Jill Duggar reveals how her family had a ‘hierarchy’ based on who could have the most CHILDREN – revealing dad Jim Bob joked whoever had more kids would ‘get the house’

Jill Duggar has delved into yet another part of her complicated relationship with estranged father Jim Bob Duggar.

The mother of three, 32, opened up the November episode of the Ask Dr.’s podcast Julie Hanks.

In the episode, she discussed her fertility issues — which she initially addressed in her memoir Counting the Cost — and how growing up in the Christian group known as the Institute in Basic Life Principles influenced her views on having children.

The 19 Kids and Counting alum explained, “In the book I talk about the shift from feeling that pressure, to being okay with having a lot of kids, to the belief system I grew up in…

“To then undergo the change of: do I trust God with the number of children I should have, could also mean that I trust Him if he doesn’t give us twenty children.”

In the podcast, the mother of three talked about her fertility problems and her father’s wish for his children to have as many children as possible

The author continued, “Am I being punished for my lack of desire to have twenty children? All those mind games you play.’

Jill’s husband Derek Dillard also appeared on the podcast, suggesting Jill’s concerns were due to her “toxic” upbringing in the religious household.

“There is also a sense of hierarchy that you are less valued if you have fewer children,” Derick (34) explains.

He added that Jill’s parents always said, “whoever has the most kids gets the house,” and admitted that while they were joking, there was some truth in the comment.

Jill said she contacted a fertility specialist after her second son, Samuel, was born in 2017. He faced several health problems after birth, which initially raised concerns about her fertility.

“I don’t think I can have any more children,” Jill recalled. “My dad said, ‘We don’t really know, do we know?’ He’s trying to take control of the situation.’

The couple, who tied the knot in 2014, said they found 58-year-old Jim Bob’s response “challenging.”

“(He) still felt like he was a gatekeeper to our information,” Derick continued. ‘We don’t know that yet. Let’s be careful what we say to other people.’

Jill, 32, and Derick, 34, share three sons: Israel and Samuel (pictured) and their youngest Freddy

It’s not the first time Jill has opened up about her strained relationship with her father – having exposed several encounters in explosive memoir Counting The Cost

Jill gave birth to her first son Israel in 2015, and said she sought the help of a fertility specialist after the birth of their second son, concerned about her fertility.

The couple explained that in the Duggar household, “there is also a sense of hierarchy that you are less than if you have fewer children” (pictured are Jim Bob, 58, and Michelle, 57).

Jill and Derick share three children: their son Israel, who they welcomed in 2015, Samuel, who was born in 2017, and their youngest son Freddy, whom Jill gave birth to in 2022.

The mother of three opened up about her traumatic experience after Samuel’s birth, which led to her decision to use contraception.

When Samuel was born, doctors discovered there were signs of bleeding in his brain and the child was in the NICU for nine days. Fortunately, he made a full recovery and was able to go home with his parents.

After he was born by C-section, doctors advised Jill to start using birth control, as it is not recommended that women become pregnant for at least 18 months after a C-section.

In her book, Jill admitted that she felt like she had been ‘robbed’ of her fertility – but she also felt a sense of relief.

“I was devastated at the thought of not being able to have more children,” she wrote.

“But I was also somewhat relieved,” the mother admitted. “The devastation far outweighed the relief, but a small part of me appreciated the excuse to not have to go through countless pregnancies and births.”

In 2021, Jill revealed she suffered a devastating miscarriage just days after learning she was expecting.

Derick (left) added that Jill’s parents always said, “whoever has the most kids gets the house,” and admitted that while they were joking, there was some truth to the comment

The 32-year-old has opened up about her strict upbringing as a member of the Christian group known as the Institute in Basic Life Principles

Jill opened up about her upbringing in the Duggar household and what it was like being raised by parents Jim Bob, 58, and Michelle, 57, in the spotlight in her 2022 memoir.

For nearly 13 years, the intimate details of the Duggar family’s lives were videotaped and shared with their millions of avid viewers through their various shows shown on TLC.

Their abnormally large brood and bizarre lifestyle – the family are members of a Christian group known as the Institute in Basic Life Principles, which imposes a slew of strict rules for its members – quickly swept the nation and made their numerous series some of the most successful. most watched reality shows of all time.

In addition to Jim Bob’s alleged threats to cut Jill out of the family inheritance, she also claims her father treated her worse than her “pedophile brother” Josh – who is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for receiving and possessing child pornography .