The Big Bang Theory’s Melissa Rauch has welcomed her second child.
The actress, who is known for playing Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz in the sitcom, took to her Instagram page to announce that she has given birth to her second child, opening up about the unexpectedness of giving birth during a global pandemic.
Alongside a photo of a blue baby hat embroidered with the name Brooks, Melissa wrote, ‘I am incredibly thankful and overjoyed to announce the birth of our son, Brooks Rauch, who we just welcomed into the world and directly into our hearts’.
Expressing her gratitude for the medical workers who took care of her and her new baby boy, the TV star continued, ‘His arrival was made possible, in no small part, by the front line heroes - the nurses and doctors who show up each day to make sure that life keeps marching forward, regardless of the circumstances.
‘Words can't describe how grateful I am to have this baby boy join our family, but to say that it is a surreal time to be bringing life into the world is an understatement.
‘Given that, I wanted to share some thoughts with other expectant mothers or “Pandemamamas” - as I like to call us - who are navigating these uncharted waters,’ she went on, revealing that she has opened up on the subject in an essay for Glamour.
‘As I've previously shared, I am no stranger to loss on the road to motherhood,’ she continued, alluding to a previous miscarriage that she had, adding, ‘so to those dealing with infertility or grieving a loss, please know you are in my heart and I’m sending you so much love. ♥️’.
Melissa and her husband of 13 years Winston are already parents to two-year-old Sadie, who they welcomed back in 2017.
‘In the weeks leading up to my due date, I had been so fearful of how this would all go down,’ Melissa admitted in her essay for Glamour.
‘The anxiety over giving birth without an advocate and support system in tow, compounded with the exposure concerns of walking into a hospital during a pandemic, were a lot to process’.
‘I’m writing this because I spent countless hours leading up to my labor anticipating what birthing in the time of COVID-19 would look like,’ she admitted. ‘And I know other expectant mothers are feeling the same, whether you will be able to have your partner with you or not.
‘So, to them, I’d like to say that it’s okay to grieve how you thought things would be. I had such feelings of guilt that I should just be grateful for a healthy pregnancy rather than focus on the less than ideal situation surrounding it. But those two feelings aren’t mutually exclusive’.
Big congrats to the family on their new arrival!
