- Romee Strijd, a Victoria's Secret Angel, announced her first pregnancy in an emotional video on YouTube today. She also opened up about struggling to conceive in the past due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
- Strijd is expecting with Laurens van Leeuwen, her longtime boyfriend of more than 10 years.
- She also shared a hopeful note to aspiring mothers: "To the women trying to conceive, believe in yourself and be nice for yourself and your body and don't let those thoughts get to you to much."
Romee Strijd is going to be a mom! The model and Victoria's Secret runway star announced the news with heartfelt posts on social media today and an accompanying vlog on her YouTube channel. This marks the first child for the VS Angel and her longtime boyfriend, Laurens van Leeuwen.
Strijd's journey to motherhood came with hardships though. Two years ago, she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and was told it would be more difficult for her to have children. "My world collapsed because my biggest dream was always to start a family with Laurens," Strijd says through tears in her video. But after some lifestyle changes, including moving to Amsterdam to be with family, ditching high-intensity activity, not restricting her diet, and trying natural supplements, she got her period again in November—the first in years.
"We're so thankful and grateful to announce that we're expecting a baby," Strijd says before sharing images and footage of their child's ultrasound. "And I actually can't believe I'm saying this, because my thoughts have made me feel like this would never be possible for us. But here we are. And I can't wait to take you guys on the journey with us."
In her Instagram post, she also shared an encouraging message for women having trouble getting pregnant. "To the women trying to conceive, believe in yourself and be nice for yourself and your body and don't let those thoughts get to you to much," she wrote.
Congratulations to the happy couple!
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she's listening to Lorde right now.
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