Jill Duggar Reveals She Suffered a Miscarriage While Carrying Third Child

Jill Duggar Dillard and her husband Derick Dillard announced Monday that the family had suffered the loss of their third child. In a statement posted to the reality stars’ blog, Jill recounted the excitement her family had felt at the promise of welcoming a fifth member to their ranks and the subsequent devastation of their loss.

The Dillards, alums of the show Counting On, shared the sad news on their social channels as well, with a video that documented their early pregnancy journey. The clip follows the couple as they wait on pregnancy test results, then confirm the results with a second and third test. In the footage, the couple also shared the good news with their two sons, 6-year-old Israel David and 4-year-old Samuel Scott.

Related story The Discomfort of My Pregnancy Was Nothing Compared to the Pain of My Infertility

“We recently found out that we were expecting our third baby,” the couple, who wed in 2014, said in their statement. “We were all thrilled! It was fun to see so much joy in the boys’ faces as we shared the news with them. They were full of questions and so excited as we talked about the pregnancy and how they would get to be involved along the way and after baby was born. However, a few days later we started miscarrying.”

They went on to explain that they had chosen a meaningful name for the baby. “Even though it was too early to tell the baby’s gender, we picked a name that we feel encompasses our baby’s significance and the life we will always remember: River Bliss Dillard.”

“Our baby doesn’t get to live here with us on earth, but is forever with the source of the river of life, in the presence of the Lord!” they added. “And we chose Bliss for a middle name because our baby is living in perfect bliss with the Lord and was such a gift that brought immense joy and happiness to us even though only with us here on earth for a short time.”

Jill rose to prominence as one of 19 children on the TLC reality series 19 Kids and Counting as well as the spin-off Counting On. The shows followed the daily lives of the evangelical family, led by family patriarch and matriarch Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar.

These are some of the reality-TV alumnae we love to follow as they tackle motherhood.