Gaining weight and stretch marks is an expected part of pregnancy, but for a model like Jesinta Franklin who makes a living out of being photographed, often in a bikini or her underwear, you might expect her to be slightly alarmed about the changes her body is currently undergoing.
The gorgeous 28-year-old last week announced she is 12 weeks pregnant with her first child, while also revealing she and husband Lance “Buddy” Franklin have battled with infertility for years.
She debuted her adorable baby bump on the red carpet on Friday and showed off her beautiful fuller figure.
But the model and influencer says despite her difficult pregnancy so far – she describes her first trimester as “like the worst hangover times 1000 for 12 weeks straight” – she couldn’t care less about gaining a few extra kilos, joking that she has become quite “top-heavy”.
“There are lots of different stretch marks that I didn’t have before and I’ve noticed some cellulite and I’ve gone up a few sizes but I could put on 100kg and have a body covered in stretch marks and it would not bother me at all,” she told the Herald Sun.
“My physical appearance and how I look means nothing to me in comparison to having a baby and starting a family.”
Jesinta Franklin has a refreshing take on pregnancy weight gain – and we love her for it!
(Credit: Getty)Jesinta also joked about her pregnancy weight gain on Instagram, posting a black-and-white selfie to her stories with the caption: “Can’t wait for the front to catch up to the back. My butt seems to be expanding by the day haha”.
Jesinta’s cheeky Instagram caption will make you chuckle.
(Credit: Instagram)Speaking at her first public appearance since announcing her pregnancy, at Myer’s spring fashion event on Friday, Jesinta revealed she had been unable function normally for the past 12 weeks.
“I have been so unwell,” Jesinta told the Herald Sun.
“It’s been awful. I haven’t been able to do anything, even just going down to the shops … I haven’t done any grocery shopping. For the first time in our marriage the fridge and pantry are empty.”
Jesinta showing off her baby bump on the red carpet last week.
(Credit: Getty)
The 28-year-old cradled her bump protectively.
(Credit: Getty)She also explained why she chose to go public with her fertility struggles, explaining she hoped her honesty would help other women and couples experiencing similar issues feel less alone.
She also hinted at several miscarriages.
“Because I had struggled to fall pregnant and there had been losses along the way, as a woman who had been through that I felt like I was doing so many couples a disservice to come out and say, ‘Surprise, we are pregnant,’ because I know that would make me feel even worse about our pregnancy journey,” Jesinta said.
“I wanted other women to find comfort in the fact that this was not a surprise. It really was an effort and took us a long time.”
WATCH BELOW: Jesinta Franklin talks about husband Buddy’s mental health battle. Story continues after video.
While we often hear about fertility struggles among older female celebrities, stories about women under 30 like Jesinta aren’t as commonly heard.
“I’m not old by any means and I think there’s this misconception that it is only older people that struggle to fall pregnant but it is young women as well,” she said.
“I’m so passionate about women following their dreams and having careers but we also have to realise that we need to educate ourselves on our fertility.”
When Jesinta announced her pregnancy last week, she explained the “journey to get here hasn’t been easy” and that the “last 2.5 years have been physically and emotionally challenging”.
Jesinta and Buddy started dating in 2012 and were married in 2016 in a low-key ceremony in the Blue Mountains.
For updates on your favourite Aussie celebrities, follow The Australian Women Weekly on Instagram.
