24." In actuality, Jessa celebrated a birthday on November 4 -- at which she turned 23.

That aside, Michelle described her daughter as "alert and awake" and then told the operator, "There was quite a bit of blood when the placenta detached, but uterus is hard now."

Seeming to speak to Jessa she can be heard saying, "We’re massaging your uterus. Hang in there."

Michelle went on to relay that Jessa was no longer bleeding, and that her color was good. The operator then instructed them to wrap the placenta in a towel for the doctor to examine to make sure it all came out.

Thankfully, Michelle was also able to report, "Baby is doing wonderful. Baby is great."

It sounds like the family team had things pretty much under control, and the call for an ambulance and hospital visit was just to be on the safe side, but it'd be a lie to say reading Michelle's words doesn't make my heart beat a little faster.

For me personally, a home birth felt too risky, and in hindsight I'm quite glad to have had my sons in the hospital. Our second born could have perhaps arrived at home, but with our first I developed a bad fever. Both times my contractions failed to become regular after my water breaking, and the only thing that got them going was pitocin.

The idea of a home birth sounds wonderful, and I adore looking at pictures of those who've managed it, but I'm thankful for the doctors and nurses who were watching over my progress.

(For the record, most days I somehow struggle to remember how old I am. Can't fault Michelle on that one!)

Do you think you could have given birth at home? Or did you?

Tell us!

Photos: REXUSA, TLC

 

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