Jill Duggar was in labor for nearly three days with son Israel.
"I was praying to God to give me strength," the reality star recalled. "I was really scared and nervous, but I was praying. [When my water broke], I was having that early labor freak-out moment. I said to Derick, 'I'm really scared, pray for me.'"
Duggar is a student midwife and prepared an extensive plan for her baby's arrival. The reality star intended to have a home birth, but ended up delivering via Caesarean section at the hospital with Dillard by her side.
"I would say, 'Think about being on the beach on our honeymoon, just think about this one contraction, don't think about the future ones,'" the new father shared. "I would tell her not to think about the pain right now."
The couple expected their son to be born March 24, and set a second due date for April 5. Duggar, who anticipated the baby being born late, went into labor April 4, and experienced intense, intermittent contractions before giving birth April 6.Duggar and Dillard first met in 2013, and married in June 2014. The reality star and her family currently star on TLC series 19 Kids & Counting, which follows Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their 19 children. The program will air a special episode covering Israel's birth May 5.
