Great British Bake Off finalist Laura Adlington has announced she is expecting her first child with husband Matt after a nine-year struggle with infertility.
The 36-year-old baker shared the joyful news on social media on Sunday, revealing they are expecting their “IVF miracle” baby in October.
Laura told followers she had previously been advised to lose 14 stone before she could get pregnant.
The couple decided to “quietly give IVF a try” about a year and a half ago, keeping their fertility journey private until now.
Laura described feeling “excited” but “still a bit in shock” about the pregnancy.
In her Instagram post, Laura shared a photo of herself and Matt holding a baby scan.
“After 9 years of infertility, we are very excited (and still a bit in shock) to be expecting our little IVF miracle in October,” she wrote.
She acknowledged the pain such announcements can cause to others struggling with fertility issues.
“I know announcements like this can be really painful, especially if you’re in the thick of waiting or grieving, so please feel free to mute or unfollow if you need to,” Laura added.
The GBBO star described her fertility journey as “a really long, and to be honest lonely road”.
Laura explained that she and Matt had “made peace with the idea that having children might not happen for us” before deciding to try IVF.
The couple chose not to share their fertility treatment with family or online to avoid additional pressure.
“We had an unsuccessful round and a cancelled round, and then found out a couple of months ago that I was finally pregnant,” she revealed.
Laura promised to share more details about their journey in the coming weeks.
“We’re just really excited to share our news with you all. We honestly can’t believe our luck,” she added.
In 2022, Laura had opened up about her desire to become a mother and start a family.
“Unless you’ve gone through infertility and that heartache of really wanting it and it not happening… it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through,” she previously told The Sun’s Fabulous Magazine.
Laura rose to fame in 2020 when she appeared on The Great British Bake Off.
She impressed judges and viewers alike, making it all the way to the final of the popular baking competition.
However, she ultimately lost out to Peter Sawkins, who became the show’s youngest-ever winner.
