Joy-Anna Duggar’s Friends Clear Up Pregnancy, Due Date Rumors

Family friends of the Duggars are clearing up rumors regarding Joy-Anna Duggar’s due date. Amid talk the “Counting On” star may be farther along in her pregnancy than suggested by her husband Austin Forsyth, pals of the Arkansas brood are speaking out about Joy’s actual due date.

The Duggar Family Blog, which is not run by the family, but by two close friends of the religious TV personalities, posted an update this week revealing when TLC viewers can expect Joy and Austin’s first baby to arrive. “According to Joy... she is approximately 18 weeks along,” wrote the page. “Which puts her due date around early March.”

The blog’s report comes just days after Austin posted a photo of Joy’s growing baby bump to Instagram and revealed how far along she is in her pregnancy. Without stating how many weeks pregnant she was, Austin wrote their baby was the size of a “bell pepper,” leading fans to translate that to meaning Joy is around 18 weeks.

“Can’t wait to meet our baby,” read Austin’s Instagram caption. “I got to feel it kick for the first time a few days ago!!! Soooooo amazing!!! It’s already about the size of a bell pepper and weighs around half a pound.”

However, some professionals, all of whom have not treated the pregnant Duggar, have debated whether the newlyweds are telling the truth about their baby’s due date. On Tuesday, OBGYN Dr. Sean Henry spoke to Radar Online and said it appeared Joy was farther along in her pregnancy than she was letting on. “She looks about 24-26 weeks pregnant,” Dr. Henry said. “She looks bigger than 20 weeks.”

After Joy and Austin announced the pregnancy in August, another professional also questioned how far along the “Counting On” star was. Dr. Stuart Fischer told the site Joy appeared to be “four to five months pregnant” in her pregnancy announcement video.

Joy and Austin have not yet revealed the gender of their baby, though Joy is certain she will be welcoming a boy. Austin, however, thinks its a girl. “There’s kind of been a trend with having boys in the family. I think we’re going to break it and have a girl,” Austin said in a video for TLC.com, posted above.

While the gender is still a secret, the couple is already thinking about how they want to raise their child. Austin has stated he hopes their baby will take after his wife. “I hope that our child is pretty much just like their mother. Selfless and always serving and loving people,” he said.

The new baby will be the first child for Austin and Joy and the 10th grandchild for Joy’s parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. The couple welcomed their ninth grandchild, eldest son Josh and his wife Anna Duggar’s fifth baby, son Mason, in September.

Catch up with the Duggar family on “Counting On.” New Season 3 episodes air Mondays at 9 p.m. EDT on TLC.