Rosanna Davison has opened up about suffering multiple miscarriages while trying to have a baby with husband Wes.
The Irish model revealed last month that the pair, who married back in 2014, are expecting a baby girl via surrogate this November – and has revealed now that she made sure to stay positive throughout their whole fertility journey.
“You feel very lonely in a way, it’s a difficult one to talk about because it’s so sensitive and raw, it’s hard to get the words out,” she told The Sunday Mirror.
“If you’ve friends who have had an easy normal pregnancy it’s difficult for them to understand what you’ve been through.
“Also you don’t want to burden people because everyone has their own problems in life.”
“A huge part of my healing process was being able to talk about it, especially with friends who have been through their own fertility struggles, and also getting to a stage where you’re not blaming yourself.”
“There were times I was asked the baby question during the early stages of pregnancy and then it would all fall apart and you’re dying inside and you’re trying to remain positive.”
“It’s important to tell people that you’re not to blame and miscarriages aren’t your fault.
“The best thing you can do is to be kind to yourself, that’s the way you start healing but it’s a long process, like any traumatic event in your life.”
“Stay positive and don’t lose hope.”
The former Miss World shared the amazing news that the couple are expecting back in July, sharing a sweet message about their bundle of joy.
Taking to social media she said, “Wes and I are overjoyed to share the news that we’re expecting a baby girl in November (by gestational surrogate).
“As our families & close friends know, this has been a long & very tough journey for us, sadly with multiple miscarriages along the way.
“We’ve dreamed of being parents for many years & I would have loved to carry my own baby, but for reasons unknown (most likely embryo rejection due to an overactive immune system), and although tests show excellent fertility, I’ve been unable to sustain any of my pregnancies, despite the best efforts of reproductive immunology experts & a lot of immune-suppressant medication, injections, intravenous infusions & surgery.
“Following medical advice, gestational surrogacy abroad became our only viable option for a biological child and we’re so thankful for the wonders of modern medicine & reproductive science.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the team of doctors, embryologists, nurses, pregnancy coordinators, my GP & everyone involved in giving us the greatest gift of all by making our family dream come true, and of course our amazing surrogate for keeping our little daughter healthy and safe… We already love her so much & can’t wait to finally hold her!”
She continued, “However, I know too well that pregnancy loss and fertility struggles can be a profoundly lonely, frightening, devastating experience for both women & men, and happy pregnancy announcements can be very difficult to see.
“Statistically, 1 in 6 people in Ireland face fertility issues and almost 8,000 Irish couples undergo fertility treatment annually. If you’re going through this, I send you all of my love and support.
“As painful as it is, I’ve found that talking about it openly with trusted family and friends is deeply healing & greatly helps to reduce the stigma & sense of helplessness.
“Proper awareness, support & understanding is crucial to the challenging physical and emotional recovery process, especially when all you want to do is blame yourself.
“Most of all, stay strong, positive & don’t give up on your family dreams… miracles really do happen.”
Huge congrats to the pair!