For Duggar Nation, 19 Kids and Counting Season 15 Episode 17 was one for the ages as a new family member was born into their Arkansas clan.
Chances are if you watch 19 Kids and Counting online, you also follow the Duggars on social media and/or on celebrity gossip sites like this one.
As such, you are likely well aware that Jill Duggar welcomed her first child, son Israel David, with her husband Derick Dillard earlier this month.
The Duggars never miss a chance to share such moments with fans, and 19 Kids and Counting Season 15 Episode 17 was certainly no exception.
Titled “Jill’s Special Delivery,” the installment chronicled the arrival of Jill and Derick’s first-born, which was not without a few complications.
Or a lot. Jill sure is a trooper, fighting through this!
After the family celebrated Jill’s baby shower, Derick’s 26th birthday, and decorated Israel’s nursery, Jill finally went into labor, two weeks past due.
What began as a calm home birth quickly turned into two days of labor, at which point some red flags prompted them to head to the hospital.
"We felt that at this point it would be a good time, while I’m not in an emergency situation, to get to the hospital," Jill, a midwife in training, said.
When Jill and Derick arrived at the hospital, doctors told her to continue with her natural labor. Soon enough, 60 hours had passed with no baby.
Jill decided to get an epidural, a medication administered through an IV to relieve labor pains, but then her plans changed abruptly again.
The doctor informed her that Israel was in a breech and transverse position, not an ideal position for a natural delivery for a first-time mom.
Being that Jill’s water had broken and she had been in labor for 70 hours at that point, she was advised to have a C-section, and agreed.
Just like that, Israel David Dillard made his debut, weighing in at a whopping 9 lbs., 10 ounces! No wonder the guy didn’t exactly pop out.
“I have a baby! I’m so excited. I can’t wait to see him!” Jill said from behind the curtain as doctors safely and quickly delivered the baby.
“I’ve known him on the inside of my wife for the last nine months," Derick Dillard said, but "nothing can quite describe how I feel right now."
Soon, Jill was able to hold him for the first time.
“That was like the best thing ever," Jill said, beaming. "This is the little, big, guy I’ve waited to see for nine months now and now he’s here!”
“He’s worth every contraction. Every single pain that I had,” Duggar said, summing up the feeling of every new parent. “It’s well worth it."
Four days of rest and recovery later, the family of three left the hospital and headed to the Duggars’ home to introduce Israel to Jill’s 18 siblings.
Pretty wonderful stuff all around. We just hope the pregnant Jessa Duggar isn’t too terrified having watched her older sister go through this!
