'Rainbow after the storm': Newlyweds Josiah, 22, and Lauren Duggar, 20, joyfully reveal they are expecting again, seven months after she suffered a devastating miscarriage

  • The couple announced today that they are expecting 'baby #2'
  • Lauren had first learned she was pregnant shortly after their wedding on June 30, 2018 but in October, at age 19, she suffered a miscarriage 
  • They also revealed to today that they named the lost baby Asa 
  • The couple previously opened up about the loss on the TLC show Counting On and in social media posts
  • Last weekend, Josiah wished Lauren a happy Mother's Day on Instagram

Josiah and Lauren Duggar have announced that they are expecting a baby — just seven months after Lauren suffered a miscarriage during her first pregnancy. 

Josiah, 22, and Lauren, 20, shared their happy baby news on Instagram , and also paid tribute to the child they lost, revealing that they had named it Asa.

'We are so excited to announce that baby #2 is on the the way!!!!' they said in the caption of their Instagram post. 'It’s hard to fully express just how grateful we are for God blessing us again with another precious gift!'

Inevitable announcement: Josiah and Lauren Duggar revealed today that they are expecting once again

Inevitable announcement: Josiah and Lauren Duggar revealed today that they are expecting once again

Quick turnaround: The news comes just seven months after Lauren suffered a miscarriage during her first pregnancy, and the two call this baby 'baby #2'

Quick turnaround: The news comes just seven months after Lauren suffered a miscarriage during her first pregnancy, and the two call this baby 'baby #2'

Baggy: The mom-to-be has been mostly hiding her figure — thought it could be due to modesty standards as much as covering a bump (pictured this weekend)

Baggy: The mom-to-be has been mostly hiding her figure — thought it could be due to modesty standards as much as covering a bump (pictured this weekend)

'So, as we rejoice of the life of our second sweet baby, we also remember (balloon as symbolism) our other sweet baby, Asa, in heaven. God is so incredibly good!'  

They added the hashtags #MiraclesDoHappen, #babynumber2, #rainbowbaby, and #DaddyandMamaof2blessings.

They've since received congratulations on Instagram from Joy Anna and Austin, Anna, Jill, and Joe and Kendra.

The couple's announcement comes just weeks ahead of their one-year wedding anniversary on June 30, and just days after Lauren's 20th birthday.

The couple posed for pictures for the big reveal: In one, Lauren holds up ultrasound photos. In another, they pose near a balloon symbolizing the baby the lost, and in a third, they hold up a sign that says: 'Rainbow after the storm. Baby #2.' 

The term 'rainbow baby' is used to refer to babies conceived after the loss of a pregnancy, either through miscarriage or stillbirth.   

Lauren and Josiah have previously spoken about the loss of their first pregnancy, which occurred early in the first trimester last year.

The couple had already shared their news with the entire family before they lost the baby — two events that were covered on the most recent season of the TLC show Counting On.  

Hint hint: Fans began to speculate she was pregnant this weekend when she wore this dress — a maternity dress once worn by her sister-in-law Jinger — to a birthday lunch

Hint hint: Fans began to speculate she was pregnant this weekend when she wore this dress — a maternity dress once worn by her sister-in-law Jinger — to a birthday lunch

Big birthday: Lauren just turned 20 this weekend and celebrated with her mom (pictured) and the Duggar girls

Big birthday: Lauren just turned 20 this weekend and celebrated with her mom (pictured) and the Duggar girls

Look close! Lauren appeared to be cradling a little baby bump at a birthday lunch this weekend (pictured right)

Look close! Lauren appeared to be cradling a little baby bump at a birthday lunch this weekend (pictured right)

Not so bumpy: Just last week, Lauren posed in a blue floral dress with a high waistline
'It’s hard to fully express just how grateful we are for God blessing us again with another precious gift!' the couple said

Not so bumpy: Just last week, Lauren posed in a blue floral dress with a high waistline 

'Lauren and I were actually preparing for a trip to go to a friend's wedding,' Josiah said in a video in which they discussed the loss.

'She started feeling really sick and started noticing some different things. Mrs. Swanson was there, so she was able to help her out I didn't know exactly what was going on,' he went on.

'I wasn't feeling well,' Lauren added. 'I was cramping really, really bad, which was quite strange because I normally don't.

'I was thinking maybe I had something that had gluten in it,' the teenager, who has a gluten intolerance, added before tearing up. 'It was late at night and I went to use the restroom and there was the baby. Gone. I couldn't believe it and I was hoping it wasn't true.'

In a video statement to Us Weekly, the couple stood together outside arm-in-arm and reflected on their sad news.

'A couple months ago, we found out that we were expecting, but suddenly thereafter, we lost our baby,' Lauren said. 

'It really was a hard time for our family going through this right after we got married,' Josiah piped in. 'And all the dreams of getting to see our little one and hold it in our hands dashed before our eyes.'

Newlyweds: Last weekend, Josiah shared a message for Lauren on her 'first Mother's Day'

Newlyweds: Last weekend, Josiah shared a message for Lauren on her 'first Mother's Day'

Caption: Josiah wrote that Lauren is still a mother and this was still her first Mother's Day

Caption: Josiah wrote that Lauren is still a mother and this was still her first Mother's Day

'Nobody really talks about it,' Lauren said. 'We just wanted to let y'all know that you're not alone.'  

Fans began speculating that she could be pregnant again this weekend, when several new photos of her were posted on social media while the family celebrated her and sister-in-law Jill's birthdays.

In one, she wore a purple maternity dress that appears to be a hand-me-down from Josiah's sister Jinger.

In another, she is seated at a restaurant table with her mother, mother-in-law, and sisters-in-law, and appears to cradling a bump. 

But she and Josiah did keep mum last weekend as they celebrated Mother's Day, with Josiah only referring to the baby they lost in an Instagram tribute.

He uploaded the post to the couple's shared Instagram account, choosing a posed shot of the couple smiling outside, which fans have speculated was taken at their wedding rehearsal.

Loss: The couple married on June 30, 2018 and learned they were expecting a few months later

Loss: The couple married on June 30, 2018 and learned they were expecting a few months later

'I was thinking maybe I had something that had gluten in it,' Lauren recalled. 'It was late at night and I went to use the restroom and there was the baby. Gone'

'I was thinking maybe I had something that had gluten in it,' Lauren recalled. 'It was late at night and I went to use the restroom and there was the baby. Gone'

Missed: Lauren (pictured after seeing a sad movie) cried on camera discussing the loss

Missed: Lauren (pictured after seeing a sad movie) cried on camera discussing the loss

'To my dear Lauren... Happy 1st Mother’s Day!' wrote Josiah, the eighth eldest of 19 children.

'I have seen you love, protect, and how much you have given without getting anything in return. I wish our sweet baby could’ve seen just how wonderful a mother you are,' he went on.

'Not all mothers arms get to hold their little one, or get to hear their baby’s laughs and cries. You may have missed out on these things since our baby was called home to be with Jesus, but you ARE a mother.

'I love you Lauren!' he concluded it, signing the message 'Si.'

Lauren hasn't shared her due date for the new baby.

She had, though, been due to give birth to their first around the same time that Josiah's sister Jessa is due with her third with husband Ben Seewald. 

In February, 26-year-old Jessa shared a mirror selfie showing off her baby bump on Instagram but paid homage to her sister-in-law. 

Timing: Josiah and Lauren revealed that they suffered a miscarriage shortly ahead of the premiere of the new season of Counting On earlier this year

Timing: Josiah and Lauren revealed that they suffered a miscarriage shortly ahead of the premiere of the new season of Counting On earlier this year


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'Pregnancy — such a precious gift, and definitely not something I take for granted,' she wrote.

'As we look forward to meeting our baby, we’re also feeling an exceptional amount of grief over my brother Josiah and sister-in-law Lauren’s loss of their baby.

'Lauren and I shared the exact same due date,' she revealed. 'We have cried so many tears, both together and apart. My heart aches for them.

'I weep when I think of how difficult it must be for her to see me pregnant in the very stages where she would’ve been — right up through the baby’s due date.

'And yet, even in a flood of emotions, there are perplexities of the human heart that may cause us to want to clam up or remain silent through such a trial. Because of this, many people feel like they’re walking this road alone.

'It is true that speaking for the sake of filling silence is not needful and is often hurtful. I’ve watched Lauren converse with people who have been unknowingly insensitive, and I am amazed by her graciousness.

'I’ve heard some try to give reasons or explanations, not realizing that their unsolicited opinions might be very painful, like salt to a wound. One might never know the tears you cry at night as a result of their words flowing back through your head.

Sad: In February, Josiah's sister Jessa shared a picture of her baby bump and shared her heartbreak over Lauren's miscarriage

Sad: In February, Josiah's sister Jessa shared a picture of her baby bump and shared her heartbreak over Lauren's miscarriage 

Another! She and her husband Ben are expecting their third child later this summer — the same time Lauren would have been due before

Another! She and her husband Ben are expecting their third child later this summer — the same time Lauren would have been due before

'Often times, "I love you and I’m praying for you” along with a hug are quite sufficient.

'We do not need to fill every silence with words. But at the same time, conversations of lost dreams should never feel suppressed. Silence can stifle healing, but a carefully chosen word may work to help bring life and healing to the soul.

'We must all reinforce the fact that emotions over a life lost are not something to be resisted. They’re not wrong, and you should never think that for a moment.

'If you’ve lost a child, know this — YOU ARE A MAMA, and you will never cease to think about and cherish the life you carried,' she wrote.

She continued: 'My heart aches for you as topics of babies or pregnancy arise in conversation. It is likely you were already well acquainted with the first trimester symptoms of nausea, food aversions and fatigue, and you would've give anything to have had the opportunity to labor and deliver your baby, no matter how long or painful the process. 

'When complaining or grumblings ... are verbalized over colicky babies or sleep that's been broken up for night feedings — Oh, what you wouldn't give to be in their shoes!

Bittersweet: Jessa said that her 'heart aches' for her brother Josiah and sister-in-law Lauren

Bittersweet: Jessa said that her 'heart aches' for her brother Josiah and sister-in-law Lauren

'I weep when I think of how difficult it must be for her to see me pregnant in the very stages where she would’ve been — right up through the baby’s due date,' she wrote
'I’ve watched Lauren converse with people who have been unknowingly insensitive, and I am amazed by her graciousness,' she went on

'I weep when I think of how difficult it must be for her to see me pregnant in the very stages where she would’ve been — right up through the baby’s due date,' she wrote

'If you’ve lost a child, know this — YOU ARE A MAMA, and you will never cease to think about and cherish the life you carried,' she wrote
''We must all reinforce the fact that emotions over a life lost are not something to be resisted. They’re not wrong, and you should never think that for a moment,' she said

'If you’ve lost a child, know this — YOU ARE A MAMA, and you will never cease to think about and cherish the life you carried,' she wrote

'We do continue to pray that God will bless you with a baby to hold in your arms, but this is not to insinuate that having another will remove the grief over one that's been lost. That life can never be replaced and will forever hold a special place in your heart.'

'Lauren, you're such a positive, life-giving soul, even in walking through a great hardship and suffering so much loss.

'I don't know how you can grieve through such a trial, and at the same time be so thoughtful to say, "Jess, if you ever feel too sick or tired and need some help do not hesitate to text or call. I would be more than happy to make a meal, watch the boys, etc."

'That is God's grace, and it radiates from your life. We love you both so much, and pray that God would continue to comfort your hearts.'

Jessa, who married her husband on June 21, 2014 when she was 21 and he was 19, already has two children: three-year-old Spurgeon and two-year-old Henry.

Recently, several other members of the family have announced additional pregnancies.

Another on the way! There's something in the water in Duggar-ville, and Joseph and Kendra recently announced they are expecting their second child (pictured with baby Garrett)

Another on the way! There's something in the water in Duggar-ville, and Joseph and Kendra recently announced they are expecting their second child (pictured with baby Garrett)

All smiles: Joy-Anna Duggar, 21, and her husband, Austin Forsyth, 25, are expecting their second child together as well

All smiles: Joy-Anna Duggar, 21, and her husband, Austin Forsyth, 25, are expecting their second child together as well

Joy Anna has been showing off her changing figure
Baby boy: Their first, Gideon, recently turned one

Their first, Gideon, recently turned one, and Joy Anna has been showing off her changing figure

Big brood: Anna is expecting number six with Josh, adding to nine-year-old Mackynzie, seven-year-old Michael, five-year-old Marcus, three-year-old Meredith, and one-year-old Mason

Big brood: Anna is expecting number six with Josh, adding to nine-year-old Mackynzie, seven-year-old Michael, five-year-old Marcus, three-year-old Meredith, and one-year-old Mason

Lots of babies: Jinger, 25, has a nine-month-old daughter named Felicity with her husband Jeremy Vuolo

Lots of babies: Jinger, 25, has a nine-month-old daughter named Felicity with her husband Jeremy Vuolo

No longer on the show: Jill and husband Derick Dillard have three-year-old Israel and one-year-old Samuel
They do: Newlyweds John David, 29, and Abbie, 26, have yet to announce a pregnancy

The rest of the fam: Jill and husband Derick Dillard have three-year-old Israel and one-year-old Samuel (left), while John David, 29, and Abbie, 26, have yet to announce a pregnancy (right)

Most recently, Joy Anna, 21, announced that she and husband Austin Forsyth are expecting their second. They already have one son, Gideon.

Josh, 31 — who infamously was discovered to have molested his sisters as a teenager and was caught with a profile on the adultery website Ashley Madison in 2015 — and his wife Anna, 30, revealed they are pregnant with their sixth child.

Joe, 24, and his wife Kendra, 20, are also expecting their second, a little sibling for big brother Garrett.

Meanwhile, sister Jill, 27, and her husband of five years Derick Dillard have two sons, four-year-old Israel and one-year-old Samuel.

Jinger, 25, has a nine-month-old daughter named Felicity with her husband Jeremy Vuolo.

Only newlyweds John David, 29, and Abbie, 26, have yet to announce a pregnancy.  

The Duggar parents, Michelle and Jim Bob, have been outspoken against birth control, saying that they welcomed as many children as God saw fit to give them. 

Jim Bob revealed that initially, they thought they'd have just two or three kids, and Michelle went on the pill for the first few years of their marriage.

But after having their eldest son Josh, Michelle went back on the pill and got pregnant while taking it. They ended up losing that baby, and were so grieved that, through prayer, they decided to 'give that area of our life to the Lord,' letting God decide on when and how often they would have kids.

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Josiah, 22, and Lauren Duggar, 20, announce that they are expecting again after miscarriage

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