Chrissy Teigen Reveals All After Her Tragic Pregnancy Loss
Chrissy Teigen is known for being honest with her fans, and she once again proved that by offering an intimate view of her third pregnancy in 2020. Teigen and husband John Legend were over the moon when they announced (via Legend's "Wild" music video) that they were expecting baby No. 3 in August 2020. Teigen was happily surprised, tweeting that she "never ever ever ever ever" thought she could become pregnant naturally. She used IVF to conceive her first two children, daughter Luna and son Miles.
However, one month after Teigen and Legend announced her pregnancy, the model was placed on bed rest, but remained in high spirits. "It's a bit of a difficult pregnancy. I feel good though," she said (per Page Six). "I will say I'm probably being punished for talking so much about how great the first two went." By the end of September, Teigen's pregnancy had grown incredibly high risk and she was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in an attempt to control heavy bleeding, which she likened to turning on a faucet (per People), and shared that she had two blood transfusions. She documented her whole experience via Instagram Stories, and assured fans she was being treated with the best care.
Unfortunately, after days of hospitalization, Teigen posted that she had lost her baby boy, whom they named Jack, on Sept. 30, 2020. Now, to be even more transparent with her fans and to help herself "move on," Teigen revealed all in an account of her tragic pregnancy loss via Medium.
Chrissy Teigen wanted to express her gratitude
Before diving deep into the depth of her sorrow, Chrissy Teigen first and foremost wanted to express gratitude for all the love and support she's received from loved ones and strangers alike. "I didn't really know how I would start this, no matter the room or state I was in, but it feels right to begin with a thank you," the mother of two began (via Medium). "Notes have flooded in and have each been read with our own teary eyes. Social media messages from strangers have consumed my days, most starting with, 'you probably won't read this, but...'. I can assure you, I did."
Despite losing what would have been her third child after weeks of fighting for his survival, Teigen, while sad, was comforted that she still has two "insanely wonderful" children and an endless outpouring of support that she admitted a stranger might not receive. Once she expressed her gratitude, Teigen did not hold back from explaining the darkest parts of her memories from the time she spent in the hospital.
Chrissy Teigen's last days with her son were full of fight
After being diagnosed with partial placental abruption — which means the placenta separates from the uterus, according to Mayo Clinic — Chrissy Teigen endured days of blood transfusions, ultrasounds, and intense care so that baby Jack would grow to 28 weeks for a safer premature delivery. "My bleeding was getting heavier and heavier. The fluid around Jack had become very low — he was barely able to float around," she recounted on Medium. Despite her medical team's best efforts, however, her situation worsened, and Teigen was told she had to say goodbye.
After an epidural (she made a slight jab at herself for normally liking epidurals), she delivered Jack at 20 weeks old. She was able to kiss his toes and fingers goodbye as she mourned with her husband and mother by her side.
In describing her troubles, the Lip Sync Battle host also addressed why she and Legend chose to document such a heartbreaking journey through still photos, video, and writing. "I knew I needed to know of this moment forever, the same way I needed to remember us kissing at the end of the aisle, the same way I needed to remember our tears of joy after Luna and Miles. And I absolutely knew I needed to share this story," she explained. Now that her pregnancy and loss is out in the open, Teigen feels that she can move on.
How Chrissy Teigen is moving on after losing her baby
Chrissy Teigen is still recovering from her traumatic pregnancy loss, but admitted that she feels better than she expected to at the time she wrote her open letter. "People say an experience like this creates a hole in your heart. A hole was certainly made, but it was filled with the love of something I loved so much," she reflected (via Medium). She went on to, once again, note how much love and sympathy has surrounded her during and after such an unforgettable experience. She also urged those around her, even those with healthy babies growing inside them, to not hide their joy. "I know your joy and I love you," she said.
While healing, Teigen is making sure to share Jack's memory with her children, who may be too young to understand what happened. "Jack will always be loved, explained to our kids as existing in the wind and trees and the butterflies they see."
Finally, she wrapped up the post on a high note, full of the gratitude readers could feel throughout her raw, emotional letter. "Thank you so much to every single person who has had us in their thoughts or gone as far as to send us your love and stories," she said. "We are so incredibly lucky."