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The team of Carli Lloyd and Brian Hollins has a new member. After all, on October 18, the pro golfer and the former soccer player welcomed Harper Anne Hollins, a baby girl, into the world.
The caption read, "So very grateful for this amazing blessing in our lives," and included a picture of their child on Instagram on October 21. "The best thing I've ever done, but by far the hardest thing I've ever gone through! I am incredibly grateful to the incredible team that supported Harper's birth."
"We just can't get enough of this little peanut," she continued. "We love love you so much and will do our best to give you the tools necessary in life to be a good human being!"
Since getting married in 2016, the couple has been transparent about their fertility struggles and three rounds of IVF. And when they announced their pregnancy in May, it was crucial for them to address this.
At the time, Carli posted on Instagram, "It has been a rollercoaster of a journey to get to this point," "We can't wait to have children! Without my wonderful husband Brian, I could not have survived this. He really kept me going.
"My story is currently a happy one, but I know there are other women who are facing challenges in their pregnancy journey," she said. "I recognize you and can relate to your suffering. I'm hoping that more and more women will voice their opinions on this topic because their stories helped me."
Olympian, who retired from soccer in 2021, shared her decision to undergo multiple rounds of IVF in an essay for Women's Health. She cited her life as a journey of defying odds and proving people wrong, learning resilience and hard work from soccer. She admitted to being naive about pregnancy issues, but the casual situation turned into disappointment month after month.
Eventually, she and Brian opted to see a fertility specialist.
"As a woman, I wanted to get pregnant naturally because that's what our bodies are supposed to be capable of," the 42-year-old explained. "I felt like my body let me down. But at that moment, I was ready to take the next steps."
She recalled that although the couple initially felt guilty about their choice, they eventually succeeded in becoming parents. Even though she was ashamed of her infertility at the time, the athlete is now more committed than ever to raising awareness of these problems.
"I went from feeling embarrassed, ashamed, and afraid to tell people that I was going through IVF to now wanting to share my story to help others," she said. "We discover our true selves during difficult times. We develop. We gain knowledge. Most importantly, we are more grateful for what we already have in life.
