Duggar Family Takes Controversial Photos of Stillborn Baby Girl

In general we have become so calloused to fetal life...many are routinely killed at Jubilee's age without much thought as to celebrating their life- because their life didn't count and their death was seen as a right of the mother. As a mother whose little one died right before birth, (she was 44 weeks gestation, yes, I know that is post mature) I treasure the few photos I have of her. And there are some who have been taken a back because I have photos of a dead child. As a professional, whose focus is in fetal and infant development, I don't find pictures of humans at any stage of life offensive... particularly beautiful are those of individuals who are new to life. Yes, I do believe the Duggar family was somewhat caught up in sensationalism but I also believe that much of what they did, taking photos, having a celebration of her life, is part of what a family should do. And yes, I do believe, even though we are of different faiths that they will get the chance to raise Jubilee.

This family is disgusting. "We know we will see this child in heaven one day." Really? And will you be able to differentiate it from the other NINETEEN children you've had? As a woman who has suffered the loss of an unborn child, I find these photos incredibly disturbing. Upon hearing the news, taking photos with my stillborn child was the LAST thing on my mind. This is clearly a nasty publicity stunt and these people will pay for their selfishness in the afterlife.

I think it is horrible that people would choose to criticize this family over the way they chose to grieve their loss. I had a miscarriage and it was devestating. It is the hardest thing I have faced in my entire life. I only wish I had something to remember her by as the Duggars do for their child. Why is it perfectly acceptable in our society to kill babies through abortion but when we actually grieve for a lost life we are doing something wrong? I applaud the Duggars for not allowing hateful people to deter their celebration of their precious baby's life. God bless you, Duggars and I am so sorry for your loss. I know our babies are playing together in Heaven.

I lost my son at 31 weeks in December. It has been the worst time of my life. We have eight snapshots that the hospital took for us and they are the most precious things that we own. He was a perfect, albeit small, baby boy. Having many living children doesn't make the child you lost hurt any less. One of the biggest fears that many women who have lost children have is that their baby will be forgotten. It doesn't matter that the baby was only 19 weeks gestation. That baby was a part of their family and I don't see anything wrong with posting her picture on their family website. We have a picture of our son framed and displayed with our other family photos. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Duggars as they navigate through this overwhelmingly difficult time.

The reason liberal thinking people don't want to see these photos is they don't want to see what a baby looks like at 19 weeks. Then they might have to feel guilty about being Pro Aborts...Enough said.. This child was precious! I admire the Duggar's.

I don't see why this is a problem/big deal for people. They lost a baby. They are in the public eye and they shared something very personal to them to share their story. That is what the show is about. This is how they dealt with the loss of their child and there is nothing wrong with it! This is the only photos they will ever have with their little girl. They gave her a name, they took beautiful pictures to remember her by. They are not being inappropriate or morbid about the pictures. More people should cherish the things they love and lose in this way instead of just throwing them away and trying again like the baby lost wasn't more than just some baby... it was their baby.

Shame on the author for trying to bring controversy to a family's grieving process. Any family experiencing loss needs closure. Naming the child, photos, etc, are a way to honor the child and deal with the loss. Any professional will tell you that this is healthy and normal.

I am very glad that Michelle chose to share with us photo of little Jubilee. This is more a blessing then one may think. Some people may have gotten offended by these photos but when think about it, it really is a blessing to have a chance just to see her little hands and feets. People should be ashame of themselves to say this offenvise when it wasn't. I appreciate everything that the Duggars was trying to do. Life is an open book, you may not always like what the author write, it's their right to share with you the truth of the whole manner.

Why should they have to hide these beautiful pics away? Jubilee was alive, albeit far too short a while - they want to show that they love and are proud of their littlest girl. I see nothing but love and grief in their actions, and my heart goes out to them as it does to any family who suffers the loss of a little one. God bless baby Jubilee , and her family.

If you have not experienced the tragedy of stillbirth, as I have, you will not understand this. I do. My thoughts and prayers are with the Duggar family.

A few pictures to remember your baby,nothing wrong with that. The pictures are beautiful. My condolences to the Duggar family.

If you go to youtube, you will find that it was quite common in the past, to have pictures of deceased children. They even posed them standing and sitting, by means of special prop-ups. It's the only pictures that people have. One of my daughters friends who had a still-born child, sent out pictures of him recently, so the practice may be making a comeback. When I saw it, I remembered going through my grandmothers photos, and coming across one in which were 3 babies, who appeared to be sleeping peacefilly. On the back was written; "3 Angels that God saw fit, to take to Heaven". It was the only proof she had, that indeed, she had labored,hurt, and brought forth triplets, and suddenly I knew why she'd had what my father called,'meloncholy', during part of his childhood. It helped him to understand, as an adult why she'd left him to care for his younger siblings when he was 10. This was something he'd never known about, as my grandparents had kept this from their 5 children. That picture helped my father treat his mother, and mine, with much more understanding and love, than ever he'd shown either one of them before.

what a wonderful family, and a wonderful life

How are these photos inappropriate? People need to get a F$%^#&* life. This woman loves her child whether live or stillborn. There is NOTHING wrong with these photos. My heart goes out to her for her loss.

We had a stillborn child at 20 weeks. She was beautiful, but not much larger than a barbie doll. We took pictures of us and our baby. Those photos are the only ones we have...they are the only ones we could ever have. I don't blame them at all.

let them mourn without sharing those pictures

I read where many, many children that died of common childhood illnesses during the last half of the 19th and earlier part of the 20th century were photographed prior to burial. It was common, apparently, to lose a child or infant at that time. Often, the one photo that these families had of their lost child, were the only way to remember for these grief-stricken parents. A strep throat infection, back then, could kill not just one child, but all of the children in the family.

I think it's fine that anyone who has lost a child would like to have photos of the child, but to post them online for all the world to see is unnecessary.

In history, "death photos" are a normal way of grieving. It is not that uncommon whether it's a still born child or a grandparent. Every family deserves to grieve in their own way.

My heart goes out to them for the loss of their child.

Susan Newman...who the hell is she? What are we supposed to do (the "we" being those that have lost children)? Forget we had the child? Forget what it meant? Forget what it was to anticipate their arrival? Forget what it was like to hear the heartbeat? What a cold, cold heartless woman you are Ms. Newman! Keep your judgment to yourself! Just guessing here, but I anticipate that you are one of those arrogant types who feel that their opinion is not opinion, but fact, and all others are wrong. As a so-called "social psychologist", you'd hopefully know that all human grieve differently...or did you skip class that day? Shame on you, you arrogant wolf.