Jason and Maddie Duggar’s decision to delay having children – what’s behind it?
Jason Duggar and Maddie Duggar are counting on fans to stop asking about pregnancy news.
Nearly a year after the 19 Kids and Counting alum and his wife tied the knot, they shared why they are not planning on expanding their family any time soon, sharing insight into their decision after Jason jokingly announced baby news on sister Jinger Duggar Vuolo and brother-in-law Jeremy Vuolo’s podcast.
“He does that to me all the time,” Maddie joked during the August 13 episode of Jinger and Jeremy. “We are not expecting at all. We are not trying to be expecting.”
Jason added, “Stop saying we’re expecting, that’s for whoever is listening.”
The couple also have a reason to hold off, with Maddie explaining, “I’m trying to finish up school.”
Indeed, the 21-year-old emphasized that while she and Jason get “baby fever” from time to time, they certainly won’t start trying until she wraps up her education degree next May.
“I want to just enjoy this time,” she continued. “Like I can always get pregnant later on, Lord willing. But right now, we just want to chill. Like, we’re still getting to know each other. We know each other, but you’re still getting to know each other in the first year of marriage.”
As she put it, “No babies at all. We just babysit and get humbled.”
This isn’t the first time the couple—who wed in October—shut down speculation that they were putting a bun in the oven. In fact, Jason, 25, previously explained how his older siblings also played into their decision to wait.
“Some of the couples in my family have said like, ‘Hey, we wish we would’ve waited a little bit—that way we could travel and do different things,’ Jason explained during an April YouTube video alongside his wife. “So that’s something we both wanted.”
Instagram/Maddie Grace DuggarOn top of breaking cardinal Duggar traditions like allowing dancing at their wedding, dating rather than a supervised courtship, and even kissing before their wedding day, Jason and Maddie also emphasized they were “absolutely not” going to continue the tradition of having a lot of kids. In fact, they’re capping their potential number at six, with Maddie saying even that was “pushing it.”
“I loved having 18 siblings, it’s wonderful being in a big family,” Jason assured, before noting it was something meant for his parents, but not him. “I do love that my parents, I think their calling really was having, all 19 kids. I really do believe that. But for us, we also want to enjoy every stage that the Lord has us in
