Kristen Doute is officially a mom! On June 13, The Valley cast member shared the exciting news that she and her fiancé, Luke Broderick, have welcomed their daughter, Kaia Lily.
“She’s here, and we still can’t believe it. Luke is even hotter as a dad, and I just feel so lucky,” Kristen told Us Weekly. “And even though I haven’t slept or showered in two days, seeing our daughter and finally being able to hold her makes it all worth it. We’re completely overwhelmed with love and so grateful for her— our lives are already changed completely.”
Kristen went on to explain that the little one’s name is a nod to Hawaii, where the couple got engaged.
“We knew we wanted our baby name to have something to do, or revolve around, water,” she told the outlet of Kaia’s name, which translates to “sea” in Hawaiian. “Lillies are my favorite flower. They’re associated with new beginnings, beauty, and also the name Lily indicates a ‘gentle and compassionate nature, suggesting a kind and caring personality.’”
The big day arrived for Kristen after she opened up about her desire to become a mom on The Valley Season 1. Below, we have all the details on Kristen’s journey to getting pregnant and becoming a mom.
Details on Kristen Doute’s fertility journey
The journey to having a baby was not easy for the new mom and her fiancé. She had previously suffered a miscarriage in 2023 after six weeks of pregnancy. But Kristen and Luke kept trying to get pregnant and saw a fertility specialist after they got engaged in September 2024. However, they held off on intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization options.
“I am on medication now,” she said during a September 2024 episode of her podcast. “That’s kind of as far as we’re going at the moment. We’ve been tested, both Luke and I, just making sure the swimmers are swimming. You know, my body’s ready to carry and we’re looking good on all of that but for some reason, it’s just not taking.”
During The Valley Season 1, Episode 2, Kristen expressed her fears of not being able to get pregnant at her age. “The only thing I second-guess is my own body,” she told Luke. “I can’t get knocked up any day of the week and I feel like it might be really difficult. I’m 40. I’m five years past a geriatric pregnancy, like, thats f–ked up.”
Luke Broderick opens up about becoming a dad
Long before Kristen and Luke knew about the baby’s sex, Luke had an indication that they would be having a girl. During a Dec. 11, 2024 episode of their podcast, Balancing Act with Kristen Doute and Luke Broderick, Luke revealed that they had a vision about their family with not one but two children.
“I can still vividly see what I saw,” he said. “I mean, I was on a beach with a baby boy in my hand and a daughter holding my hand beside me…an older girl and a baby boy a few years apart.”
During that episode of their podcast, Kristen said that she did not care about her baby’s sex — just as long as the baby is healthy. “Once you’re pregnant, especially geriatrically pregnant, high-risk pregnant, old AF pregnant, you’re just like, I want a healthy baby,” she said.
Kristen Doute opens up about her “miserable” first trimester
During that same podcast episode, Kristen revealed that she felt “crazy” during her first trimester of pregnancy. “I feel less crazy. I feel less miserable,” she said. “Those first eight to ten weeks, really the whole first trimester, but those first eight to ten weeks were just horrific.”
Kristen revealed that her pregnancy made her dislike a lot of things and people in her life. “There were moments where I didn’t like my dog, which is crazy,” she said. “I was depressed. I was miserable. I couldn’t get out of my head being miserable.”
See the first “photo” of Kristen Doute and Luke Broderick’s baby
Despite having a tough first trimester, Kristen was so happy to see her daughter in her very first ultrasound images. The James Mae designer took to her Instagram Story on Dec. 17, 2024, where she posted her ultrasound photos, showing off the baby’s head and spine.
“I’m in my second trimester,” she captioned the photos. “It’s the first trimester screening. IDK but she’s healthy and bopping around.”
Kristen Doute reveals her pregnancy cravings
Pregnancy hadn’t been easy on Kristen, who was not able to keep food down throughout the nine months. However, there were a few items that she was able to tolerate.
“I have this obsession with McDonald’s frozen Coke,” she said during a Dec. 21, 2024, episode of her podcast. “It used to be Slurpees only, but now, when I compare the two, McDonald’s frozen Coke wins every time.”
Here’s to more frozen Cokes with baby in tow!
