'I wanted her name to be perfect and elegant!' Joy Anna Duggar, 22, reveals she has named her newborn daughter Evelyn Mae as she shares video of birth that 'didn't go as expected'
Joy Anna Duggar has revealed the name of her second child, a week after giving birth: Evelyn Mae Forsyth.
The 22-year-old Counting On star and her husband Austin Forsyth, 36, welcomed the baby girl on August 21, but kept her name a secret until Thursday night, when they unveiled a new set of professionally-shot photos of their family-of-four.
'I wanted her name to be perfect and elegant!' Joy Anna wrote on Instagram. 'We had a hard time deciding but after a few days finally settled on “Evy Mae” and we think it fits her perfectly!'
Unveiled: Joy Anna Duggar has revealed the name of her second child, a week after giving birth: Evelyn Mae Forsyth
Ta-da! The 22-year-old Counting On star and her husband Austin Forsyth, 36, welcomed the baby girl on August 21
'I wanted her name to be perfect and elegant!' Joy Anna wrote on Instagram. 'We had a hard time deciding but after a few days finally settled on “Evy Mae”'
Behind-the-scenes: Joy Anna also shared a video of the early part of labor on YouTube
Ready: She and Austin went to the hospital after her due date, and she had to be induced
'Our birth plan didn’t go as expected, but looking back, I loved it,' Joy Anna wrote in the YouTube caption
View this post on Instagram¿ Evelyn Mae Forsyth ¿ ¿ I wanted her name to be perfect and elegant! We had a hard time deciding but after a few days finally settled on ¿Evy Mae¿ and we think it fits her perfectly! ¿¿ . @threebeesphotography
¿ Evelyn Mae Forsyth ¿ ¿ I wanted her name to be perfect and elegant! We had a hard time deciding but after a few days finally settled on ¿Evy Mae¿ and we think it fits her perfectly! ¿¿ . @threebeesphotography
View this post on InstagramLadies and Gentleman I¿d like you to meet, ¿¿ Evelyn Mae Forsyth ¿¿
Ladies and Gentleman I¿d like you to meet, ¿¿ Evelyn Mae Forsyth ¿¿
They'd initially kept the baby's name a secret, but revealed it on Thursday — and on Friday, they followed up with a YouTube video documenting the first half of the birth.
Joy has been sharing YouTube videos for several months, as the family seems to be taking more control of telling their story and appearing less on Counting On.
In the clip, Joy recorded herself the day before her due date, still pregnant. She admitted she never thought she'd get that far in the pregnancy, and assumed she'd have had the baby a week before.
'Plans change though, and life happens,' she said as two-year-old Gideon crawls all over her.
The next day, she, Austin, and Gideon went for lunch and for a 3.6 mile walk in an effort to get the baby 'on her way out' — put she didn't budge.
After visiting the doctor on Thursday, Joy Anna was finally ready to pack for the hospital. She said that the doctor had found that her amniotic fluid levels were low, and was worried that blood wouldn't be pumping well during labor.
Lead up: Joy recorded herself the day before her due date. She admitted she never thought she'd get that far in the pregnancy, and assumed she'd have had the baby a week before
'Plans change though, and life happens,' she said
Get going! The next day, she, Austin, and Gideon went for lunch and for a 3.6 mile walk in an effort to get the baby 'on her way out' — put she didn't budge
On their way: After visiting the doctor on Thursday, Joy Anna was finally ready to pack for the hospital
If that was the case, she'd end up needing a C-section — event though she wanted a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After C-section) following her miscarriage and C-section delivery last summer.
So to prevent that, they planned to induce — but had to be careful to do so in a way that didn't cause her uterus to rupture.
'So we're just praying about just what we need to do,' she said. 'We're excited. I'm kind of nervous. I really want to make the right decision for the baby and I don't wanna do anything to harm her or harm me.'
On their drive to the hospital, the couple picked up Austin's sister Rachel, who was Joy Anna's doula for childbirth.
'I'm kind of nervous about all of this, all the unknowns,' Joy Anna admitted on the way there.
Once at the hospital, she changed into her gown and she, Austin, and Rachel all wore masks in the room while they waited for active labor to start.
Nerves: Upon learning she'd have to induce, she said: 'I'm kind of nervous. I really want to make the right decision for the baby and I don't wanna do anything to harm her or harm me'
Birth team: On their drive to the hospital, the couple picked up Austin's sister Rachel, who was Joy Anna's doula for childbirth
'I only have one regret... I was so stressed about going into the hospital and how the birth was going to go, that I lost site of the excitement of meeting our baby girl!' she said later
'I'm kind of nervous about all of this, all the unknowns,' Joy Anna said
Waiting: Once at the hospital, she changed into her gown and she, Austin, and Rachel all wore masks in the room while they waited for active labor to start
Wait for more: The new video stops before she went into labor, but shows the lights Austin hung to set the mood
They also hung twinkle lights for ambience, and plastered 'birth affirmations' all around the room — so wherever Joy Anna looked, she could read something 'encouraging.'
The video ended with Austin comforting Joy before actual labor began, when she was still just a few centimeters dilated — but the caption teases what comes next.
'Our birth plan didn’t go as expected, but looking back, I loved it,' Joy Anna wrote. 'I only have one regret... I was so stressed about going into the hospital and how the birth was going to go, that I lost site of the excitement of meeting our baby girl!'
The couple shared their baby news on Instagram earlier this week, with Joy writing: 'To say my heart is full is an understatement..We have been dreaming of this day and are so happy to announce that our baby girl arrived August 21st at 2:12pm weighing 8lbs 5oz and is 19.5” long!'
New baby: Joy Anna shared the first photos after the birth earlier this week
The 22-year-old announced the news on Instagram and shared images of their bundle of joy in the hospital
'To say my heart is full is an understatement,' Joy wrote on Instagram
Flashback: She had previously shared photos from last Wednesday, her due date, showing she was still pregnant
She also shared two photos of Evelyn, Austin, and herself in the hospital.
'She has the best personality, is easy going, and loves to be held!' Joy Anna wrote. 'She has her nights and days mixed up, but honestly, I love it! Getting to spend that quiet, quality time with her through the night has been SO special!'
Joy was still bumping along on her due date, August 19, and shared the final photos of her pregnancy on Instagram last week.
'We are just here impatiently awaiting your arrival,' she wrote at the time, posing with the couple's two-year-old son Gideon sitting comfortably on her belly.
The new baby's arrival comes almost 14 months after Joy miscarried at 20 weeks in July of 2019.
'We only had her for 20 weeks, Life is fragile and precious,' the couple wrote on Instagram at the time. 'So thankful the Lord gave her to us for that short time! She will be in our hearts forever!'
Devastating moment: Joy Anna and Austin were excitedly expecting a daughter last year when she tragically suffered a miscarriage
Tribute: 'We only had her for 20 weeks, Life is fragile and precious,' the couple wrote on Instagram at the time
Family ties: They posed several candid shots taken in the hospital after Joy Anna delivered
Memories: In their Instagram post, Joy Anna and Austin shared a photo of their daughter's footprints , which her best friend Carlin also posted on her own account
'Although we don’t understand why, God has given us unexplainable peace and comfort during this very difficult time. Yes, it still hurts and we have cried countless tears, but we know that we can trust the Lord.
'We don’t grieve as those who have no hope because we trust that we will see this little one again,' they wrote. 'Please pray for continued healing, not only physically but for our hearts as well.'
The young parents named the baby Annabelle, and went on to bury her at his family's camp in Combs, Arkansas.
Four months later, they conceived again, but waited until March to announce it to the public.
'Yes... it’s true! and I are PREGNANT again!' Joy Anna wrote on Instagram earlier this year, confirming rumors that began to swirl a couple of weeks before.
'Ahhh!!! It’s been quite the crazy journey these last few months, but we are so thankful that mom and baby are healthy!'
Another one on the way! They announced the pregnancy on Instagram in March
Family of four: The couple already has a two-year-old son named Gideon
Bumpin' around: Joy Anna shared some bump photos on Instagram, and also updated fans on the progress of her pregnancy on YouTube
Stepping back: She and Austin have been largely absent from the new season of Counting On
She also posted a YouTube video, in which she caught fans up on her pregnancy journey.
'I'm shocked. I'm not actually as scared as I thought I was gonna be after miscarrying at 20 weeks. It's just, I thought I was gonna be so nervous, but I'm really not. I'm excited,' she said in the video.
When she told Austin, she did so by wrapping a positive pregnancy test in a gift box.
But it wasn't all smooth sailing. Not long into her pregnancy, she started to experience spotting. She went to the doctor, who told her it might be a nonviable pregnancy.
After some anxious waiting, though, Joy Anna and Austin learned that that wasn't the case — and also found out they were having a daughter.
'We're having a girl! I could not believe it. I just started crying,' Joy Anna said. 'We're super excited, nervous, and thankful, all at the same time.'
It's positive! She was already quite far along when she announced her pregnancy and shared a video on YouTube catching fans up on everything that had happened so far
Pee stick! She took several negative pregnancy tests before one turned up positive, and she gave it to Austin for his birthday
She said: 'I'm shocked. I'm not actually as scared as I thought I was gonna be after miscarrying at 20 weeks. It's just, I thought I was gonna be so nervous, but I'm really not. I'm excited'
Woosh: They had a gender reveal party, with big brother John David dropping confetti from a helicopter
'It's just a huge load lifted off our shoulders, knowing that the tests came back good, came back normally,' Austin added.
Finally, they finished off the video with the gender reveal they had for family, watching on from their yard as older brother John David dropped a bucked of pink confetti from a helicopter.
She and Austin continued to offer updates on YouTube, taking fans along for the gender reveal and doctor's appointments.
In July, she celebrated her impending arrival with a baby shower, with her mom, sisters, sisters-in-law, and best friend Carlin Bates coming together for a not-so-socially-distanced party.
Photos from social media show a room decorated with white, yellow, and rose gold balloons, which her family put up ahead of time.
The party appears to have included a rather large group given that the country is in the middle of a pandemic, with everyone gathered together indoors without masks or social distancing.
Excited: Joy Anna celebrated with a baby shower that was thrown in July
The whole fam : Pictured at the festivities is Joy Anna's mom Michelle, as well as her sisters Jana, Jill, Jessa, Johanna, Jennifer, Jordyn, and Josie
More girls: Her sisters-in-law Lauren and Anna (who is married to sex pest Josh) also came with their daughters
Look who got an invite! Her big sister Jill was also notably in attendance. Jill has been absent from quite a few family gatherings, due to some dubious rulings from her dad, Jim Bob
BFF: Her best friend Carlin Bates came to visit, too, and helped her open presents
Pictured at the festivities is Joy Anna's mom Michelle, as well as her sisters Jana, Jessa, Johanna, Jennifer, Jordyn, and Josie.
Her big sister Jill was also notably in attendance. Jill has been absent from quite a few family gatherings, which her husband Derick Dillard has claimed on numerous occasions is because dad Jim Bob restricts her access to the rest of the family.
Sisters-in-law Lauren and Anna showed up, too, with Anna bringing along daughters Meredith, Mackynzie, and baby Maryella, and Lauren toting her baby, Bella.
Also there was Joy Anna's longtime friend and fellow reality star Carlin Bates, who had her own first child earlier this year.
Other Instagram pictures show five other guests, bringing the total to at least 21 people.
While the images don't show any masks or other precautions taken, the group did seem to play some games, including one in which Joy Anna and Carlin competed to change a diaper while holding a phone between their faces and shoulders.
Joy Anna, who is due August 19, also opened gifts, including diapers and dresses.
Pictures don't show any food, and it doesn't appear that Joy Anna had any sort of cake. Previously, after her sister-in-law Lauren miscarried at just five weeks, she had an entirely separate cake for 'Big Brother Asa' at her baby shower during her next pregnancy.
Big: The party appears to have included a rather large group given that the country is in the middle of a pandemic
The struggle is real: They played some games, including one in which Joy Anna and Carlin competed to change a diaper while holding a phone between their faces and shoulders
Decorators: Jana, Jessa, and sister-in-law Lauren are pictured setting up for the shower