Chrissy Teigen and John Legend have announced the birth of their fourth child – a baby boy named Wren Alexander born on June 19th via surrogate.
Yesterday she shared the first photos of Wren in an Instagram post that was preceded by a lengthy description of the surrogacy process and her dream of “always” wanting four children – and reflecting on the loss of their baby, Jack.
“After losing Jack, I didn’t think I’d be able to carry any more babies on my own,” she wrote, adding that she wanted to try to carry again once more.
That last attempt, through a round of IVF, led to her pregnancy with Esti, who is now five months old. Chrissy explains that simultaneously, she and John met with Alexandra, who she describes as the “most incredible, loving, compassionate surrogate” they could have hoped for.
One thing that came as a surprise to so many was the couple’s silence about the surrogacy during Alexandra’s pregnancy. Chrissy has a reputation for being a very active social media user – frequently sharing moments of her and her family’s life with her fans. But anyone who has experienced the loss of a child, whether miscarriage or stillbirth, can understand the couple’s reluctance to share the news. Chrissy recounted the first embryo not surviving – which must have been incredibly triggering for her and John, and perhaps another reason to keep this experience private.
I remember the day Chrissy announced Jack’s death, though up to that point, I had always been indifferent towards her, my heart truly broke for her. I admired her bravery to share her story and to be so vulnerable, despite the nastiness that crept into the comment section.
Just one day after her announcement, there are already articles asking whether surrogacy is the way forward for celebrities. But surrogate pregnancies, particularly for celebrities, are not new by any means.
We’ve seen women like Kim Kardashian, Gabrielle Union, Tyra Banks and Ellen Pompeo have children through surrogacy – and whatever their reason may be for choosing a surrogate, it truly is a personal choice. As is the choice on how much each person shares about that journey.
Though I often moan and groan about the luxuries fame can afford you, and indeed surrogacy is not an affordable option yet, it can also be true that it’s a beautiful thing that some women who are unable to or simply prefer not to carry their own children, but still yearn to be mothers, have that option. And whether they are loud or silent about it is entirely up to them. And I think it is especially beautiful that Chrissy and John now feel their family is complete and that their angel Jack is watching over them.
