Michelle Kwan isn’t skating around some very big personal news any longer.
The former figure skater revealed Wednesday on Instagram that she had welcomed her first child, a baby girl named Kalista Belle Kwan.
Kwan posted a slideshow that included a sweet photo of her newborn and a short photo montage of her belly growing throughout her pregnancy, which she kept private until the birth of her daughter.
“I’m overjoyed and tears of happiness are streaming down my face as I share the news of the arrival of Kalista Belle Kwan!” the two-time Olympic medalist wrote in the caption. “I’ve always wanted to be a mom and, to me, she’s a perfect miracle. I had a hard time picturing what she might look like yet it seems like she’s been in my life forever.”
Kwan — who was nominated in December by President Joe Biden to be a U.S. ambassador to Belize — described her path to motherhood as a “challenging journey,” adding “not to mention a very long labor!!!”
“I’m glad I never gave up,” she wrote, thanking those who helped her throughout the process, including her fertility doctor.
She also addressed keeping her pregnancy out of the public eye.
“As people closest to me know, I’m always full of surprises and tend to keep my personal life private,” Kwan wrote. “I’ve wanted to share this happy news for many months but each milestone seemed to be exciting and daunting at the same time. Each step of the way, I knew that there was still more time needed until I could hold her in my arms.”
Kwan ended her post by sending her “best to all the mom’s out there” and added words of encouragement to those who may be facing fertility challenges.
“I wish anyone trying to conceive in any which way (ivf, iui, surrogacy, adoption and naturally) all the success and love. You’re not alone on this path and I’m pulling for you,” she said.
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