The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - A Moment with Krystal Nielson

Episode Date: February 11, 2026

Ashley sits down with Krystal Nielson who opens up for the first time about the traumatic and near-death experience of giving birth to her second child. Krystal takes Ashley through every challenging moment, sharing her honest thoughts as she almost lost her life while bringing a child into the world. Plus, Krystal talks about the surprising moment she found out she was experiencing perimenopause!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. I'm Bowen-Yen. And I'm Matt Rogers. During this season of the Two Guys Five Rings podcast, in the lead-up to the Milan-Cortina-2026 Winter Olympic Games, we've been joined by some of our friends. Hi, Boen, hi, Matt, hi, hey, Elmo.

Hey, Matt, hey, Bowen. Hi, Cookie. Hi. Listen to two guys five rings on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. In the middle of the night, Saskia awoke in a haze. Her husband, Mike, was on his laptop. What was on his screen would change Saskia's life forever. I said, I need you to tell me exactly what you're doing.

And immediately, the mask came off. You're supposed to be safe. That's your home. That's your husband. Listen to Betrayal Season 5 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 1969, Malcolm and Martin are gone. America is in crisis. And at Morehouse College, the students make their move.

These students, including a young Samuel L. Jackson, locked up the members of the board of trustees, including Martin Luther King's Senior. It's the true story of protests and rebellion in black American history that you'll never forget. I'm Hans Charles. I'm in a little like Lamouba. Listen to the A building on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can scroll the headlines all day and still feel empty. I'm Ben Higgins, and if you can hear me, is where culture meets the soul. Honest conversations about identity, loss, purpose, peace, faith, and everything in between.

Celebrities, thinkers, everyday people, some have answers. Most are still figuring it out. And if you've ever felt like there has to be more to the story, this show is for you. Listen to if you can hear me on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is the Ben and Ashley I, Almost Famous Podcast with IHeartRadio. It's the Almost Famous Podcast, and you've got me here holding it down solo. Ben has so many solo episodes himself this week between his two events. And today, I'm excited that we, this is good time to just be girls because we have someone that we all love in Bachelor Nation.

She's usually gone through a pretty difficult experience, and she has a beautiful baby now through it. Please welcome Crystal Nielsen. Hi. Thank you for having me. Hi, Crystal. Oh, my gosh. Thank you for being here. It's been too long. I really haven't spoken to you face-to-face and too, wait, far too long. Yeah, I think it's been since Vegas. Vegas. What are we doing Vegas? Remember when we went to Vegas?

I'm sure can I talk about Nashville? Well, we did Vegas, and then I think Nashville was after that. that. Oh yeah. National was right after that. Yeah. Both were really fun. They were. I was literally just looking at photos from Vegas. Like, you get that eye photo memory and a selfie like Miles and I popped up. I was like, oh yeah, that was a really good time. Oh, I love Miles. He's so great. That was, okay, now that you just put it in my head, I was thinking yeah, so it was the time that I first met Miles. And I was like, why does he remind me so much of Robert Pattinson? Doesn't he? Yes. It's like so crazy because right off the bat, you

don't think that. And then you see him in person and like his mannerisms or something. And he's Robert Pattinson. Because he's very meek. You know, he's just very like humble and he's like, he's like, he's very Edward like. Yeah. Very mysterious. Spoken and mysterious. He's very sexy. He's very sexy. He doesn't suck my blood though. You guys have been together for so long now. I'm just happy that you have found such happiness with him. and you have two beautiful children now. I can't believe how old Andara is. Oh my God.

It's just so funny, like, because, you know, we met so almost 10 years ago, you know, like nine years ago. And it is crazy just how fast the time goes. And I will say, like, now being a mom and being a parent, I'm sure you can attest to this, just like your perspective and outlook on life completely changes. Oh, I'm like, judgy. I'm like, awfully judgy because like when I hear somebody complaining about something that's like so trivial. I am like, but you have your children and your health, okay? Yeah. And you just, I mean, especially just everything that just being so crazy in the world, like when you have kids,

like you're just in it so differently, right? Because you're thinking of them and their future. And especially now being a mom of two, that has been such an interesting act for me to balance and a lot harder than I initially thought and so much harder than just going from zero to one. Whoever the lady said zero to one was her. I was like, that is a lie. Whoever that is? And there's a lot of them. There's a lot of lying. They're totally. I'm like, okay, I did zero to one. That was easy. But it was also because my daughter was born during the pandemic. So there was nowhere to go, nothing to do. Like, we were just home. And I feel like I really like stepped into truly like my most authentic best self, like becoming a mother.

to her. And so I really thought, I'm like, oh, that'll be easy. One to two. Not at all. Well, so many people were telling me, and when I say so many, I do think it's like almost a 50-50 split via Instagram on whether zero to one is harder or one to two. And I am such in the camp that one to two is harder, but I was hoping it was going to be the other 50% leading me in the direction of truth. Yeah. Well, and most people say, though, that the third is the easiest. Oh, I know. Everybody says in a third. And I'm like, I'm not even going to try. But thank you for. Yeah, I think he keeps going like this for me. No, it's funny because my nanny said it best when I talk about having a third. She's always like, you guys should have a third. And then I'm like, Alyssa, like they're not, you know them. And she's like,

they are both main character energies. And it's like, yes, I have no side energy, no supporting character here. And I just, it's just them. It's just going to be that. But I know that you may want more, yeah? Well, like, no, we'll get into that. Yeah. Okay. So it would have to be in a non-conventional, probably way. Correct. Yeah. All right. So let's jump into that. You recently, about how many weeks ago, has it been since Rowan was born? It's been 12 weeks. 12 weeks. Holy moly. I was going to guess eight. Okay. Yeah. So I think this is like the last week I'm technically in the fourth trimester. Uh-huh. Which I feel really good.

Like honestly, I feel like I've fully recovered from my surgeries. I feel really strong. Now that I've been making a little space for self-care, my hormones are beginning to balance out a little bit because we're crashing there around weeks like nine and ten. I'd say we're getting to be pretty rough for me. And then I just really like opened up and communicated with Miles really what I needed and how we needed to come together as a family in this current season.

And I would say like having a second child, really has taught me just understanding this is just temporary. So I need to make, I need to set myself up to have little wins. And I'm specifically talking about like for my health goals, my fitness goals, my self-care goals, my mental health goals need to be little wins that I can do right now and make it work for me. And so giving myself that permission that I can't compare myself to who I used to be. Yeah. Before I had kids, especially like being in the gym for three hours a day. Like that's not who I am anymore. in there's an element with the first child where you mourn that.

And then I think with the second, I'm like, nope. Like, this is, this is just the new me. And I can't wait to explore her and give herself a lot of grace in this season. So that's all been really positive. What's an example of one of your small wins that you tried to incorporate after that conversation? So specifically it was working out. We have, like, I used to go to the gym and I'm not going to the gym because I can't leave the baby alone. alone. So we have a garage gym, but because it's winter, and even though we're in San Diego

in the weather is like beautiful and amazing, it's still just really cold and dark in the garage. It's not enticing for me to go and motivating. So instead, I just bought myself like a new yoga mat and I do my workouts in the living room where it's sunny and it's warm and the baby's right next to me and his bouncer and I'm doing some follow-a-long workout videos. And so that's a huge win where it's like 15, 20 minutes in my living room, in my pajamas covered and spit up. It's not me. in this cute set, taking selfies, filming myself. It's like I'm just getting it done. And I'm feeling and it's been big for my mental health for sure.

We could like have you come back and do an entire segment on winter mental health and winter wellness because I am feeling it. And I don't know if it's like an age thing or because the Northeast, the East and general actually like most of the country just like has had a brutal winter. but it's like I feel my I can feel my vitamin D levels like my energy is just not there but I don't want to I don't want to focus on this but I do think it'd be a very interesting conversation to have with you because I'm so jealous that you are in San Diego anytime you want to come visit you and the fam brand we have the extra bed you come stay with us get that vitamin D we're going guess where we're going this week with jaden Tanner where Vendanta Vondonta no way are you going to prepare it to like to like We're bringing all the kids for vacation. Yeah. We've never, like, gone there for vacation and not show. And we like to do a trip with Jaden Tanner every year.

And the kids have never, well, Emmy has been there. But I don't think any of the other four kids have been there. That is going to be so fun. Yeah. We're really, really, really excited and to get the vitamin D as well. And when people are listening, that's where they film The Bachelor of Paradise. Yes. Yes.

And now, now no longer. No longer. I feel like to us who have filmed it, and you even got married at Vendanta, that like Vendanta is just as nostalgic to us as the actual set at Playa as Candida. Yeah, because we spend so much time there. Wait, and that's so special because, you know, you got engaged there. Like, you guys both met your partners there. Yeah. Like, that is so special.

Which is really cool. Oh, my God. Yeah. That's so cool. I love that for you. Thanks. Thanks. Yeah.

I'm so excited. We went for a friend's wedding last year. She got married in the Puerto Vallarta area. And we were like, why are we only here for two nights? We have got to, like, actually come. So anyway, enough about me. I want to get into your whole fertility and pregnancy and delivery journey, which I know is going to be, like, emotion filled for you.

So just, I'm, you know, we'll take it as we go. So first off, you, it took a little, while to get pregnant with Rowan. And I remember you had a post that was controversial. This is like years ago now where you were upset that after just a few months of trying that you weren't pregnant yet because with Andara, well, it was a surprise. And you got pregnant without even trying. Surprise.

Yeah. So then how long did it take to get pregnant with Rowan? Yeah. Well, just going back to that post. So I posted that in like October 2023. And we've been trying for three months. at that time. And what that YouTube video was about was that I had done a Dutch hormone test before we got married. But I didn't get the results until we came up from the honeymoon.

And what it had showed was that all my sex hormones were completely tainted and then I was in perimenopause. Oh, gosh. Yeah. Yeah, 35. And so what I started doing was I was working with a functional practitioner and they had me start taking some herbal supplements, like all kind of natural stuff, but some were like bovine hormonal things to try to help get me to ovulate because I wasn't ovulating. I didn't have any sex hormones? You weren't ovulating? So then wasn't something, didn't you kind of know something was up when you weren't getting a period? I didn't know that. I didn't know. Are you on the pill? I was having an ovulatory cycles and I didn't know that. And so kind of to go back and I break this all down in that YouTube video, but like for like the nine

months leading up to me making this video, all of a sudden I started having crazy symptoms, like putting on weight. I had gray hairs coming in. My energy was really low. My cycles were all over the place, really long, really short, really heavy as having like, like bleeding for like eight, nine days really heavy. And so I just didn't know what was going off my body. And so what I had the answers for when that, with that Dutch hormone test, was that I was in perimenopause. And my cortisol was so high my stress that I unknowingly was being very stress, which I didn't think I was. Yeah. But there were things like having a leaky gut, eating inflammatory foods, foods that I was having food sensitivities to, causing a lot of inflammation in my body.

All that was affecting me internally, which was affecting my gut, my hormones, my nervous system, my energy all down the line, right? Just cascades down. And so flash forward to getting these results, I started some hormones and some natural supplements. And we kind of had higher doses to just really help me get pregnant quick. And I had a really bad response to it. I just had hormonal cystic acne popping up, was gaining a bunch of weight, extremely bloated. My clothes didn't fit. And then I was just having this emotional roller coaster.

And so I made that video because I decided. hey, I'm going to stop trying to giving myself all these supplements that are making me feel terrible and I'm going to try to get pregnant naturally. And so that video received a lot of backlash because I posted an Instagram reel of me crying when I had made that decision that, hey, I'm going to do this the natural way and I'm going to stop here and just give my body a break and really understand what's going on internally. I posted a video of me crying and people thought I had a miscarriage. And so then they were annoyed that that video led them there.

Yes. And so it was a whole miscommunication. And just one thing I have to add to that is that normally like when I post, I never posting ghost, but on this post I did because I was going to celebrate my birthday with Miles as parents. And so I posted it and I just left my phone until I got home that night like six hours later. And I like before I went to bed and I saw that it had gone like mega viral and had like 4,000 comments in like five hours that were not good. And so yeah, there was a lot of things that

happened with that. I kind of, yeah, there was a lot of things privately that happened with that. So it was pretty traumatizing. And like where I'll say where that leads me today is like it made me not want to open up and talk about fertility and not made me want to share my personal struggle because, you know, I felt really bad for the people who were triggered by that and who had personal experiences with infertility. At that time, I really didn't have a clear picture. But flash forward to the next 20 months, it took me 20 months to get pregnant. 20 months, not from the video, but from... Total.

From the beginning. So like nine months or four, okay. 20 months. And did you try actively with each cycle? Yeah. There was a couple. It's like there were several months within that where I was doing a detox protocol and taking a bunch of really strong herbs.

So you don't want to get pregnant on that. there were a few months that I wasn't, but I was doing these protocols to get pregnant. And I made another follow-up video this past year where I did break it down and what I discovered, how I actually got pregnant. I found out I wasn't even ovulating. I was having an ovulatory cycles, which is the number one sign of infertility. Like women don't know, you're not dropping an egg because you don't, like I wasn't producing cervical mucus. Like there are things and I, my body temperature wasn't spiking. And then I found that I had a lazy ovary. So it was, every other month that I would ovulate or not even ovulate. So it just took me so long and I didn't

know that this was going on within my body until I started running functional testing and getting answers that way and then running protocols to really heal my body from the inside. Wow. That is an emotional journey. That really is. And he's like a little miracle baby. And he becomes even more of a miracle baby when you find out how he survives his delivery. I know. I will say like when we got pregnant, you know, there is a lot, because pregnancy is hard. And even as long as we tried in his great place, we were to get pregnant, it's still tough to be pregnant. Like women, I know, I know. It's such a hard, delicate balance talking about really all fertility hormonal things because everyone has their own struggle. Like, I didn't really struggle to get pregnant, but holy crap, did I hate

pregnancy? You know, but then if you say, I hate pregnancy, then you worry about hurting the feelings of people who can't even get pregnant. Of course. Yes. So, um, it's loaded. It is a delicate balance, but I will say like, so, and two things can exist at once. You can be so grateful to be pregnant and also like not like. Absolutely. Absolutely. That is my status. You're allowed to have that. Like every, every feeling is valid and real for someone. And we all have our own experiences. And I think that's just important to understand like in this space, especially with fertility. Because I knew like going in, I think hearing from like Jade, she was like, well, like mommy trolls are real. like they'll really come at you, you know, like aggressively.

And then especially I felt that especially in the fertility space of like, whoa, like they're really charged emotions in this space, you know, understandably. So I will say like the pregnancy was really hard, but also so grateful. We wanted a boy. The pregnancy was hard itself. It was. In what ways? You know, we had some, you know, like a lot of like scares, medical scares that I'm not going to get into.

Okay. So there was just so much, like, stress. Sorry, I don't want to cry. That's okay. Yeah, but you just hope, like, is my baby going to be okay? Yeah. And he is, he's perfect. Thank God.

And so I was really looking forward to not being pregnant. More than just, like, having him. Yeah. And then it was a really traumatic birth. Celebrate your pride. with the station that's as bold, vibrant, and diverse as you are. IHart Pride, Canada. From dance anthems to pop icons and hits from 2S-LGBQ Plus Canadian artists.

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What do you do in the headlines Don't explain what's happening inside of you? I'm Ben Higgins, and if you can hear me, is where culture meets the soul, a place for real conversation. Each episode, I sit down with people from all walks of life,

celebrities, thinkers, and everyday folks, and we go deeper than the polished story. We talk about what drives us, what shapes us, and what gives us hope. We get honest about the big stuff, identity, when you don't recognize yourself any more loss that changes you purpose when success isn't enough peace when your mind won't slow down faith when it's complicated some guests have answers most are still figuring it out if you've ever

felt like there has to be more to the story this show is for you listen to if you can hear me on the iHeart radio app apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcast i'm bow and yin you And I'm Matt Rogers. During this season of the Two Guys Five Rings podcast, in the lead-up to the Milan Cortina-2020 Winter Olympic Games, we've been joined by some of our friends. Hi, Bowen, hi, Matt, hi, Matt. Hey, Elmo.

Hey, Matt, hey, Bowen. Hi, Cookie. Hi. Now, the Winter Olympic Games are underway, and we are in Italy to give you experiences from our hearts to your ears. Listen to Two Guys Five Rings on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Welcome to the A building.

I'm Hans Charles. I'm Minelick Lamouba. It's 1969. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Have both been assassinated. And Black America was out of breaking point. Writing and protests broke out on an unprecedented scale. In Atlanta, Georgia, at Martin's Almermata, Moore House College,

the students had their own protest. It featured two prominent figures in black history, Martin Luther King's senior and a young student, Samuel L. Jackson. to be in what we really thought was a revolution. I mean, people would die. 1968, the murder of Dr. King, which traumatized everyone. The FBI had a role in the murder of a Black Panther leader in Chicago. This story is about protest.

It echoes in today's world far more than it should, and it will blow your mind. Listen to the A-building on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your So you had quite a plan going into the birth, I feel like. I kept watching your Instagrams, being like, is today the day, today the day? And you were like so calm. But you had like definitely a plan going into it. How was And Dara's delivery? I remember I think it was good, right? Yeah. Her delivery was so easy. Yeah. I was induced with her for a medical reason. She had an assist in her umbilical cord. And we caught it at like 34 weeks. So it was growing to a point where we thought, hey, this could, like, cut off blood supply.

Like, and so I really trusted my doctor. So we had an induction and it wasn't easy, smooth experience. Honestly, it was, I felt bad telling people about it because it was so easy. The same here. I, I, I've said really inappropriate things probably about my deliveries. It was like a hot yoga class. Yeah, like, that was easy. Like, pushing didn't tear. I bled for three days. And then I was, I was good to go. I like, I felt fully recovered three days after giving birth. And so. That was Hayden.

That was my experience. Yeah. And then she slept through the night on her fifth week birthday. And that's rude. Every night. I know. I'm kidding. I'm kidding.

I'm kidding. But like, um, and then I had like, so I thought, okay, that'll be the same for the second baby. Um, and I know like everything is by a individual. We're by a individual. Like every child is and they say like they're not cookie cutters. You know, like each kid has their own. personality. So I was giving some space for, you know, things to be a little different. And it was just a complete 180 experience. So to kind of get into it, we also found an umbellic-veined

varic on Roman when I was pregnant. Yeah. And it's funny because the whole pregnancy I said at every ultrasound, I was like, hey, we look for this. And they're like, it's not genetic. You're not going to have it. And I was like, okay. But did they look for it in anyway? They said they, they said they did. And they didn't find it. I mean, I don't know. They said it's not genetic. Don't worry about it. They found one at 37 weeks.

And so then they suggested I get induced. And I was like, okay, that was great. Let's just do the same thing I did with Andarra because it went smooth and was easy. Like all the nurses were angels. Like I just so appreciated the medical staff. And it's funny because as someone who considers us all like very holistic wellness, like getting induced is a very medical, Western medical experience. Yeah. So it really is like having both in hand, right? Doing all the holistic things, having support for Western medicine and the advancements that we have.

And then doing the holistic things after to heal and recover, right? Totally. So we just sandwich it. But yeah, I mean, the kind of quick highlights of it, like, it's kind of, I haven't talked about it. Yeah. Do you want me to ask you questions or do you want to like, say the story the way you feel most comfortable saying it. Yeah, maybe ask me questions because I'm going to try to like.

I like questions usually. All right. Before we go on with your story, I do just want to let the audience know that we'll probably be broaching topics of surgery, just a lot of traumatic events that would happen in a delivery room in an OR. So if you're sensitive with matters like this, it might be best to skip this. and I'll use like the spark notes that I have from your posts. Cool.

So you are in there. You're laboring and it took, it was just taking too long for him to come out. And then I remember, and I'm sorry, I haven't read it for a few weeks, but I remember you saying something along the lines of you're pushing or you're pushing.

And it just like you weren't, you were going to dialing enough. And then that you said, can you check me? and then when they checked you, they said that like, it just wasn't, he just wasn't ready to be coming out, even though in some way he was ready to come out. Yeah. So, um, with Andara, I progressed like pretty quickly, like the first being induced, the first like, yeah, it was 21 hours total from when we started the induction to when she was born, an hour and 15 of pushing. So everyone thought, including my doctor that, and I was dialating at like 36 weeks. I was already. dilating. So we thought he was going to come soon. He's going to come early and is going to come really quick because the second time they tend to drop really fast. Your body knows what to do.

So at this point, I was being induced and like I'll have to go back to see the exact time because I'm glad I wrote it all down because now I just have mommy brain and forget. But I believe it had been 32 hour or like 35 out. I think it was 40 hours total. So it was about 35 hours of me being induced and I had only dilated from a one to a three. And I was already a one going in to the hospital. So I'd only gone from a one to a three in like 35 hours. So at that point it was two nights of the hospital. And then we're doing all the things. Did you have an epidural at this point? No. I was trying to do a natural birth. Oh, you had an epidural. I was trying to pain free. Pain free. Yeah. Yeah. But you didn't do that with Indara. You were like very, I'm going to have the epidural, right?

I made, I was being induced and I made it to six centimeters. And then I was like, hey, can we talk about. coach management. So you're telling me for 41 hours, you're starting to feel the contractions. 35 hours. 35 hours, but you had, so it's 35 hours of feeling pain. So here was the deal. We had done cytosil. So I didn't really feel any contractions with that for the first, like, 24 hours.

And then at 24 hours, then we, because we were taking like, or cytotech, I think it was, an oral like prostate gland in to help your cervix like ripen. And so nothing really literally happened for like 24 hours. But then they gave me the balloon. And the balloon was giving me contractions every five minutes. So I was doing that for like six hours, like with no pain management, having like real contractions. And I'm like, this is going to fall out.

It's going to fall out. So they go, I'm like, can we check me? Because I've been doing this for like six hours, like painful contractions every six minutes. And I will say like my biggest goal. into this birth was I wanted to experience like the rule the wave of contractions. I just I wanted to do that because I only made it to six with Andara and I didn't really have like hard contractions with her. It was just uncomfortable. And then they just happened to

have the guy come and give me the effort roll five minutes later. So I was like, oh, okay. That's nice. Let's do it. So they go to like take out the balloon and typically you would you would dilate it would fall out right. When you get to like four five centimeters it just falls out. So it hadn't fallen out. So we're like, okay, it's been hours. Why? So she goes to pull it and it got stuck in me. And the top balloon. And so from that point, I just started bleeding a lot. And things just started to really go downhill, like honestly from that point. Because it got completely stuck and I was almost screaming in pain. And they couldn't get it out. And they had to call an OB to come and deflate it for it to come out. It was like the most.

painful. Like, just imagine the ring of fire and you're stuck there for like several minutes. Like women do. So it was just really painful. And then long story, short, flash flash forward. They're like, let's give you the epidural. Let's pop your break your water. And that should get things going. So it did. So they did that two hours later. Because they're not going to pop your water without the epidural. Exactly. Yeah. So at like three in the morning, I was like, okay, let's let's do it. get the epidural an hour later, they break my water. And then two hours later, I was ready to push. So then it happened really fast.

Okay. Great. So with that, when they, they realized I was 10 centimeters, but then there was a shift change. So they're like, okay, we have to, it's five minutes until the shift change. So we're going to have new nurses come in. So like my nurses had left. And then we're waiting for this to happen. And I could feel Rowan, just drop, drop, drop, drop, drop.

I was like, oh, my God, he is going to be born before they, these nurses even get in here. Like I can feel him. He's so low. And then all of a sudden he just stopped. So the nurses came in and then I'm pushing. And we all thought just a few pushes he was going to be born. Did they see his head there? They didn't see his head.

But I could just feel him so low, right? Okay. I don't even know if they had checked me. Because everyone knew I was ready to push. I think they just came when we just started pushing. I ended up pushing for three and a half hours, like just under three and a half hours. And at that point, like it was. exhausting and like we were recording it so I have like all this video footage of me and like I was going

back and reviewing it and what I think what felt hard was like I'm so appreciative of the nurses and the midwife that was there I do feel and like my message to like any woman like getting induced is like try not to get dues but if you have to get induced like you just need to have someone advocating for you because the first question my OB said was you shouldn't have pushed for so long. Well, I was wondering where was your, where was the OB? The OB wasn't there. The midwife was delivering with an assistant nurse. Okay. I also delivered with my midwife because I had such a good relationship with her that she was the one who like pulled her out, both of them out. Yeah. He pulled both boys out. But I did have an OB in the room with both of them as well. Yeah. So my OB, my last two weeks my

pregnancy, she had a medical family emergency. So she was out. And so yeah, it. did seem like all things that could go wrong were starting to go wrong. So she wasn't there. So it was just someone I didn't know. And at the hospital, I delivered midwives deliver. And then if the OB needs to come in, she'll come in. So anyways, like kind of the quick version is I was on a gas mask. I was basically like feeling extremely woozy, like on the verge of passing out. And I was pushing every like three contractions. But you're still being pain free because of the of a drill? Yes. But I was just in this, I was extremely weak. And like you see footage in me wearing an oxygen mask, like trying to push. I had no energy. And then finally I was like,

and I kept asking the midwife. I was like, hey, can you check him? Like, I feel like he's not moving. And she's like, she would check me. She goes, oh, we moved just a teeny tiny, but like, keep going. And I know she was giving me words of encouragement. But I actually don't think she was being honest with me because he wasn't moving. because when I finally was at like three hours and 20 minutes, I go, okay, he's not coming. I know that. Can you have the midwife come in to see if we can vacuum him out? Because that's what the midwife suggested.

So she came in to check me. And as she checked me, she said that he was stuck in my pelvis. So this whole time he'd been stuck. But this is a different, different or same girl? This is the OB. Oh, okay. So the midwife was delivering. So she went to go get the OB.

Okay. He came in to check me to see if we could just vacuum and pull him out. And like me, I'm a whole. sick person like I'm not for that game. Okay. But that's the point we were at there. I'm like, he's not coming. Yeah, I would be like, rolling into the OR after like two hours. Do it. Cut me open, please. We needed intervention. So she came in and

check me and she goes, he's he's so low, but his positioning, he's stuck. So she goes, I'm going to try to rotate him. So she stuck her hand in and grabbed him and was trying to rotate him. And at this point, I kind of blacked out. Yeah. I don't know if I screamed or what. It was extremely painful. I can't imagine.

Yeah. Imagine a hand going up and grabbing your baby and rotating them. Yeah. And when she pulled her hand out. It was blood, right? Blood gushed out. Yeah. Oh, good blood.

All this blood and clots. And so at that point, it was Code Pink and all these medical staff came in and were wheeling me into the OOR while trying to have me signed paperwork. What's Miles doing? I think just standing there in shock. Yeah. You know, like I knew something was wrong. And I think, so we don't know if her trying to rotate him had caused my uterus to rupture or if it had ruptured before because my energy, like I was fading very fast.

Yeah. And it had been for a while. So, yeah, that being in the OR was extremely. traumatic. Definitely the most horrific thing I've been through. You is throwing it back. 20s, the decade. To the days of

huge hits and unforgettable items. A non-stop stream of the biggest and best. Drake, Rihanna, Beyonce, Katie Gaga, The Weekend. And more. All your decade defining favorites all in one place. Hi, it's Katie Perry. Hey, it's Bruno Mars. This is Kesha.

Find 2010's the decade on the free Iheart radio app. preset the station so it's always one tab away what do you do in the headlines don't explain what's happening inside of you i'm ben higgins and if you can hear me is where culture meets the soul a place for real conversation each episode i sit down with people from all walks of life celebrities thinkers and everyday folks and we go deeper than the polished story we talk about what drives us what shapes us and what gives us hope we get honest about the big stuff, identity when you don't

recognize yourself anymore, loss that changes you, purpose when success isn't enough, peace when your mind won't slow down, fake when it's complicated, some guests have answers. Most are still figuring it out. If you've ever felt like there has to be more to the story,

this show is for you. Listen to if you can hear me on the IHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Bowen-Yin. And I'm Matt Rogers. In this season of the Two Guys Five Rings podcast, in the lead-up to the Milan-Cortina-2020 Winter Olympic Games, we've been joined by some of our friends. Hi, Bowen, hi, Matt, hey, Matt. Hey, Matt, hey, Bowen.

Hi, Cookie. Hi. Now, the Winter Olympic Games are underway, and we are in Italy to give you experiences from our hearts to your ears. Listen to Two Guys Five Rings on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Welcome to the A building. I'm Hans Charles. I'm Minnick Lamouba. It's 1969. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. had both been assassinated.

And Black America was out of breaking point. Writing and protests broke out on an unprecedented scale. In Atlanta, Georgia, at Martin's Almemata, Morehouse College, the students had their own protest. It featured two prominent figures in black history, Martin Luther King Sr., and a young student, Samuel L. Jackson. to be in what we really thought was a revolution. I mean, people would die.

1968, the murder of Dr. King, which traumatized everyone. The FBI had a role in the murder of a Black Panther leader in Chicago. This story is about protest. It echoes in today's world far more than it should, and it will blow your mind. Listen to the A-building on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get, your podcast. I'm just so sorry you had to go through this. I remember reading the post and feeling weak, like actually feeling like I have to just. So, and I see it so visually the way that you explain it. And it's such a nightmare. And I'm so, so sorry that you had to go through this

and that you are being just like such a toughie going and explaining this to us right now. You know, it's just, it's, uh, I like, I'm happy to talk about it and to come on the podcast to talk about it because like going in, I was so against C-section, didn't want to C-section. And I'd heard a lot of stories of like emergency C-sections and a lot of mom saying like, hey, like, now I love the scar because it saved my baby. And I'm like, I could never, I could never, you know, like my body having a huge scar. And now, like, I went through this experience. And I do feel so tremendously grateful. And I've had to do a lot of emotional work around because seeing the scar and just recovering from a C-section, especially in a emergency because they're pulling all your organs out of your body.

Like I, and to go back to that, I think like important things to talk about is like, you're just really manhandled extremely hard. Yeah. And so the recovery is so much harder. But like for miles, what, for me, like the stand, the stand standing like hardest part was like, it felt like people were like punching my upper stomach and they were. And so I didn't know this was Miles. I thought it was the anesthesiologist, but I was actually like convulsing off of the table and shake and like just moving like this.

Oh my gosh. Because they were cutting and then pulling people on both sides were pulling the open. People were punching my upper stomach. And then because he was so low, someone had to go in through my vagina and push him higher because they couldn't get him out. And so they had to cut into my left rectus abdominis horizontally because my abs were too tight to pull him through. And then from there, he was vacuum suction out of me. Through the cut. Through the se section.

And so the big issue as of why this was an emergency was because because of how long he was in my pelvis, because of the induction, because of all the medicine like potosin that I was on, because of just his positioning, my uterus ruptured. and causing an emergency situation where we didn't know if he was going to make it because was he swallowing blood? Did he have oxygen? And he had like things I hadn't shared is like his placenta had prematurely detached from the uterus. And that's where they get, you know, their nutrients, their oxygen, right? So that had been predetached.

And they had to, yeah, push him out. And then they just took him and wheeled him away and took him to another hospital. Oh my gosh. So I didn't know like that minute, like waiting for him to cry. Like, is he okay? Like how long? At what point did the uterus rupture? Like how much blood? And because of his positioning, it was keeping the blood from coming out of me. So again, we didn't know how long he'd been in what kind of state. And did he make any sounds? So after like 45 seconds, he cried for the first time. But I mean, it was a full. blown emergency situation. And so once he was delivered and we heard him cry, they wheeled him off to Nick you to put him into a state of therapeutic hypothermia to assess to stop any potential brain damage that could have happened because they did his first APGAR test. It was a two out of ten.

What's the APDAR test? I remember. What's the testing? I don't remember brain activity. Yeah, I think it's like resetivity. I can't speak to it. But it's like the first test they do out of, it's out of 10. And he was a 2 out of 10.

And then they ran his gas levels. And he was borderline, but just over the border of their of his oxygen was really, really low. So they thought there could be brain damage. So they put him on, took him away to put him on ice, basically into a, yeah, state of hypothermic, hypothermia. So were they doing this at the hospital? that you were at? Yes, they did. And then that's how they sent him in the ambulance.

So they wheeled him away to the NICU and started this treatments. And I told Miles, like, go with, go with him, go with him. Yeah. And then they put me under to repair my uterus. So then I went completely under. And when I was going under, this whole time, I was just praying. I was just like, please God save my uterus. It's like, please God save my uterus.

And my baby, of course. But like once he was out, it was just like, please say this. And they didn't know if they were going to be able to. because the surgeon told me my uterus, how I had ruptured. It's not just like a clean cut. Like when they do a incision, it's like just a clean cut. She said it was roadkill. It had completely just exploded.

And they weren't able to put it together and it wasn't holding stitches. So they put me under. They called in a specialist who like a miracle happened to be 10 minutes away. And she was able to come with the attending OB. That's like some crazy anatomy stuff. It truly was. We're just going to call on the specialist. Oh, happens to be 10 minutes away.

I mean, just like a miracle. And they were able to save my uterus, which I'm so extremely grateful for. And, you know, that whole experience is so, yeah. So then when they woke me up, I mean, it was extremely traumatic. Like me and Miles was seeing each other. We just broke down sobbing and crying. I couldn't move because of all the, I had like three different incisions, like internally, three different in points.

incisions and I mean we just held each other and started crying um and then they were like they were like I was just in a hallway you know like coming to be and that was a really crazy experience of uh we're just sitting there like waiting for news on like is our son going to be okay like is their brain damage is he going to make it um and then they told us that they're going to transfer him to another hospital so they did wheel him down in an incubator. And I couldn't even sit up, though, because I was just cut in half. So I just got to stick out my finger and have him, like, hold my finger through the incubator. And, like, we took a picture. And that was, like, my first moment, like, meeting my baby.

And then they took him to a hospital. So just the first 48 hours was I couldn't leave the hospital, you know, because of the state I was in. And so we were luckily able to view him through a live feed camera at the hospital. That's so sad and so special. It's like that is such an emotional statement. I know. Yeah. And just like all the wires on his head and the helmet. And you're like, this is a little baby.

And he's like in a diaper. Like in an ice mat. Like basically like it was really hard because it goes against everything. A baby should experience. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Now let's let's fast forward to where you guys are today. Everybody's good. It truly was an insane miracle. Yeah. The fact that your body had to be manipulated like that to get him out and like everyone is just in recovery mode now is really something. I think like going through that, you know, like as soon as I was home and then as soon as like, We just spent the nine hours a day at NICU, like waking up, going and spending the day

at NICU and balancing that with another kid who really needs you. Yeah. And does I understand what's going on? That was super tricky. But like once we got Rowan home, it was like, I don't want to go anywhere. I just want to be home with my baby and do skin to skin. And so, you know, I had felt like, hey, at some point, I just need to take this experience and put it in a box on a shelf because I'm so grateful that we're both here and safe and can finally, like, have our time together.

So I felt that I did have to kind of put this away until I was just in a place where I was ready to process everything. Yes, my person talking about it. Is it still in the box? Because I know that I don't want to speak for Jade, but she also had a traumatic birth. So did Raven. Not to freak everyone out here that we've had such a handful of Bachelor traumatic births. But I know that with Jade, it kind of crept up later in the year. Yeah.

And took a toll on her mental health. Yeah. I think women, a lot of women have DME saying it took years for them to really address it. I will say, like, yeah, this is my first time talking about it. So it did, like, bring up definitely some emotions, like ahead of this interview. I'm like, oh, my gosh, we're going to talk about it. I haven't actually talked. The only time I've really talked about it was when I wrote the post.

And then I just directed people to it. I was like, this is it. Like, this is the whole story. Like, it was very therapeutic to write it. So this will be something I'm going to hash out in therapy. But, you know, it also is important for women to talk about it because some, like, sometimes we just don't know what our experience is going to be and hearing stories and kind of preparing ourselves and knowing like, hey, when you get to three hours of pushing, like, that's too long.

Like, you, it's too long. Two hours is too long. So I just wish I would have known a little bit more about that, like, so that I could have advocated for myself more, but I was so against getting a C-section. I was willing to keep pushing. And now, like, my perspective, my wisdom is now different, right? Yes. I wanted to add something in there about that. My sister. her because of her baby was breach and I mean he was just sitting really tight and comfy in the opposite direction and yeah they were like you're gonna have uh you're definitely gonna need a C-section so she she got one and because it's not an emergency C-section and she did go like along with the advice she had the greatest experience and this is not like and I say like because she went

you were never really you know what I mean it's completely different an emergency C-section versus a scheduled C-section are completely different. That's what I want to like convey here. Is that like if you're out there pregnant and you're being told that you have to have a C-section, it's like if it is scheduled, it can be so smooth and such a delightful experience. She was walking around a day later.

She recovered in honestly a weird way because she was like decorating his room when he was a couple weeks early, just like decorating his room when she got back and walking around. and like living a normal life and it was like bizarre to see a major abdominal surgery. Yeah. Wow. Wow. To be healed from it so amazingly. But like just if you get news that you might need a C-section, it is not an awful thing. If it's scheduled, it can be a wonderful thing. And like honestly, I'm like if I would have known that birth was going to go this way, I wish I would have just scheduled a C-section. God. I know. I know. So yeah, like you're totally, I love that you made that point because I think we can feel like, oh,

if I'm not breastfeeding, I'm a failure. If I have to do a C-section, I'm a failure and you're not. And it can be a really beautiful, great experience. And so I will just say on that, I had an emergency C-section. It was completely different. And I made it. I've survived and I'm feeling great. Yes.

And, you know, we women are tough. We're meant to do hard things. So tough. How is Big Sister and Dara adjusting? Speaking of little women. She's doing great. You know, right now she's, she's reading or like learning to read and she's writing her letters. So I think that has just given

her so much confidence and helps her feel like I'm not a baby. I'm not trying to compare myself to a baby and fight for a baby. I'm getting attention in other ways. Yeah. So she's great. But, you know, I think initially there was just, it was really hard on everyone. So that was tough having like an older child to attend to and care for. But it's just the importance of like, thank God for like my in-laws who just supported us. I was going to ask who was with you. Yeah. My mother-law came in where I'm like, you're going to stay like, we're going to be in the hospital like one night. It's going to be quick, easy delivery. Six days later. Oh my goodness. So yeah, like have your support people, lean into your support people. And yeah, it takes a village.

Like we're not meant to do this on our own. No, not at all. Oh, my gosh. So that is kind of all I have as far as you talking about your pregnancy and delivery. I'm really, really grateful that you felt comfortable enough with me to do this here. And just want you to enjoy that baby and to relax. Is there anything else you want to talk about? before we let you go.

Yeah, motherhood's amazing and as difficult as our experiences in it can be, it's so worth it. To all the women afraid of pregnancy and afraid of being moms, they'll lose themselves and lose their bodies, like, who you find, who you become on the other side of it is so amazing. And, I mean, it really is the tough stuff that define us and make us really appreciate like who we've become. Miles told me this quote that he had heard. I can't quote who said it, but like when before God made David King, who did he, what did he give him as a challenge?

Goliath. Before he could become king, he had to fight Goliath. And like so it's these difficult things really shape us. And I, as hard as it was, I wouldn't trade it for anything and love who I've become. It's made me appreciate my family, lean into my husband. Like there's just so much beauty on the other side of, of hard things. So I just really want to encourage women to, you know, not be afraid at that. I love that.

Thank you for saying that. And also, I do remember now that we talked about addressing the experience of your family and whether that's something that you still want on the table now that they advise that you wouldn't be able to carry the baby. Yeah. So they did tell me that because of my surgery, so when we're in the hallway, the surgeon came out and told me that my uterus was roadkill, become roadkill. and due to the severity of it that she strongly advises that I not get pregnant again because they don't know if my uterus would be able to maintain the integrity of the stitches. And because it was the length of my entire uterus that it split.

So that was really hard hearing that we won't be able to get pregnant again because the plan was to get pregnant within a year of giving birth to Rowan. So I have recently kind of given away the baby girl clothes I've been holding on for this other little girl. I've been hoping would, you know, come into our life, but also feeling I just don't know what God's plan is going to be for us. Like if there will be a third, yes, no, I don't know. And I think it's the beauty in life. It's like, we don't know. And, you know, so I'm just really surrendering to what that chapter is going to look like for us.

And so I've been releasing all the baby stuff and just know. like I don't want to hold on to that energy. I just want to keep it open, fluid, and moving. So we'll see. All right, we will. All right. Well, it just, I feel like I need to like hug you or this is a very weird thing to do to just leave this interview by being like, so I'm going to press the end button on Zoom, you know? I know.

Well, let's leave it like this. Send me some pictures when you're at Vodontas. Oh, my goodness gracious. Anything that you have about his personality that you can already see, it's hard in three months in. But three months is when you start to see, like, maybe a little smile. Anything that you, like, want to share that is a delight about him right now? Yeah, you know, yeah. I mean, he's smiling and he's beginning to just kind of talk in, like, coup, back with us.

And, you know, we've done so much testing on him. We had to take him to so many neurology appointments. and he's perfect, they say. I mean, that's just awesome. Just so, so awesome. Yes, it is. I'm just so grateful, you know, like being a boy mom is and a girl mom is just, it's everything I could have ever asked for.

Wait until he gives you the boy kisses because, like, my sister was so funny because she was, she loves to watch Dawson when he does his bedtime routine, like, via the camera in his room. And she's just like watching. him like just smother me with affection. And she's like, what's that age that Freud said that boys are like in love with their mothers? And she's like, I think he's there right now. And then I look it up and it's like three to five. So he's smack in the middle of that. And like he just wants he like pet my face and like stroke my hair and just like grab me and like be like like like the biggest most like dramatic kisses. They're hilarious.

So sweet. I hear boys, they just will always love their moms. Yeah. So always love them. It's a wonderful thing. And I'm glad that you get to experience that and that everybody is just doing so well. So I love to you guys say hi to Miles for me. And I will hopefully talk to you sooner than this past gap in speaking. Yeah. And send me those pictures. Face to face. You know, obviously like there's been messages here and there, but like, you know what I mean? All righty. I love that. All right. Great to see you, girl. Bye. Bye.

See you. All right, guys. Until next time, I've been Ashley. Follow the Ben and Ashley I, almost famous podcast on IHartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. I'm Bowen-Yin. And I'm Matt Rogers. During this season of the Two Guys Five Rings podcast, in the lead-up to the Milan-Cortina-2026 winner Olympic Games, we've been joined by some of our friends. Hi, Bob, hi, Matt.

Hey, Elmo. Maddie Bowen. Hi, Cookie. Hi. Now, the Winter Olympic Games are underway, and we are in Italy to give you experiences from our hearts to your ears. Listen to two guys, five rings on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. In the middle of the night, Sasquia awoke in a haze. Her husband, Mike, was on his laptop. What was on his screen would change Saskia's life forever.

I said, I need you to tell me exactly what. what you're doing. And immediately, the mask came off. You're supposed to be safe. That's your home. That's your husband. Listen to Betrayal Season 5 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

1969, Malcolm and Martin are gone. America is in crisis. And at Morehouse College, the students make their move. These students, including a young Samuel L. Jackson, locked up the members of the Board of Trust. including Martin Luther King's senior. It's the true story of protests and rebellion in black American history that you'll never forget.

I'm Hans Charles. I'm Minalick Lamouba. Listen to the A building on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can scroll the headlines all day and still feel empty. I'm Ben Higgins, and if you can hear me, is where culture meets the soul.

Honest conversations about identity, loss, purpose, peace, faith, and everything in between. Twee, celebrities, thinkers, everyday people, some have answers. Most are still figuring it out. And if you've ever felt like there has to be more to the story, this show is for you. Listen to if you can hear me on my IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast.

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