Joy-Anna Duggar, now known as Joy-Anna Forsyth, after marrying Austin Forsyth in May of last year, is one of the Duggar daughters we have all been watching! Joy-Anna and her husband recently had a baby, and there was a ton of buzz surrounding the circumstances leading up to the birth and everything in between and after!

The 20 year old daughter of the infamous Duggar parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, is one of 19 siblings. According to Wikipedia, Joy-Anna is the ninth child to be born to the couple, and the fifth girl. Joy-Anna sure grew up in a busy household and seems to be wanting to start her family already at her young age, just like her sisters and brothers have done.

Joy-Anna has starred on the TLC cable shows 19 Kids and Counting, and more currently Counting On. She seems to enjoy being in the spotlight and sharing her journey through young adulthood, and now, motherhood. Joy-Anna lives where most of the Duggars reside, in Arkansas. She appears to have wishes to settle down with her new little family there, as well. We can expect much more of Joy-Anna on reality TV in the years to come! Now, read on for facts about Joy-Anna that came to light since her pregnancy!

20 Did She Have A Shotgun Wedding?

Joy-Anna Duggar married her childhood sweetheart, Austin Forsyth on May 26, 2017. The pair met as children at a homeschooling event. They had plans to get married, but moved their wedding date up a few months, with no explanation as to why, according to The Hollywood Gossip. Could it be that Joy-Anna was already expecting a baby before she was actually married and that was the release behind the change of date? Many people are saying yes to this fact.

It is important, in the eyes of this very large family, to be properly married before having a child. Actually, before conceiving a child! If the Duggar parents, and even Joy-Anna and Austin themselves (since, let’s face it, it must be their beliefs as well!), discover they were pregnant way before their scheduled wedding date, it would not be a surprise if they did have a shotgun wedding, so it would appear they conceived after they were married.

19 Was The Pregnancy Date False?

The Forsyth newlyweds got married last May and announced that they were expecting a baby in August. Wow, that was fast! And that is exactly what many people thought, including those scratching their heads at how she could get pregnant so very quickly. Although, it is not necessarily unlikely if they did conceive on their honeymoon, since, according to In Touch Weekly where fans wrote things like, "Wow, pregnant already? No time together at all as husband and wife. Such a shame that Mama Duggar taught them that after marriage you should get pregnant right away... What a life they live," one fan wrote. Another added, "She's definitely looking more pregnant than they claim."

The Hollywood Gossip reports that Joy-Anna made a “veiled confession” when she said in a video congratulating sister Jinger on her pregnancy “Yeah I’m excited because it’s only going to be six months longer than mine,” Joy-Anna says in the video. “That is so cool," she adds. Pregnancies generally all last about the same length of time, so we're sure what Joy meant to say is that Jinger's due date is six months after hers.

18 The Duggars Kept Her Away From The Media

According to The Hollywood Gossip, “The Duggars forbid all forms of premarital activity, so the revelation that Joy got pregnant out of wedlock and lied about it to fans would mean yet another dent in the family's "wholesome" image.”

The site then goes on to point out the fact that Joy-Anna was largely kept away from the media and out of the spotlight in the months following her marriage. She was even kept out of family holiday photos. Could it have been that they did not want anyone to see her growing belly and try to determine that the baby could have quite possibly been conceived before Joy-Anna and Austin were actually husband and wife?? Anyone else might think it to be a little suspicious that Joy-Anna was not showing off her growing bump initially.

There must have been some reason why she was kept away from the spotlight, and her parents definitely have the answer to that!

17 A Reputation To Uphold

According to Romper.com, “It's no secret that the Duggars have strong religious convictions. In fact, religion informs every aspect of their lives, from their dating rules and dress codes to the lawmakers they support and opinions they hold.” All the children, including Joy-Anna, are expected to adhere to these very strict rules, and breaking them can cause seriously problems within the family, and also how the family looks to portray themselves to the public.

Therefore, if it was true that Joy-Anna and Austin did intend have premarital relations, that is a huge no-no in the Duggar household. And, if the result of their rule breaking relationships ended in a pregnancy, well, that is just simply unacceptable. Those are two red flags from the Duggar daughter. We may never know if indeed she and Austin did break the rules, because the Duggar parents and family seem to do anything they possibly can to cover up any misdoings by their children. 

16 She Chose To Keep The Gender Under Wraps

Joy-Anna and Austin chose to not do something that their fellow siblings who had children opted to reveal, and that is the gender of the unborn baby. We all know that when you are pregnant, many of us want to know if the baby is a boy or girl as soon as possible! On the other hand, there are some of us who enjoy the surprise of discovering the gender of the baby on the day the baby is born.

CafeMom reports that it was a family friend who released the news that Joy-Anna and Austin were opting to not find out the sex of their baby prior to the birth. We all can imagine how hard that can be to wait, so you have to give them credit for being able to hold out until the actually delivery day!

We are unsure what mom and dad Duggar think about this move, if they are okay with it or wish they would reveal the news. Joy-Anna’s brother and sisters have all shared the boy or girl baby news while they were still pregnant, but not Joy-Anna!

15 Her Baby Bump Got The Internet Talking

Joy-Anna has a strong social media presence. She is like so many other young women who enjoy sharing photos and the things they are doing on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc., so the world can see. Joy-Anna is no different than this, and is just like many moms-to-be who wish to document their growing baby bump on a social media platform. Except, with all the buzz surrounding the Duggar daughter, everyone- and we mean everyone- had their eye on her growing baby bump!

A pregnant Joy-Anna posted a photo to social media to show off that growing bump with her sweet baby inside. Seems like no big deal, right? Wrong. According to The Hollywood Gossip at the time she posted this belly bump photo of herself, “if you assume she got pregnant on her wedding night, she'd be in her 15th week (14 weeks, 5 days). All women "show" differently of course, but to many observers, this does not look like a baby bump that appears just after the first trimester.

14 How Very Pregnant She Was

Joy-Anna was due back in February of this year, and in January, she gave a house tour on Instagram to not only show off her developing house, but also that very big baby belly! According to People.com, “The expecting Counting On star showed off her growing baby bump while giving fans a sneak peek of her house — which is in the process of being renovated — in a video tour shared to Instagram Wednesday.“Here’s a tour of our little house! We have a few projects left, lots of organizing to do and it’ll be finished!” Joy-Anna, 20, captioned the video, which was captured on her cell phone. “Austin has done such an amazing job!”

She went through each and every room, giving details about what was happening, including the baby’s room, which she stated was still in the process of getting ready. But, you could see a baby carrier, crib, and stroller in the room. At one point during the video, Joy-Anna stopped in the bathroom. People.com reports, “while in the bathroom, Joy-Anna’s baby bump was reflected in the vertical mirror. “I’m still very pregnant,” she shared.” 

13 The Baby Was Breech

We all know that a baby really should be head first when being born. If they are breech, meaning that their bottom is in the birth canal and not their head, it can pose a risk for both the baby and the mother. Many times, if a baby does not right him or her self prior to labor, the mother will undergo a c-section.

For Joy-Anna, her baby was breech. It is unknown if her baby was always in the breech position, or if the baby turned that way as the delivery date got closer. Either way, once it is determined a baby is breech, that can be dangerous. It is also unknown if Joy-Anna was aware of the size of her baby prior to the baby being born, because that can make a difference too. The problem with Joy-Anna and Austin Forsyth’s baby being in breech position could very well mean that they will not be able to follow their very strict, likely Duggar-style birthing plan. We know that Joy-Anna did have some plans for her birth, including having the baby at home and more. Things tend to go out the window when a baby is breech during labor!

12 It Was Supposed To Be A Home Birth

In the Duggar family, it appears that home births are ideal, but not necessary, especially if it warrants medical attention or if a c-section is needed. Many of the Duggar ladies have had home births, and it seems that giving birth at home is the desired option. For Joy-Anna, it is exactly what she wanted. According to People.com, “I decided to have a home birth, just because I know that it’s more comfortable being at home,” she explained. “I really wanted to at least try it, and we’re only about 30 minutes from the hospital, so it’s not too bad in case of an emergency or a change of plans. [I’m feeling] somewhat nervous, trying not to be scared, but just prepared. I know that it’s going to painful, there’s going to be a lot of emotions, but I know Austin is going to be there to support me.”

Good for her for wanting to attempt a home birth. Many of us right now are shaking our heads thinking, girl you are crazy! It takes nerves of steel and lots of guts (no pun intended) to give birth to a baby at home. Unfortunately, due to Joy-Anna’s baby being in the breech position, she was unable to fulfill her home birth wishes.

11 The Duggar Family Said They Were Nervous

The entire Duggar family knew that their daughter, sister, sister-in-law, was due to have a baby any day and that her plan was to have the baby at home. The Duggar we are talking about is, of course, Joy-Anna. You better believe all those family members were in contact trying to find out baby news and the health of Joy-Anna. Can you even imagine all those relatives around when you give birth?!

Joy-Anna had some of her siblings with her at home, especially her close sisters who were right by her side. It is reported by In Touch Weekly that Joy-Anna’s midwife determined the baby was in breech position after hours of labor, and that Joy-Anna should head to the hospital. The parents aka grandparents only got a quick update according to In Touch Weekly, “We can only imagine how freaked out Jim Bob and the family were when Joy called and said, "en route to the hospital, can't talk." Joy-Anna was only able to make that super quick phone call, since, after all, she was in labor and had to head to the hospital stat!

10 Joy-Anna Was In A Great Deal Of Pain

It doesn’t really come as a surprise that when you are in labor you are in pain. Those contractions can really hurt! Giving birth is not an easy process and the hours and hours of labor that lead up to the baby actually being delivered can often be the worst part of the entire experience. Joy-Anna was like so many of us, in a great deal of pain while she was in labor. For a large part of her labor journey, it seemed her baby was in the breech position, and she didn’t even know it at first.

Joy-Anna has talked about how lucky she was throughout her pregnancy. As reported by In Touch Weekly, “"I think going through this pregnancy for me has been good. I haven’t really had morning sickness, not a lot of food aversions, so that’s a blessing. But at the same time, I think it has been somewhat challenging just because there are a lot of new emotions and hormones and things that I’ve never had before." Fast forward to the hours leading up to the birth of her baby, and Joy-Anna was in labor for over 20 hours in lots and lots of pain.

9 An Emergency C-Section Was In Order

We know that it has been determined that Joy-Anna’s baby was in the breech position. We also know that Joy-Anna wanted to have a home birth, and was planning on it. We know that Joy-Anna was in a great deal of pain and in labor for over 20 hours. We know that she had to be rushed to the hospital for an emergency c-section. People.com states, “And while it isn’t clear why Duggar had to go to the hospital, there are a myriad of other issues — from excessive bleeding requiring abdominal surgery to placental tissue stuck in the uterus — that can pop up.”

Clearly, the baby being breech may have been enough to send Joy-Anna to the hospital, but other issues could have been at play as well. At least for her sake, she did the right thing by giving up the idea of a home birth. Dr Minkin for People.com says, “There are many risks to having a baby,” Dr. Minkin says. “Some women will not be able to deliver their babies through their pelvic bones. If that occurs, most of the time the cervix will stop dilating and the baby will not descend into the birth canal. Then a transfer to a hospital would be necessary. Sometimes we can give the woman medicine to strengthen her contractions. Other times, administration of pain relief such as an epidural anesthetic can help. Or maybe we do need to do a Caesarean. Obviously all of these necessitate a medical facility.”

8 Sister Jill Was Her Birth Coach

If you are lucky enough to have a birthing coach or another woman by your side during your labor and delivery, that is wonderful. Joy-Anna was one of the lucky moms-to-be, who got to have a sister and midwife by her side, and it was the same person- her sister, Jill Duggar! Jill, who is older than Joy-Anna at age 26, happens to be a midwife, and spend the entire time by her sister’s side, including all those hours of labor and home, then leading up to the emergency visit to the hospital and Joy-Anna’s and Austin’s baby being born.

According to In Touch Weekly, “While it's not clear just how much the 26-year-old [Jill] assisted her little sis, we do know she's got a lot of experience under her belt. A 2013 clip from 19 Kids and Counting reported that Jill spent two years training as a midwife, racking up more than 3,000 hours. "This is hands-on apprenticeship style," she said. "So we are really getting in there and getting to experience what the midwifery and doula roles look like, hands-on.” You can bet that Joy-Anna was overjoyed to have her big sister along on her birthing journey, who held her hand throughout the c-section.

7 Gideon Martyn Was Born

After all those hours of labor at home (we are talking about over 20 hours!!), then to be rushed to the hospital for an emergency c-section, Joy-Anna finally gave birth to a sweet baby boy. It was a surprise, of course, to see that the baby was a born, as the proud new parents were waiting until the big day to finally found out the gender of their little one. They named him Gideon Martyn Forsyth. He was born on February 23, 2018 at 3:39pm. Little Gideon was not so little, the newborn weighed 10 lbs and 3 oz!

There is a story behind his name, too, as reported by In Touch Weekly, “We chose Gideon because it's a strong biblical name and was someone who was willing to follow the lord, and he was a strong leader," explained Austin, who also revealed that his middle name, Martyn, was his own middle name, too!” We think it is nice how they came up with a name that means something to them, and that little Gideon gets to share a middle name with his daddy. We look forward to seeing more of the sweet baby Gideon and his parents!

6 The Largest Duggar Baby Yet

We know that Joy-Anna had a bit of a traumatizing birthing experience. None of it went according to plan. But after all was said and done, Joy-Anna’s little boy holds a Duggar world record! He is the biggest Duggar baby to date, weighing in at 10 pounds, 3 ounces. And that makes Joy-Anna the poor mama who gave birth to the biggest Duggar baby yet! That is some feat to hold this record too, considering how big the Duggar family is, and how they all continue to grow and have babies. Think there will be one that weighs more than Gideon?!

5 Did She Break The Rules?

After all the buzz surrounding whether or not Joy-Anna and Austin broke the rules defined by their family and their religion, there is now a sweet little baby in the world with two parents that clearly love him very, very much. Does it really make a difference when that baby was actually conceived? To most of us, the answer is, of course not! But to the Duggars, it is a big deal, and probably will be forever.

What do you think? Did Joy-Anna engage in activities which lead to her conceiving a child, who we now know as Gideon Martyn? The timeline makes many scratch their heads, but it could go either way. Joy-Anna and Austin claim they concieved on their honeymoon, according to In Touch Weekly. Doing the math, it is possible, but it is possible for it to be beforehand, too. Only two people truly have the answer to that. And, at this point, let’s face it, it sure does not matter anymore. The baby has arrived. The parents are married. Life is good for Joy-Anna, Austin, and baby Gideon Forsyth.

4 More Kids In The Future?

Joy-Anna Duggar, and her husband, Austin Forsyth say they do want a big family. How big do you think they want it? Do you think they want to take over the reality show by having a ton of kids? Well, no, not exactly. Joy-Anna does say she does not wish to have 19 kids! She has quoted as saying that both she and her husband would be thrilled with five or six kids, but would be happy with whatever God gifts to them. Five or six kids definitely seems like a measly number compared to 19!! We look forward to what the future holds for this little (for now) family.

3 A True Blessed Feeling

Joy-Anna has been very vocal about how blessed she is by having her sweet baby boy, Gideon. Even though she had a bit of a difficult pregnancy and an even more difficult birth process (not being able to have a home birth and then having to have an emergency C-section), to her that is all part of the beautiful end result, having been blessed with an absolutely adorable baby boy who she says is such a good baby. Despite her immense troubles throughout her pregnancy and giving birth, she may endure it all again to have some more little blessings!

2 Where Are They Living Now?

A family of three, and maybe more is likely living in a house, or at least an apartment. Nope, not Joy-Anna, her husband Austin and their little baby boy Gideon. These three are living in a camper. You heard that right. A camper! And, Joy-Anna has expressed her feelings for her home space on Instagram saying that she loves it! It is definitely a small space, but that may be what makes it so special to this little family. They do say they eventually want to move into a larger house, but for now, they do really enjoy living in their camper home.

1 Pregnant Again Already?

Joy-Anna Duggar already has a little boy who she is quite devoted to. She has also previously stated that she wants a large family. So, could the reality star and mom of one already be pregnant again?! Some rumors say she is! We know the Duggars, and many of them prefer to have their kids back to back (to back, etc). It could be that Joy-Anna is no different, and is following in the footsteps of her mother and some of her sisters. Who knows! If she is, we are happy for her, but for now, only time with tell if she and Austin are already expecting baby number two.

Sources: People.com, Wikipedia, In Touch Weekly, TheHollywoodGossip.com, Romper.com, CafeMom, The Hollywood Gossip