From the moment that Joy-Anna Duggar announced she was pregnant, fans of her famous family suspected that something was afoot.
Rumors about Joy-Anna’s “shotgun wedding” persisted for months after she and Austin Forsyth tied the knot, and many still believe the 20-year-old got pregnant before getting married.
When Joy welcomed her first child last month, it was widely viewed as a validation of her version of events.
The delivery date was consistent with the timeline Joy had claimed from the start, and it seemed she was finally proven right after six months of scrutiny.
Now, however, new questions are arising thanks to a Counting On web episode which details Joy’s delivery.
At one point in the episode, Ben Seewald is seen reacting to news that Joy was experiencing complications.
“A C-section is always tough,” Ben tells the camera at one point.
“Definitely not what she was hoping, but we’ll see how it goes from here.”
Ben’s scenes take place at Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar’s house.
He’s seen rocking his own son in his arms and sharing the news of the birth with little Spurgeon.
“Spurgeon, can you say a boy?” he coos to the 2-year-old.
It’s all very sweet and innocent – or at least it would be if it weren’t staged and scripted.
As many Duggar obsessives have pointed out on social media, Ben and Jessa uploaded a congratulatory video on the day that Joy announced the birth.
In the clip, Ben states that Jessa shared the news with him after he returned home from work.
So he didn’t find out about the birth at Michelle and Jim Bob’s house, and he certainly wasn’t with his in-laws, receiving updates on the delivery in real time.
Obviously, reality shows shoot scripted scenes all the time, and none of this indicates conclusively that Joy was lying about the date of her conception or delivery.
But for obvious reasons, it’s not exactly helping her credibility with skeptical Duggar fans.
Watch Counting On online for more from reality TV’s most controversial family.
