00:00:00
Speaker 1: Like at what point, how many weeks in did you did you announce? I have no idea, but I was very pregnant. I had been pregnant and telling everyone.
00:00:08
Speaker 2: OK.
00:00:08
Speaker 1: But it became a joke during the football season that Gus and I love him. We're very close. But it became kind of Gus's announcement. So every game it was.
00:00:17
Speaker 2: Like, well, Jenny, be ready. It might be today.
00:00:20
Speaker 1: So I had known he was He had wanted to do this. And it kind of became a funny shtick where I was like, whenever, if it fits ever, it fits. But I'm like, please don't announce this pregnancy during Michigan-Ohio State. And we're like, it's the fourth quarter. We got a tight game. And by the way, Jenny's having a baby. And then the Big Ten Championship game was the week after. And Gus made his big announcement. And I did a big reveal. There was a camera zoom.
00:00:43
Speaker 2: It was a lot. Live on TV. But it was really sweet. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to Whatever It Takes. I'm your host, Carly Lloyd, joined by my friend and co-host, Jenny Taft. Today, we're talking about our pregnancy journeys and all of the things that come with that. So let's jump right into it.
00:01:12
Speaker 1: Well, Carly Lloyd, the hardest working podcaster around, because right now we are days away, days away from another baby. So you got to give me the latest, how you're feeling. And I know you just wrote a doctor appointment, so... Still no baby. We're podcasting right now.
00:01:27
Speaker 2: Still no baby. Baby is looking great. I finished up a NST, right? The NST test. Yeah, they monitor. Yep.
00:01:40
Speaker 1: Baby was a little frustrating today. You know, they couldn't get a good read. I forgot about that.
00:01:45
Speaker 2: Are you going every week? Every week. Yeah, it's a bit much. But I understand the fragility of, you know, women wanting to go and I guess they say when you're a certain, over a certain age, you know, they monitor you a little bit more. So baby's feeling very low. I don't know when this episode is going to go live, but yes, we are, we are days away. I mean, the 17th is my due date and I just, you know, got my hair done today and I want to get my nails done. I got a few more things to wrap up. But here we are. I'm doing whatever it takes to just grind these episodes out. Whatever it takes. I told Carly, we were texting yesterday.
00:02:30
Speaker 1: I'm like, I don't need to be like the one through five person that you're texting, but I'm like, maybe like in the 20. Like if we're going in, if we're going to the hospital, I just want to like, hey, I'm going in.
00:02:40
Speaker 2: Like I'm on the list, which is cool. I'm on the list.
00:02:43
Speaker 1: You're in the top five. I I mean, we've got another guest lined up next week that we potentially have to record.
00:02:52
Speaker 2: TBD. Yeah.
00:02:54
Speaker 1: I truly, every time you text me now, though, I think you're going into labor. So yesterday when you texted me a voicemail, I'm like, it's happening. We are going to stop recording for a while now. The odd thing is, is my water broke with Harper at first. And so when I went in, I wasn't dilated.
00:03:15
Speaker 2: So that kind of set me up for a very long and lengthy process in labor. But this, you know, I've heard the second comes a bit quicker and it's a little bit easier. We'll see. Yeah. But I'm kind of like, yeah, when is this going to come in the middle of the night, in the morning? And then I'm like, I got to hopefully my parents answer their phone because they're going to be on call with Harper. Yeah. They're going to be ready. Whatever happens.
00:03:41
Speaker 1: Oh, I'm so excited. Well, you can text me at all hours. I'm available to offer emotional support.
00:03:47
Speaker 2: Much appreciated.
00:03:48
Speaker 1: And obviously, with this podcast, Whatever It Takes, I think what something that drew us together to wanting to do this together was, of course, talking.
00:03:57
Speaker 2: About life outside of soccer, outside of our careers.
00:04:00
Speaker 1: And having kids and pregnancy was just top of mind because it has been different for both of us. It has been challenging at times. It has been rewarding in every single way. So I think for this podcast, what would be fun, Carly, is if we just kind of talk about the stages for us of becoming moms, the thought of it, the want of it, your decision to wait till after you were done playing, I think is really fascinating and being open about it and that we can get into being pregnant and.
00:04:29
Speaker 2: The craziness after. So it just.
00:04:33
Speaker 1: Do you remember when you decided, and maybe it changed while playing, I'm going to wait until I'm done to make that choice because I'm so impressed by the athletes that have babies and then come back and play. And then for me, it felt like there was never a perfect time, but you just kind of figure it out. So what was kind of the mindset for you in that decision?
00:04:52
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's kind of interesting because... I think when you go through life, it's those stages of, you know, you go to school and you go to high school. And, you know, my case, it was figuring out where I'm going to go to college and play collegiate soccer and then have dreams and aspirations of playing on the national team. And then you think about marriage and then it's like eventually you think about starting a family. So it wasn't always top of mind for me, but I always felt like, yeah, I want to have kids, I think, and, you know, all of that. But my career was my main focus for a good portion of my life. And when I first got on the national team in 2005, Christy Pierce Rampone was a part of the team. And, you know, I got to watch her be a mom to her two girls and Kate Markriff, who also had a son at the time, I believe.
00:05:49
Speaker 1: And, you know, eventually she evolved to having a few more kids as well. And there were so many other moms that I played with. And I mean, I just couldn't imagine.
00:06:00
Speaker 2: I saw the challenges of what they went through, the time change. You know, back then we were flying, you know, coach to China and there wasn't, well, they had been just starting to figure out the collective bargaining agreement in 2005. 2006, was the first time that contractually they had health benefits for the team, pregnancy leave, and guaranteed contracts. So I kind of came into all of that because there was no protection and there was nothing prior to that. And, yeah, I mean, I... I wanted to be the best soccer player in the world. That was my ultimate individual goal. And I set out on that destination not knowing if I'd ever reach it. I wanted to help my team win championships. And the thought of starting family was just always in the back of my mind at the end of my career when I was completely done. And I think as women, and that's why I'm kind of excited to talk about this topic is You know, I just wasn't educated. I don't know if you were educated of just our bodies, our clock. We're born with a certain amount of eggs. And as you get older, those eggs age. And there's all these things that you're just really naive to. And I guess I was naive. And once I finished playing in 2021... I was 39 years old. And I'm like, you know, my body's never failed me on the soccer fields. I'm healthy. I'm active. This shouldn't be a problem. And then, you know, time goes by and months go by and years go by and, you know, you're not getting any results. And so I think coming to the realization that I may need some help may need some science, um, was a, it was a really tough thing to do because you just feel like you're failing, you know, yourself, your, your body's failing you. Um, and I just didn't know. And so I finally started to, you know, go see some doctors and figure out what was needed. Um, ended up going the IVF route, which is such a long, long, tough journey. Um, You know, one in which, again, had no idea what to expect. And there's a lot of women that have gone through it as well. Erin Andrews has been very open about it. Tara Lipinski. And so, you know, I took a lot from them and they helped. You know, I listened to podcasts and listened to other people. But for me, it was mostly I didn't feel like I could be the best at both things. if I had a kid while I was playing. And, you know, I wanted to be fully present when I wanted to start a family and I have been. But yeah, it's hard. I mean, I think every women goes through some sort of challenge. You have women who want to reach the top and they're company and maybe put off having kids. So it's a really tough decision to make, one in which men don't have to make because they can kind of just support their wives and go do their thing. But yeah, that was kind of the biggest reason for me is I just felt like I couldn't, selfishly, I couldn't be the best at both. And that's why I chose that. I mean, I don't know your journey, if you I mean, especially with what you do in the broadcasting and sideline reporting. I mean, you've got to be active. You've got to be running after coaches and players and getting interviews. And also the thought of, you know, someone coming in and maybe filling your spot and then you losing your spot. You know, that was always a worry for me as well, out of sight, out of mind. So I, you know, how did you navigate kind of your initial thoughts on starting a family?
00:10:09
Speaker 1: It's, well, one, it's, I so appreciate how open you are about it because I remember, I still remember you and I talking about this in New York City, before Harper and sharing that IVF had been hard and it hadn't worked yet. And, you know, I have such an interesting perspective. There's so many areas. And I admit, you saying just now that you were 39 when it wasn't happening, I just turned 39. And I actually, it was kind of an emotional birthday for me because I don't, I would like to have another kid and I haven't yet. And it's so nice to hear that even Like, 39 isn't old. But for whatever reason, it hasn't happened for me the second time.
00:10:50
Speaker 2: Gigi's great.
00:10:51
Speaker 1: You know, there were so much that went into planning that. And I almost regret because you think about the planning and you can't plan it.
00:10:58
Speaker 2: Like, no.
00:11:00
Speaker 1: I believe God's plan. Like, I'm going to have another kid. I truly believe that. And I'm, you know, I'm going to get there. But I did not expect that I would be a little sad on my birthday. And that hit me kind of hard this year. And I can't believe I'm getting emotional.
00:11:13
Speaker 2: I'm crying in the closet. Oh, boy.
00:11:17
Speaker 1: But hearing you say 39 just out of me, like, I just needed to hear that because in my head, I'm like, I thought I'd be pregnant by now again.
00:11:27
Speaker 2: And I haven't been.
00:11:29
Speaker 1: And that's OK. It's going to happen. So we're making those plans. And Gigi's an amazing blessing.
00:11:35
Speaker 2: And there will be another.
00:11:38
Speaker 1: But I think back on, you know, when I was thinking about having a kid and I actually I'm not sure if I'd shared this story with you, but I did have an audition for a different network and I didn't get it. And I would never have tried to have a kid then because I was similar to you. Like if you get pregnant and they have a fill in for you and then what if you're replaced and you don't want to give them an idea that someone else could be better?
00:12:07
Speaker 2: I definitely had.
00:12:08
Speaker 1: That in my mind, although that's unfair because if you're talented, you should be talented. And that continues. I didn't get this job. And I kind of thought I need to just try because you never know. And I got pregnant immediately. So that was really cool to think that I didn't get this job for a reason. And I'm also the timing. There's never good timing, right?
00:12:31
Speaker 2: Like never. I feel like you can't plan for it. No, you can't. It's like it's going to complicate life.
00:12:37
Speaker 1: Like I love how you're like, yeah, I got to get the crib ready and we got a second and we'll figure it out.
00:12:41
Speaker 2: But I just.
00:12:43
Speaker 1: I overthought it for sure in a competitive way because, like you, I did want to be the best at what I was doing. And also, I never have been someone to say no to work, which is a bit of a fault. It's a positive and a fault. But you and I really care about what we're doing and like what we're doing. And I, this sounds so, this sounds so Well, you tell me the word. But I was like, I don't want to be on TV and have a hard time losing the baby weight. Like, it sounds so crazy. I had that thought.
00:13:18
Speaker 2: It's the visual. It's the complex. And then it's even like, what is the network going to think? You know, are they going to be, like, happy with how we look on air? I mean, that's definitely crossed my mind.
00:13:29
Speaker 1: No, it is.
00:13:30
Speaker 2: Crossed my mind. It is.
00:13:31
Speaker 1: And, you know, I think the hard part about the in-between, since we're thinking about the stages of it, I've had some miscarriages and I've had to go to work. And it's like a silent sadness that you're not really talking about. I have an amazing group of men I work with. I work with a lot more men than women, a lot more women now. But some of my closest friends are men that are producers, directors. And like you don't I don't tell them everything, but there's like a silent struggle to that, which so many women go through. So I think that like. in between when you want to be pregnant and you're not, or you've had a loss, that's the hardest part for me. Like getting to be pregnant and be able to talk about it.
00:14:10
Speaker 2: I can't wait.
00:14:11
Speaker 1: That's clearly not today, but when that's the case, I will be telling you. Well, I'm sorry you felt sad on your birthday. Oh, I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. I mean, I, what, like three years ago, I'm like, I don't even know if I'm going to be able to get pregnant. you know, and to have that thought was just, it consumed my life daily, you know, and having Brian there to just say, just trust the process. Everything's going to work out the way that it's supposed to work out.
00:14:43
Speaker 2: And, you know, here we are with like a baby just about to be born, our second one. And so don't lose the faith and hang in there. Yeah, no, I appreciate you saying that.
00:14:54
Speaker 1: I do so remember like the parts where it wasn't easy for you and now seeing this like amazing family that you have.
00:15:01
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's all going to work out. And I wasn't like, I think the journey of going through IVF allowed me to be more vulnerable. I mean, I, you know, was a machine and a robot throughout my career and, you know, acted like I didn't need help or I didn't need, you know, an arm around me. And, like, I needed people throughout this journey. I needed Brian. I needed my family and friends and people that understood. I had a good friend that used to work within U.S. Soccer, one of the staff, who just really, really helped me through the journey. And, yeah, it was kind of— it was different because— Again, I never really let my guard down throughout my career. I never really showed any sign of weakness and vulnerability. And this just totally shed every layer that I ever had. I mean, when I was going through the retrievals, we were at the Capitol in D.C. and I was with, you know, I was with Fox and I was with Lexi and Rob and, you know, a bunch of other people. And I get the call that, you know, our embryos came back abnormal, you know, and I'm having to step off to the side and take that call and then wipe my tears away and figure out our plan of what we're going to do next.
00:16:28
Speaker 1: Am I going to go through a retrieval again? And yeah, so it's just, it's a lonely, dark, dark place. And then I obviously took a break during the Women's World Cup in 2023 and Leslie Osborne, Heather O'Reilly and Stu Holden, we.
00:16:43
Speaker 2: Would go for runs and yeah, I just kind of opened up to them and just said, this is what I've been going through and it's so hard. And it was good to have people there that, you know, were supportive. So there's a lot of women in the same boat and everybody has, you know, really tough journey. So it's an important topic that I think is definitely great to share, especially, you know, someone like us that we're both successful. We're confident women. We're strong. But this can break you as well. Yeah.
00:17:24
Speaker 1: And there's no reason why we shouldn't be open about it. I think there's that misconception. I love hearing that you opened up to Stu and Leslie and, you know, it's okay. It's great to talk about it. Why wouldn't we chat about this, right? Like this is something that so many people go through and deal with, but I mean, hey, you're the example, Carly. You're in it.
00:17:45
Speaker 2: We're days away. Oh, we're days away. Maybe we take a little break and kind of come back to just navigating the life of pregnancy and work, which is crazy in itself. Welcome back to.
00:18:11
Speaker 1: Whatever It Takes with Carly Lloyd and Jenny Taft. Today is all about babies, pregnancy, the before, the during, the after. And I guess this is, we could chat for hours at this point about this. But we discussed kind of the pre, the getting pregnant, the ups and downs that come with that. And then how about the being pregnant part? Because I know for me, when I was finally able to kind of announce that I was pregnant, and it's funny that I have Gus Johnson, actually a part of our college football crew, announced it for me during the Big Ten Championship game.
00:18:45
Speaker 2: Wait, so were you nervous? Like at what point, how many weeks in did you announce?
00:18:51
Speaker 1: I have no idea, but I was very pregnant. I had been pregnant and telling everyone.
00:18:55
Speaker 2: Okay.
00:18:55
Speaker 1: But it became a joke during the football season that Gus, and I love him, we're very close, but it became kind of Gus's announcement.
00:19:03
Speaker 2: So every game, it was like, well, Jenny, be ready. It might be today.
00:19:07
Speaker 1: So I had known he was He had wanted to do this. And it kind of became a funny shtick where I was like, whenever, if it fits ever, it fits. But I'm like, please don't announce this pregnancy during Michigan-Ohio State. And we're like, it's the fourth quarter. We got a tight game. And by the way, Jenny's having a baby. So he didn't do that. So I actually thought the moment had passed and the Big Ten Championship game, or we had had Michigan-Ohio State, crazy game. I'd been pregnant after Michigan won. They stormed the field. Security guards were protecting me like crazy. And then the Big Ten Championship game was the week after and Gus made his big announcement and I did a big reveal.
00:19:46
Speaker 2: There was a camera zoom. It was a lot. Live on TV. But it was really sweet.
00:19:50
Speaker 1: And Gus, or Gigi had her, well one, Gigi's, you know, got a call from Gus Johnson already, which is pretty fun.
00:19:57
Speaker 2: That's pretty cool.
00:19:58
Speaker 1: And that was cool to just have that video. I'm going to have to look back and send it to you.
00:20:02
Speaker 2: But how about you?
00:20:03
Speaker 1: When you finally, Carly, were able to be pregnant and excited and telling people, what was that like for you?
00:20:09
Speaker 2: Well, so the IVF route is like, I just feel like you're walking a fine line of, you know, it's like in life, you want to be.
00:20:19
Speaker 1: Super positive about things. You know, you want to be negative Nancy and, you know, you want to think positively. But with IVF, it's a weird line to walk because you don't want to get too high, but you don't want to get too low either.
00:20:37
Speaker 2: So We had the embryo transfer. I had an embryo transfer first. It didn't work. And then after World Cup, came back, did another retrieval, had another embryo transfer. We decided to go ahead with it. And then the big thing is waiting nine days. That's when you can kind of first get your blood work to see. And so I was at waste management golf tournament, the PGA golf tournament. So I was playing in the pro-am. And I could either, because of our length of stay, I wasn't going to get back to my doctor's office until, I don't know, maybe day 11 or so. So they gave me a script to go to a LabCorp nearby if I wanted to. And so Brian and I hopped in an Uber and we went. And I remember asking the lady who was drawing my blood, you know, how long will it take to get the results? Because it was on a Friday. Yeah.
00:21:40
Speaker 1: And she's like, oh, usually, you know, it's Friday, most likely Monday. And I'm like, okay, like I'll, I was going to be home on a Tuesday.
00:21:47
Speaker 2: It wasn't that big of a, yeah. It was like a day difference, but it was just that anticipation. And so I actually got the results through my portal first before my doctor's office could call me to tell me the news. And I had it, send it to my friend because I'm like, what does this number mean? I did that too. It was a beta number. And I'm like, and she's like, Carly, you're pregnant. And I'm like, so it was, and it was really early in the morning. We were in Arizona. So the time changed. We, you know, we're getting up a little bit early and I, I kind of, you know, tap Brian because he was still sleeping. And I told him the news and it was like, you, you, you longed for it. You wanted to be super excited, but then you're like, okay, we still have a long ways to go because anything can happen and your numbers have to, you know, double and every certain days and you have to keep going back for blood work. So it was like, we, we got really excited in that particular moment and, you know, hugged and, and then it was kind of like, okay, let's just, you know, not get overly, overly excited. But I did tell my family and a few close friends and, And then, yeah, you just kind of, again, going back for blood work. Eventually, you go and you get to hear the heartbeat for the first time. Now, this is, we're talking five, six weeks.
00:23:17
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:23:17
Speaker 2: Usually, I'm sure you went to your doctors for the first time.
00:23:21
Speaker 1: I think I was around seven, eight weeks. I remember I, like, lied a bit because I had to be on the road for college football, or No, it wouldn't have been college football.
00:23:32
Speaker 2: Was it soccer? I don't know. I lied.
00:23:34
Speaker 1: I thought I was eight weeks, but I was really like seven. And they say you can't come in till eight.
00:23:38
Speaker 2: But I was like, I need to know if there's a heartbeat. Yeah. And so I did. I did get in.
00:23:43
Speaker 1: And that was I mean, of course, that was an amazing feeling. And I didn't have not to interrupt you, but it was such a different experience now having had a harder time getting pregnant the second time around, because the first time was so easy. And you're kind of like, okay, like, who knows?
00:23:58
Speaker 2: This is great. And there's just no fear.
00:24:00
Speaker 1: So I had just zero thought of any thing negative, I guess, which is, I think, a good way to be. But it's like you say, you want to celebrate the positive, but there's a lot of that unknown in the in-between.
00:24:11
Speaker 2: So it's still early. I know. It's hard.
00:24:14
Speaker 1: And so many women go through so many different things. But week by week, I was just kind of taking it week by week. And at 10 weeks, you know, and I'm still doing the progesterone shots in my butt and all these things. So at 10 weeks, I graduated from my doctor's office, the fertility clinic, and then went to my OB. And there was still that, you know, there was still that worry. I wasn't, I wasn't maybe like some other women that, you know, wanted to go like every week.
00:24:46
Speaker 2: And I think we were going pretty much like once a month. But it was like every doctor's appointment, you kind of held your breath and just wanted to make sure that there was a heartbeat each time you went. So it's hard. It's like you get super excited that it worked, but then it's hard to sort of be excited in the moment. But as time went on, we obviously started to get more and more excited. And after the anatomy scan and everything was looking good. And yeah, I think I I think I announced publicly because I did my article on, uh, women's health. So for those that didn't read that article, you can, you know, Google that article. Um, but I basically wrote about my journey and I think it was 15 weeks and I was just, I was like really nervous. I ended up wanting to get an ultrasound before just to double check and, um, because it's, yeah, it's, it's just such a, it's such a nerve wracking thing. But, um, Second time around, it's been, you know, a bit different, which has been fine. That's good.
00:25:51
Speaker 1: Well, and it's vulnerable at the end of the day. Yeah. Even though it's amazing you shared your story, it still doesn't mean it's easy to have that conversation. It's still, you're still telling the world, which is... And I was embarrassed, you know, like I remember going to the... Yeah, I remember being in my doctor's office and there were, you know, there were people that recognized me and I just kind of would put my head down in the beginning and... I wasn't very open with telling a lot of people. I felt like people were probably wondering, you know, why isn't she pregnant yet? And, you know, all these different things. And then there was a part of me where I'm like, I don't, why do I care about this? You know, I could be helping so many other people talking about this. And, um, that was, that was one of my top moments. I mean, of course, playing for the national team and, and giving birth to Harper.
00:26:43
Speaker 2: And all that. But, um, The amount of support that I received and the amount of people that reached out after I had gone public with that Women's Health Magazine article just felt really fulfilling to just really put it out there and help other women. Because it's, yeah, it's just a really tough, tough journey.
00:27:10
Speaker 1: I can't imagine you ever being embarrassed. I just don't like that version of you. Because it's real, though. It's real life. But I just can't see that side of you in so many ways because you're such a confident person. Mm hmm. Yeah.
00:27:23
Speaker 2: And then, yeah, it was I had to tell obviously had to tell Fox, like, yeah, I'm going to be on, you know, and that was another thing. I'm like, I have to plan these transfers. Yeah. Around soccer. I'm like, I'm still planning my life around soccer because I want to. So, you know, I want to work.
00:27:41
Speaker 1: I want to work these month long tournaments in the summer. So that was like a whole nother thing in itself to plan the timing of all that. And then, yeah, Fox was, they were thrilled. They were over the moon, super supportive, whatever you need. And obviously wardrobe staff, as you know, I was talking to you about what some of the stuff that you like to wear. Cause I was like, I don't, I don't know how I'm going to be. I don't know what's going to be comfortable on air.
00:28:09
Speaker 2: Yeah. So that was, that was that.
00:28:14
Speaker 1: But it is weird how, I remember being scared to tell Fox too, but not for any reason. Like there was no indication that they wouldn't be supportive of the pregnancy. And I was working on Undisputed at the time. So it was me behind a desk with Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharp. So in a weird way, like being behind the desk, my belly really didn't show a lot of the time.
00:28:36
Speaker 2: And the hardest part was- Were you doing college football though too?
00:28:38
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:28:39
Speaker 2: So you were pregnant during college football and Undisputed. So it was really busy.
00:28:44
Speaker 1: And then I ended up, Leaving Undisputed when I went on maternity leave, which was like best timing ever for many reasons. It was time to move on, but it was just crazy how it timed out perfectly. So college football, I was pregnant, but in like the comfortable stages.
00:29:00
Speaker 2: I was still flying.
00:29:01
Speaker 1: But my last event with Undisputed was the Super Bowl. And I remember and I also did I did some entertainment reporting and I still do at times and I worked for Extra and no dog show at this point. I did the dog show in the summer that year. So that was my first event back. Gigi was born, what month was Gigi born?
00:29:24
Speaker 2: So March 24th, 22.
00:29:25
Speaker 1: So it was the Super Bowl.
00:29:29
Speaker 2: Don't ask me who was playing. I should remember.
00:29:31
Speaker 1: But it was in LA because I remember walking pregnant like and thinking oh wow like this is I'm done I am I feel it now like this is the end and I I don't know what week I was it was in the 30 weeks sometime but I was like I'll be fine I'll just keep on keeping on and then I had Gigi and had a really natural time off and then I worked the dog show which was like in June right after Gigi so I had like two months off and I remember like you like we've shared stories about like pumping and I was like in the security van and I was hiding.
00:30:04
Speaker 2: And they were like, don't worry, we won't let anyone near you. That was hard.
00:30:07
Speaker 1: So being pregnant, I think was really fun.
00:30:10
Speaker 2: Like, was it hard for you on air or no? I mean, I guess you were sitting for undisputed. I have one story that's very, I gotta be honest.
00:30:20
Speaker 1: So undisputed was hard because I would wake up at three or four, but I find that we've discussed this, that in a weird way, being busy was good. I couldn't really think about it or stress about it. I just was going. Like I was just going to continue on. I was still traveling.
00:30:35
Speaker 2: I was busy. I was excited. I was healthy.
00:30:38
Speaker 1: You know, I didn't have any morning sickness or anything that was holding me back. So I just, I was tired, of course, but maybe I was always tired.
00:30:46
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:30:46
Speaker 1: I have one story that I have to admit. And it was a college football game. And Gus, Joel, and I have a very organic relationship. conversation while we're on air, right? Like, we're always talking.
00:30:59
Speaker 2: It's very free-flowing.
00:31:00
Speaker 1: I'll say to my producer, hey, Chuck, I can add on so-and-so. And I don't even remember who.
00:31:06
Speaker 2: The player was.
00:31:09
Speaker 1: Let's just say it was Christian Pulisic, if we're talking about soccer. Like I said, hey, I've got a story on Christian. And then, like, minutes went by, and we had moved on to other things, and Gus throws it to me. He's like, hey, what do you got on Christian? And I had absolutely no idea. No idea what my story was. Forgot what I had pitched. And that has, Carly, never happened to me. And this is like a big college football game. I think we were at Oklahoma or it was about an Oklahoma player. And I've definitely blocked it out of my brain because it was so traumatizing. And I just didn't speak. And I, so this is like.
00:31:49
Speaker 2: So you did have a thought about it at one point. At one point.
00:31:53
Speaker 1: Earlier in the game that was it was more so that I was like there's so much going on during a game where I'm talking to people reading listening so he threw it to me just in a moment where I like wasn't ready for it like it came to me five seconds after he threw it to me or 10 seconds after but for whatever reason in that moment I was just like pregnancy brain like it was not there So I didn't say anything. And then my producer was like, hey, you good? I'm like, yeah, Mike, like, wasn't working. Oh, my gosh. I, of course, have told him since it was not that.
00:32:29
Speaker 2: So then.
00:32:30
Speaker 1: Trey, who is my audio guy, who is literally an angel, like he is a foster.
00:32:35
Speaker 2: The guy is the best guy in the world. Foster parent. I love him. We've worked together for years.
00:32:38
Speaker 1: I see Trey sprinting from the other sideline because he thinks he screwed up and my microphone doesn't work.
00:32:45
Speaker 2: And he comes over. He's like, what happened? I go, Trey, I am so sorry. But that one was on me.
00:32:51
Speaker 1: And he was like, it's OK.
00:32:56
Speaker 2: Don't worry about it. You're pregnant.
00:32:58
Speaker 1: And we're in this together. And so then in about, this all feels like eight years, 30 seconds later, I say, hey, Chuck, I'm good. I got that story. And so then Gus threw back to me and he was like, tell us about that Christian Pulisic guy. And I, of course, had my story. But it was so bad. It's crazy. Pregnancy brain is real.
00:33:20
Speaker 2: Oh, yeah. Mom brain, pregnancy brain, post-pregnancy brain. I lost my train of thought last summer. Just covering the women's euros. The final Harper had had me up. She was, she was with me in LA the whole time. She had me up every three hours for weeks. Oh, and I'm, you know, nursing and I'm, you know, pumping when I go to the, to the studio. And, um, yeah, I remember we were doing a standing segment. Stu was on and I like turned to Stu and he's giving me this look and I'm like, I just lost my train of thought. And I think, you know, Stu and Ari kind of, I think, I think Ari was, yeah, Ari was there as well. Just kind of, you know, helped me through it. But I was like, oh my gosh. I mean, I knew what I was going to say. We rehearsed it a bit and boom, gone. Gone.
00:34:16
Speaker 1: Yeah. I mean, it happens. It just doesn't happen a lot. But it was an odd thing.
00:34:22
Speaker 2: Yes. I can't even believe I admitted that. But it was.
00:34:25
Speaker 1: But Trey has forgiven me since. And so has my producer, Chuck McDonald, who after the game, I remember going over to him and just being like, because, you know, you talk to your producer and talk back, but a game is happening and you can't really get into the specifics. And I was like, Chuck, I don't know. And he was like, Jenny, you're good. That doesn't happen to you. Like, we're not holding on to this.
00:34:44
Speaker 2: I'm sure nobody even really noticed.
00:34:46
Speaker 1: And it was like, oh, audio issue. And then poor Trey. But Trey, I love him to death.
00:34:52
Speaker 2: All right. I got to give him something. On that note, let's take a quick break.
00:34:55
Speaker 1: And we've discussed the pre-pregnancy, the pregnancy, and then the postpartum, which Carly is about to experience very, very soon again.
00:35:03
Speaker 2: We'll be right back. Welcome back to Whatever It Takes. That last segment, I was getting some cramps going on down below. I'm like, am I going to go into labor at this recording of episodes? The show must go on. Doing whatever it takes. Yeah, whatever it takes. Are you good? I'm good now. Maybe some Braxton Hicks, you know. They were pretty strong, though. I think we're talking this into existence, Carly. I know. I mean, I still need a few more days. Okay.
00:35:43
Speaker 1: Okay.
00:35:44
Speaker 2: Where are you at? You're 39?
00:35:46
Speaker 1: No.
00:35:48
Speaker 2: Tomorrow will technically be exactly 39. I thought we were right around there. Oh my gosh. I'm so excited for you. I know. So what did you, did you have something a friend sent you?
00:35:57
Speaker 1: This is crazy because someone knows that we're talking about this. One of my best friends who's pregnant right now and she and I were texting about IVF and pregnancy. And so she's, I've been talking to her a lot about this and she just texted me. Just wanted you to know this quote that I read today. Research on longevity is complicating the story. Women who had their last child after 33 were twice as likely to live to 95, while women who gave birth after 40 were four times as likely to reach 100.
00:36:29
Speaker 2: So, Carly, I'll see you in the hundreds. That'd be amazing. Although, you know, hopefully that's not, you know, too horrible of a 100-year-old. You know, I don't want to be, like, a vegetable at that point. Yes. Like, still hanging. Hopefully we're all hanging a little bit.
00:36:49
Speaker 1: Hopefully we're in a nursing home together with our kids visiting all the time. But yeah, so Alex was thinking about us.
00:36:54
Speaker 2: Wow, look at that. I did read that.
00:36:57
Speaker 1: I know.
00:36:57
Speaker 2: There's always the thought that I did see that. I feel like I saw that on Instagram. But there's always the thought of, like, I think there's pros and cons to having kids when you're older, you know, versus younger and You could look at it both ways. I mean, I think you're older, you're wiser, you're more comfortable in your own skin. But then I'm like, oh my gosh, when, you know, Harper and this baby, I mean, I'm about to pop this baby out at 44 years old. And I'm like, I hope, you know, we got to really stay active. Like, I hope we're around for grandchildren. You know, there's whole, that whole element. And yeah, it's gone through my, it's gone through my mind a bit, but.
00:37:36
Speaker 1: I just think that the lifestyle that we live, I mean, there's so much that you can control and not control. But I do think we're doing the right things to be healthy. And that's what you have to control, right? Control the controllables. I think having kids a little older is fun that we have the ability to, you know, show them fun things. I mean, I can't imagine my life having kids in my 20s, but I have friends who did and it was the best thing for them. So it's There's no perfect way. You just have to follow that gut and instinct. But we're living till 100. So we are, according to the study. I wonder how many people they studied there.
00:38:14
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm all in. Just the three of us. And that is the study. And I'll see you there.
00:38:21
Speaker 1: Since you're about to hit baby delivery and then postpartum, that stage for you with Harper, I think something that you said to me, like you've just embraced every stage because of maybe the not... it wasn't perfect and easy from the beginning. And so now you've just, you're like, hey, I might not be sleeping. I'm just going to embrace it. Like, how lucky to celebrate every moment. Are you looking forward to postpartum? And maybe what are the challenges that you remember or don't remember? And just kind of your approach this time around?
00:38:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, everybody's journey is different. And there's women that absolutely hate being pregnant, but love having kids. And there's women that love being pregnant. And, you know, there's all these different feelings I think that every woman goes through. With my particular journey, I think, like you said, because it was so hard, I really embraced everything, even my pregnancy. I mean, I did. I loved being pregnant. I thought it was an absolute miracle of what our bodies can do and how everything that is needed is just forming and prepared and when you deliver the baby, same thing. I mean, your body does some incredible things. So I just, it's so miraculous to be able to even be pregnant, get pregnant. So I really embrace that. And then what's kind of crazy is I was not present during my career. And I don't know that... I mean, I was definitely present in the 2015 World Cup final.
00:39:55
Speaker 1: Yes.
00:39:56
Speaker 2: That was a very fun game to be a part of. But being in those zones and those moments throughout my career was really difficult because you're always trying to prepare for the next thing and you're always worried about making rosters and everything's in cycles. Every four years is a World Cup and Olympics. So it was really hard. And once I stopped playing and then... had Harper, again, I think everybody had told me how fast it goes. Everybody had told me to soak up the moments. And I really, truly did. I loved every stage. It was, I would say the one thing that rocked my boat a little bit is type A. And, you know, I like to have things tidy and do the dishes before I go to bed or, you know, kind of you know, have things like cleaned up and do the wash and all these different things. And suddenly you have this tiny little human that you're keeping alive and you're not really sleeping. And I was nursing and, you know, the cluster feeds and all these different types of of moments that I had, it was, it was really difficult for me. I remember one day I was planted to, I felt like I was planted to the couch for like 12 hours. And I said to Brian, I was like, oh my gosh, like I haven't gone outside, like you're outside. And I'm like, oh my goodness. And then I just kind of took myself back a little bit and I'm like, okay, this is short lived. Just try to embrace it. So that took getting used to, and it was, it was short lived, you know, and, Eventually, I could put Harper down in one of those little bouncers and, you know, take a shower freely. And I didn't have too many emotions, I would say. You know, I think I don't know how you were after with Gigi, but. You know, I wasn't too sad. I feel like I didn't battle a lot of those postpartum emotions that some other women battle. And I produced milk, which made breastfeeding way easier. I nursed her for a whole year. I can't say that if I had to go back to a nine to five job and have the stress of that, of pumping and doing all that, would my supply have been that good? I think a lot of women, you know, struggle with that, the stress of that. So yeah, I don't know. I mean, obviously I don't, I wasn't, we weren't really nervous parents either because I think we were a bit older and it was just kind of trial and error for us.
00:42:43
Speaker 1: You know, we, we didn't over-research, we didn't over-analyze. We kind of went with our intuition about what she was doing and kind of started to decipher between her cries and in her crib, whether we go in, whether we don't go in. And yeah, so I feel like we approached it pretty well.
00:43:03
Speaker 2: And the second time around, I mean, yeah, I mean, I don't, I don't know what to expect. Obviously we know kind of what to do now and this baby could be completely different. Um, but you know, I plan on kind of doing the same similar things and, um, Yeah, but I would say I'm probably a bit more emotional towards the latter end of this pregnancy, which I'm not sure why. I wonder why. I don't know. Emotional in what way? Maybe the hormones are extra strong. Yeah, just emotional. I just feel like, yeah, things get to me. I'm like, I look at Harper and I'm like, oh, like, we're not going to be a family of three, four. I mean, I'm excited, but I'm like, this is, you know, this is going to change a lot. So, yeah, but... I would say that, you know, I had 36 hours of labor last time. It was long. It was long. And eventually, you know, we got there. But yeah, we'll see what this time brings. Oh my gosh. I don't know. How was your whole life? It was a lot.
00:44:08
Speaker 1: I mean, I just, in hearing you talk about that, I do find it crazy that our bodies, I do.
00:44:14
Speaker 2: Think in a lot of ways, forget.
00:44:15
Speaker 1: Because yes, there's sleepless nights and there's stress from breastfeeding or not breastfeeding. And you just, I think you forget, like, I'm going to be living this through you in a week, basically, and doing it again, right? Like it all comes back to you. Postpartum for me was, was okay. I mean, I, I think that emotionally, like there were times where I was super just like hormonal in a way of just being tired. I remember yelling, sorry, mom. And my mom, like in a way that was so horrible, because I'd asked her to take the dog outside and it was raining and she like took him out for a longer walk. And then I had a wet dog and it just like I was like, I'm done. I like I can't function right now like this. That wasn't helpful.
00:45:04
Speaker 2: Like I was so cruel.
00:45:06
Speaker 1: And on that same day, we had to drive to the pediatrician and it was raining and I live in L.A., And I was like, why is it raining today, the day we have to drive? You know, it was just like, it hit me. Everything is so heightened.
00:45:19
Speaker 2: So heightened.
00:45:21
Speaker 1: That I very vividly remember. I would say that that's how I was for some stretches because.
00:45:26
Speaker 2: You're so tired. You're just tired. So, okay, good. So we're, that's normal. That's all good and normal.
00:45:33
Speaker 1: But no, I mean, I did breastfeed for almost six months, which I'm glad I did. And then I pumped for a little bit longer. I mean, I take that back. It was probably like, Four months and then I pumped and kind of got to six months with her because I was traveling again. And I have some reporter friends that I know that were able to pump like mid-game at halftime. And I just like know myself and I barely can go to the bathroom in time. So that didn't feel feasible to me, although incredibly challenging. impressed by some who do. And maybe the second, if I hope when I do this again, if I could pull that off, I could try.
00:46:10
Speaker 2: But at least four years.
00:46:13
Speaker 1: Ago, it felt very not doable to me to think of that mid-game. What did you do at night? Did you mostly do, did you just nurse her?
00:46:23
Speaker 2: I nursed her and then I would also pump. So there was a bottle, like I remember, it's crazy.
00:46:28
Speaker 1: Did you have a night nurse or anybody? I had a night nurse for three weeks. Which was really nice. And it was short. And it was, I learned a lot from her. So she lived with you? Well, she didn't live with us. I guess she just came over at night.
00:46:42
Speaker 2: Okay, okay.
00:46:43
Speaker 1: For like maybe four nights a week. It wasn't full time. Did they just get the baby.
00:46:48
Speaker 2: Up, hand them to you?
00:46:49
Speaker 1: Yeah, like, it's like I don't remember because I feel like it was such a whirlwind. She would come over at like 9 a.m. So I think Gigi was already asleep, but she would kind of do the first shift with a bottle and then I would sleep a little longer and then I would pump. But then Matt would wake up early when she would leave and I'd sleep a couple more hours.
00:47:10
Speaker 2: I mean, my fear, I guess I did have.
00:47:14
Speaker 1: That nighttime fear, which I think a lot of parents have that like, well, what if like who's watching them? And so I liked the idea of someone in the room. But I don't know if I would do that again. I don't think I think it was more a new mom. Yeah. I really learned a lot from our night nurse and I'm still close with her. She's she's living overseas now. And I remember telling Matt, like, if we have another kid, we're having her back. It's been five years, but. I just learned a lot from her, and that was the comfort of just having someone who'd been in a room with a million babies and moms was really nice for me. We didn't have family around, and I really did enjoy that, but you kind of just find a rhythm eventually.
00:47:56
Speaker 2: So I think the harder part was.
00:47:58
Speaker 1: I didn't feel like I lost the baby weight quickly, and it wasn't like, oh, my gosh, I'm going crazy to lose it.
00:48:04
Speaker 2: No, I know. Didn't you go into it thinking, because I feel like so many women said to me, you know, Yeah, if you, you know, breastfeed, like, you're going to shed so much weight. No, not for me. It didn't... I don't think... I think when I finished completely, that's when I started to shed. Same with me.
00:48:24
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:48:25
Speaker 2: Which was a year.
00:48:25
Speaker 1: I did not lose weight while breastfeeding. I felt like I really had to stop breastfeeding.
00:48:31
Speaker 2: But I have.
00:48:32
Speaker 1: One of my best friends is at A Million Babies, and she's basically never stopped breastfeeding.
00:48:36
Speaker 2: It's never looked better. So, like... I don't know.
00:48:39
Speaker 1: I mean, there's, everyone's different. I didn't love that feeling. I didn't feel, I loved the benefits of breastfeeding, but I didn't love the postpartum. I did not feel like I was losing weight and it didn't really matter. Yes, there was some insecurity in that, but I'm like, I just had a baby. It's not like I'm going to bounce back tomorrow, but I think it takes time. Even just, you know, your, your, I had a little bit of that diastasis. So you, you know, your core muscles just took forever to feel better.
00:49:05
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:49:06
Speaker 1: Like that I think is all normal, but I didn't love that feeling.
00:49:09
Speaker 2: No.
00:49:10
Speaker 1: And I also didn't, since we're talking all things, I didn't love how big my boobs got.
00:49:15
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:49:16
Speaker 1: At all.
00:49:17
Speaker 2: I actually didn't mind it.
00:49:18
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:49:21
Speaker 2: Like, wait a second. That was fun for me. I don't know. I just, like, equate it to, like, just, I don't know, not being thin, you know?
00:49:31
Speaker 1: And, like, running. As a runner, you're like, I don't need this. Like, this needs to go away.
00:49:35
Speaker 2: No.
00:49:36
Speaker 1: No.
00:49:36
Speaker 2: Mine are definitely not as big this time around as they were last time. And I was a little bit, I was probably like 12 pounds lighter going into this pregnancy. Interesting. But again, postpartum, you know, these puppies are going to probably, you know, fill up with lots of milk. But like, this is the stuff I'm kind of like, oh my gosh, I remember being on air. And, you know, Rob, I'm Ari and I would always be talking about like bra choices. And if I'm wearing a bra today, if I'm not wearing a bra and Rob's like, I don't want HR coming over here. But that was always like the hot topic. But I mean, my bra size, I was like, this is insane. Two years ago when I was pregnant, like that for me was like, I was uncomfortable, especially sitting at a desk and in the dress and Well, and.
00:50:29
Speaker 1: It feels a little vulnerable because that's, when you're at a desk, it's almost like it hits you right there too.
00:50:34
Speaker 2: Like that's all you kind of see of someone. I've never at all had that. So I was like, oh, this is kind of fun.
00:50:42
Speaker 1: But I'm also not one who would like to, like, I don't care. That's just not high on my priority list.
00:50:49
Speaker 2: But I get it. I mean, it's not that fun. Like the milk and the leaking and all the things. Oh, that's another thing. Nobody told me to get the nipple pads. So I... No one told you?
00:51:02
Speaker 1: No.
00:51:03
Speaker 2: I woke up and the bed was soaked. Oh, no. Milk stains everywhere. Brian was like, what just happened? I'm like, I guess I'm leaking. Yeah, nobody told me. So I've got boxes of them now left over. So I'll be all good. But yeah, that was a big... missing piece that nobody told me about.
00:51:29
Speaker 1: So yeah, the postpartum like chats are like, you gotta, you gotta really be close with someone. I'm going to remind you all the things you got to remember, but truly it's like your body went through a lot. I, I think it's still the, the same thinking of how incredible what our bodies can do. Like I, it's just insane and you're able to create this life and, and, able to go back to how you were feeling like you'll be back in no time and it's just that thought is wild yeah.
00:52:00
Speaker 2: I know i and i am last time i was doing the breastfeeding in our bed um which was absolutely destroying my back and a couple people were like oh just lay down and do it and i'm like that never worked for me yeah so i think i'm gonna bring.
00:52:15
Speaker 1: The um.
00:52:18
Speaker 2: You know, the recliner that we have in the nursery in our room so I can at least get in that because it just, pillows, there was not enough pillows for support, slunched over, hunched over. Yeah. So that's something that I'm going to change. So true. Like the recliner, I remember thinking, these chairs are so expensive.
00:52:40
Speaker 1: What is the point? And I did not get a good chair and that was a big miss. So you, when you're done with that chair, you send it my way.
00:52:48
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:52:48
Speaker 1: Well, now, and I don't want to buy another chair for Harper's room. So I'm like, well, she has nothing in there. So if we want to read a book or, but I was like, I don't want to buy another one.
00:52:58
Speaker 2: Why do I need another one? So that's the dilemma. But yeah, postpartum is, you know, it's very interesting. I mean, obviously C-sections and, you know, The way that the delivery goes dictates a lot of different things. It's not all glamorous, but, you know, it's part of the experience. Part of it. Well, look, I'm so excited for you. We've rocked it so far on TV. We're in it. On TV. Whatever it takes. Yeah. Whatever it takes. Oh, my gosh.
00:53:32
Speaker 1: Carly, I'm so excited for you. And I honestly, I really appreciated this conversation. I feel like the timing could not have been better for both of us. you know, it was really nice. So hopefully fun for others to hear our stories.
00:53:45
Speaker 2: I agree. And yeah, well, everybody will stay tuned as to the journey. I'm sure I'll have lots of things to talk about postpartum. Maybe there'll be some different things, maybe some different labor experiences, but we got you covered. Oh, all right.
00:54:04
Speaker 1: Well, boy, until next time, and maybe with a new baby, maybe without. Thank you for listening to Whatever It Takes with Carly Lloyd.
00:54:13
Speaker 2: And Jenny Taft.
00:54:14
Speaker 1: Please, you know, chat with us. We'd love to know what you're thinking about the podcast. Like, subscribe, follow, you know, tell us your pregnancy stories before, during, after. Keep the conversation going because this podcast is for our listeners, too.
00:54:29
Speaker 2: And don't forget to follow us on our social channels, Jenny Taft, Carly Lloyd, and Whatever It Takes Pod. Thanks so much, and we'll be back soon.
Speaker 1: Like at what point, how many weeks in did you did you announce? I have no idea, but I was very pregnant. I had been pregnant and telling everyone.
00:00:08
Speaker 2: OK.
00:00:08
Speaker 1: But it became a joke during the football season that Gus and I love him. We're very close. But it became kind of Gus's announcement. So every game it was.
00:00:17
Speaker 2: Like, well, Jenny, be ready. It might be today.
00:00:20
Speaker 1: So I had known he was He had wanted to do this. And it kind of became a funny shtick where I was like, whenever, if it fits ever, it fits. But I'm like, please don't announce this pregnancy during Michigan-Ohio State. And we're like, it's the fourth quarter. We got a tight game. And by the way, Jenny's having a baby. And then the Big Ten Championship game was the week after. And Gus made his big announcement. And I did a big reveal. There was a camera zoom.
00:00:43
Speaker 2: It was a lot. Live on TV. But it was really sweet. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to Whatever It Takes. I'm your host, Carly Lloyd, joined by my friend and co-host, Jenny Taft. Today, we're talking about our pregnancy journeys and all of the things that come with that. So let's jump right into it.
00:01:12
Speaker 1: Well, Carly Lloyd, the hardest working podcaster around, because right now we are days away, days away from another baby. So you got to give me the latest, how you're feeling. And I know you just wrote a doctor appointment, so... Still no baby. We're podcasting right now.
00:01:27
Speaker 2: Still no baby. Baby is looking great. I finished up a NST, right? The NST test. Yeah, they monitor. Yep.
00:01:40
Speaker 1: Baby was a little frustrating today. You know, they couldn't get a good read. I forgot about that.
00:01:45
Speaker 2: Are you going every week? Every week. Yeah, it's a bit much. But I understand the fragility of, you know, women wanting to go and I guess they say when you're a certain, over a certain age, you know, they monitor you a little bit more. So baby's feeling very low. I don't know when this episode is going to go live, but yes, we are, we are days away. I mean, the 17th is my due date and I just, you know, got my hair done today and I want to get my nails done. I got a few more things to wrap up. But here we are. I'm doing whatever it takes to just grind these episodes out. Whatever it takes. I told Carly, we were texting yesterday.
00:02:30
Speaker 1: I'm like, I don't need to be like the one through five person that you're texting, but I'm like, maybe like in the 20. Like if we're going in, if we're going to the hospital, I just want to like, hey, I'm going in.
00:02:40
Speaker 2: Like I'm on the list, which is cool. I'm on the list.
00:02:43
Speaker 1: You're in the top five. I I mean, we've got another guest lined up next week that we potentially have to record.
00:02:52
Speaker 2: TBD. Yeah.
00:02:54
Speaker 1: I truly, every time you text me now, though, I think you're going into labor. So yesterday when you texted me a voicemail, I'm like, it's happening. We are going to stop recording for a while now. The odd thing is, is my water broke with Harper at first. And so when I went in, I wasn't dilated.
00:03:15
Speaker 2: So that kind of set me up for a very long and lengthy process in labor. But this, you know, I've heard the second comes a bit quicker and it's a little bit easier. We'll see. Yeah. But I'm kind of like, yeah, when is this going to come in the middle of the night, in the morning? And then I'm like, I got to hopefully my parents answer their phone because they're going to be on call with Harper. Yeah. They're going to be ready. Whatever happens.
00:03:41
Speaker 1: Oh, I'm so excited. Well, you can text me at all hours. I'm available to offer emotional support.
00:03:47
Speaker 2: Much appreciated.
00:03:48
Speaker 1: And obviously, with this podcast, Whatever It Takes, I think what something that drew us together to wanting to do this together was, of course, talking.
00:03:57
Speaker 2: About life outside of soccer, outside of our careers.
00:04:00
Speaker 1: And having kids and pregnancy was just top of mind because it has been different for both of us. It has been challenging at times. It has been rewarding in every single way. So I think for this podcast, what would be fun, Carly, is if we just kind of talk about the stages for us of becoming moms, the thought of it, the want of it, your decision to wait till after you were done playing, I think is really fascinating and being open about it and that we can get into being pregnant and.
00:04:29
Speaker 2: The craziness after. So it just.
00:04:33
Speaker 1: Do you remember when you decided, and maybe it changed while playing, I'm going to wait until I'm done to make that choice because I'm so impressed by the athletes that have babies and then come back and play. And then for me, it felt like there was never a perfect time, but you just kind of figure it out. So what was kind of the mindset for you in that decision?
00:04:52
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's kind of interesting because... I think when you go through life, it's those stages of, you know, you go to school and you go to high school. And, you know, my case, it was figuring out where I'm going to go to college and play collegiate soccer and then have dreams and aspirations of playing on the national team. And then you think about marriage and then it's like eventually you think about starting a family. So it wasn't always top of mind for me, but I always felt like, yeah, I want to have kids, I think, and, you know, all of that. But my career was my main focus for a good portion of my life. And when I first got on the national team in 2005, Christy Pierce Rampone was a part of the team. And, you know, I got to watch her be a mom to her two girls and Kate Markriff, who also had a son at the time, I believe.
00:05:49
Speaker 1: And, you know, eventually she evolved to having a few more kids as well. And there were so many other moms that I played with. And I mean, I just couldn't imagine.
00:06:00
Speaker 2: I saw the challenges of what they went through, the time change. You know, back then we were flying, you know, coach to China and there wasn't, well, they had been just starting to figure out the collective bargaining agreement in 2005. 2006, was the first time that contractually they had health benefits for the team, pregnancy leave, and guaranteed contracts. So I kind of came into all of that because there was no protection and there was nothing prior to that. And, yeah, I mean, I... I wanted to be the best soccer player in the world. That was my ultimate individual goal. And I set out on that destination not knowing if I'd ever reach it. I wanted to help my team win championships. And the thought of starting family was just always in the back of my mind at the end of my career when I was completely done. And I think as women, and that's why I'm kind of excited to talk about this topic is You know, I just wasn't educated. I don't know if you were educated of just our bodies, our clock. We're born with a certain amount of eggs. And as you get older, those eggs age. And there's all these things that you're just really naive to. And I guess I was naive. And once I finished playing in 2021... I was 39 years old. And I'm like, you know, my body's never failed me on the soccer fields. I'm healthy. I'm active. This shouldn't be a problem. And then, you know, time goes by and months go by and years go by and, you know, you're not getting any results. And so I think coming to the realization that I may need some help may need some science, um, was a, it was a really tough thing to do because you just feel like you're failing, you know, yourself, your, your body's failing you. Um, and I just didn't know. And so I finally started to, you know, go see some doctors and figure out what was needed. Um, ended up going the IVF route, which is such a long, long, tough journey. Um, You know, one in which, again, had no idea what to expect. And there's a lot of women that have gone through it as well. Erin Andrews has been very open about it. Tara Lipinski. And so, you know, I took a lot from them and they helped. You know, I listened to podcasts and listened to other people. But for me, it was mostly I didn't feel like I could be the best at both things. if I had a kid while I was playing. And, you know, I wanted to be fully present when I wanted to start a family and I have been. But yeah, it's hard. I mean, I think every women goes through some sort of challenge. You have women who want to reach the top and they're company and maybe put off having kids. So it's a really tough decision to make, one in which men don't have to make because they can kind of just support their wives and go do their thing. But yeah, that was kind of the biggest reason for me is I just felt like I couldn't, selfishly, I couldn't be the best at both. And that's why I chose that. I mean, I don't know your journey, if you I mean, especially with what you do in the broadcasting and sideline reporting. I mean, you've got to be active. You've got to be running after coaches and players and getting interviews. And also the thought of, you know, someone coming in and maybe filling your spot and then you losing your spot. You know, that was always a worry for me as well, out of sight, out of mind. So I, you know, how did you navigate kind of your initial thoughts on starting a family?
00:10:09
Speaker 1: It's, well, one, it's, I so appreciate how open you are about it because I remember, I still remember you and I talking about this in New York City, before Harper and sharing that IVF had been hard and it hadn't worked yet. And, you know, I have such an interesting perspective. There's so many areas. And I admit, you saying just now that you were 39 when it wasn't happening, I just turned 39. And I actually, it was kind of an emotional birthday for me because I don't, I would like to have another kid and I haven't yet. And it's so nice to hear that even Like, 39 isn't old. But for whatever reason, it hasn't happened for me the second time.
00:10:50
Speaker 2: Gigi's great.
00:10:51
Speaker 1: You know, there were so much that went into planning that. And I almost regret because you think about the planning and you can't plan it.
00:10:58
Speaker 2: Like, no.
00:11:00
Speaker 1: I believe God's plan. Like, I'm going to have another kid. I truly believe that. And I'm, you know, I'm going to get there. But I did not expect that I would be a little sad on my birthday. And that hit me kind of hard this year. And I can't believe I'm getting emotional.
00:11:13
Speaker 2: I'm crying in the closet. Oh, boy.
00:11:17
Speaker 1: But hearing you say 39 just out of me, like, I just needed to hear that because in my head, I'm like, I thought I'd be pregnant by now again.
00:11:27
Speaker 2: And I haven't been.
00:11:29
Speaker 1: And that's OK. It's going to happen. So we're making those plans. And Gigi's an amazing blessing.
00:11:35
Speaker 2: And there will be another.
00:11:38
Speaker 1: But I think back on, you know, when I was thinking about having a kid and I actually I'm not sure if I'd shared this story with you, but I did have an audition for a different network and I didn't get it. And I would never have tried to have a kid then because I was similar to you. Like if you get pregnant and they have a fill in for you and then what if you're replaced and you don't want to give them an idea that someone else could be better?
00:12:07
Speaker 2: I definitely had.
00:12:08
Speaker 1: That in my mind, although that's unfair because if you're talented, you should be talented. And that continues. I didn't get this job. And I kind of thought I need to just try because you never know. And I got pregnant immediately. So that was really cool to think that I didn't get this job for a reason. And I'm also the timing. There's never good timing, right?
00:12:31
Speaker 2: Like never. I feel like you can't plan for it. No, you can't. It's like it's going to complicate life.
00:12:37
Speaker 1: Like I love how you're like, yeah, I got to get the crib ready and we got a second and we'll figure it out.
00:12:41
Speaker 2: But I just.
00:12:43
Speaker 1: I overthought it for sure in a competitive way because, like you, I did want to be the best at what I was doing. And also, I never have been someone to say no to work, which is a bit of a fault. It's a positive and a fault. But you and I really care about what we're doing and like what we're doing. And I, this sounds so, this sounds so Well, you tell me the word. But I was like, I don't want to be on TV and have a hard time losing the baby weight. Like, it sounds so crazy. I had that thought.
00:13:18
Speaker 2: It's the visual. It's the complex. And then it's even like, what is the network going to think? You know, are they going to be, like, happy with how we look on air? I mean, that's definitely crossed my mind.
00:13:29
Speaker 1: No, it is.
00:13:30
Speaker 2: Crossed my mind. It is.
00:13:31
Speaker 1: And, you know, I think the hard part about the in-between, since we're thinking about the stages of it, I've had some miscarriages and I've had to go to work. And it's like a silent sadness that you're not really talking about. I have an amazing group of men I work with. I work with a lot more men than women, a lot more women now. But some of my closest friends are men that are producers, directors. And like you don't I don't tell them everything, but there's like a silent struggle to that, which so many women go through. So I think that like. in between when you want to be pregnant and you're not, or you've had a loss, that's the hardest part for me. Like getting to be pregnant and be able to talk about it.
00:14:10
Speaker 2: I can't wait.
00:14:11
Speaker 1: That's clearly not today, but when that's the case, I will be telling you. Well, I'm sorry you felt sad on your birthday. Oh, I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. I mean, I, what, like three years ago, I'm like, I don't even know if I'm going to be able to get pregnant. you know, and to have that thought was just, it consumed my life daily, you know, and having Brian there to just say, just trust the process. Everything's going to work out the way that it's supposed to work out.
00:14:43
Speaker 2: And, you know, here we are with like a baby just about to be born, our second one. And so don't lose the faith and hang in there. Yeah, no, I appreciate you saying that.
00:14:54
Speaker 1: I do so remember like the parts where it wasn't easy for you and now seeing this like amazing family that you have.
00:15:01
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's all going to work out. And I wasn't like, I think the journey of going through IVF allowed me to be more vulnerable. I mean, I, you know, was a machine and a robot throughout my career and, you know, acted like I didn't need help or I didn't need, you know, an arm around me. And, like, I needed people throughout this journey. I needed Brian. I needed my family and friends and people that understood. I had a good friend that used to work within U.S. Soccer, one of the staff, who just really, really helped me through the journey. And, yeah, it was kind of— it was different because— Again, I never really let my guard down throughout my career. I never really showed any sign of weakness and vulnerability. And this just totally shed every layer that I ever had. I mean, when I was going through the retrievals, we were at the Capitol in D.C. and I was with, you know, I was with Fox and I was with Lexi and Rob and, you know, a bunch of other people. And I get the call that, you know, our embryos came back abnormal, you know, and I'm having to step off to the side and take that call and then wipe my tears away and figure out our plan of what we're going to do next.
00:16:28
Speaker 1: Am I going to go through a retrieval again? And yeah, so it's just, it's a lonely, dark, dark place. And then I obviously took a break during the Women's World Cup in 2023 and Leslie Osborne, Heather O'Reilly and Stu Holden, we.
00:16:43
Speaker 2: Would go for runs and yeah, I just kind of opened up to them and just said, this is what I've been going through and it's so hard. And it was good to have people there that, you know, were supportive. So there's a lot of women in the same boat and everybody has, you know, really tough journey. So it's an important topic that I think is definitely great to share, especially, you know, someone like us that we're both successful. We're confident women. We're strong. But this can break you as well. Yeah.
00:17:24
Speaker 1: And there's no reason why we shouldn't be open about it. I think there's that misconception. I love hearing that you opened up to Stu and Leslie and, you know, it's okay. It's great to talk about it. Why wouldn't we chat about this, right? Like this is something that so many people go through and deal with, but I mean, hey, you're the example, Carly. You're in it.
00:17:45
Speaker 2: We're days away. Oh, we're days away. Maybe we take a little break and kind of come back to just navigating the life of pregnancy and work, which is crazy in itself. Welcome back to.
00:18:11
Speaker 1: Whatever It Takes with Carly Lloyd and Jenny Taft. Today is all about babies, pregnancy, the before, the during, the after. And I guess this is, we could chat for hours at this point about this. But we discussed kind of the pre, the getting pregnant, the ups and downs that come with that. And then how about the being pregnant part? Because I know for me, when I was finally able to kind of announce that I was pregnant, and it's funny that I have Gus Johnson, actually a part of our college football crew, announced it for me during the Big Ten Championship game.
00:18:45
Speaker 2: Wait, so were you nervous? Like at what point, how many weeks in did you announce?
00:18:51
Speaker 1: I have no idea, but I was very pregnant. I had been pregnant and telling everyone.
00:18:55
Speaker 2: Okay.
00:18:55
Speaker 1: But it became a joke during the football season that Gus, and I love him, we're very close, but it became kind of Gus's announcement.
00:19:03
Speaker 2: So every game, it was like, well, Jenny, be ready. It might be today.
00:19:07
Speaker 1: So I had known he was He had wanted to do this. And it kind of became a funny shtick where I was like, whenever, if it fits ever, it fits. But I'm like, please don't announce this pregnancy during Michigan-Ohio State. And we're like, it's the fourth quarter. We got a tight game. And by the way, Jenny's having a baby. So he didn't do that. So I actually thought the moment had passed and the Big Ten Championship game, or we had had Michigan-Ohio State, crazy game. I'd been pregnant after Michigan won. They stormed the field. Security guards were protecting me like crazy. And then the Big Ten Championship game was the week after and Gus made his big announcement and I did a big reveal.
00:19:46
Speaker 2: There was a camera zoom. It was a lot. Live on TV. But it was really sweet.
00:19:50
Speaker 1: And Gus, or Gigi had her, well one, Gigi's, you know, got a call from Gus Johnson already, which is pretty fun.
00:19:57
Speaker 2: That's pretty cool.
00:19:58
Speaker 1: And that was cool to just have that video. I'm going to have to look back and send it to you.
00:20:02
Speaker 2: But how about you?
00:20:03
Speaker 1: When you finally, Carly, were able to be pregnant and excited and telling people, what was that like for you?
00:20:09
Speaker 2: Well, so the IVF route is like, I just feel like you're walking a fine line of, you know, it's like in life, you want to be.
00:20:19
Speaker 1: Super positive about things. You know, you want to be negative Nancy and, you know, you want to think positively. But with IVF, it's a weird line to walk because you don't want to get too high, but you don't want to get too low either.
00:20:37
Speaker 2: So We had the embryo transfer. I had an embryo transfer first. It didn't work. And then after World Cup, came back, did another retrieval, had another embryo transfer. We decided to go ahead with it. And then the big thing is waiting nine days. That's when you can kind of first get your blood work to see. And so I was at waste management golf tournament, the PGA golf tournament. So I was playing in the pro-am. And I could either, because of our length of stay, I wasn't going to get back to my doctor's office until, I don't know, maybe day 11 or so. So they gave me a script to go to a LabCorp nearby if I wanted to. And so Brian and I hopped in an Uber and we went. And I remember asking the lady who was drawing my blood, you know, how long will it take to get the results? Because it was on a Friday. Yeah.
00:21:40
Speaker 1: And she's like, oh, usually, you know, it's Friday, most likely Monday. And I'm like, okay, like I'll, I was going to be home on a Tuesday.
00:21:47
Speaker 2: It wasn't that big of a, yeah. It was like a day difference, but it was just that anticipation. And so I actually got the results through my portal first before my doctor's office could call me to tell me the news. And I had it, send it to my friend because I'm like, what does this number mean? I did that too. It was a beta number. And I'm like, and she's like, Carly, you're pregnant. And I'm like, so it was, and it was really early in the morning. We were in Arizona. So the time changed. We, you know, we're getting up a little bit early and I, I kind of, you know, tap Brian because he was still sleeping. And I told him the news and it was like, you, you, you longed for it. You wanted to be super excited, but then you're like, okay, we still have a long ways to go because anything can happen and your numbers have to, you know, double and every certain days and you have to keep going back for blood work. So it was like, we, we got really excited in that particular moment and, you know, hugged and, and then it was kind of like, okay, let's just, you know, not get overly, overly excited. But I did tell my family and a few close friends and, And then, yeah, you just kind of, again, going back for blood work. Eventually, you go and you get to hear the heartbeat for the first time. Now, this is, we're talking five, six weeks.
00:23:17
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:23:17
Speaker 2: Usually, I'm sure you went to your doctors for the first time.
00:23:21
Speaker 1: I think I was around seven, eight weeks. I remember I, like, lied a bit because I had to be on the road for college football, or No, it wouldn't have been college football.
00:23:32
Speaker 2: Was it soccer? I don't know. I lied.
00:23:34
Speaker 1: I thought I was eight weeks, but I was really like seven. And they say you can't come in till eight.
00:23:38
Speaker 2: But I was like, I need to know if there's a heartbeat. Yeah. And so I did. I did get in.
00:23:43
Speaker 1: And that was I mean, of course, that was an amazing feeling. And I didn't have not to interrupt you, but it was such a different experience now having had a harder time getting pregnant the second time around, because the first time was so easy. And you're kind of like, okay, like, who knows?
00:23:58
Speaker 2: This is great. And there's just no fear.
00:24:00
Speaker 1: So I had just zero thought of any thing negative, I guess, which is, I think, a good way to be. But it's like you say, you want to celebrate the positive, but there's a lot of that unknown in the in-between.
00:24:11
Speaker 2: So it's still early. I know. It's hard.
00:24:14
Speaker 1: And so many women go through so many different things. But week by week, I was just kind of taking it week by week. And at 10 weeks, you know, and I'm still doing the progesterone shots in my butt and all these things. So at 10 weeks, I graduated from my doctor's office, the fertility clinic, and then went to my OB. And there was still that, you know, there was still that worry. I wasn't, I wasn't maybe like some other women that, you know, wanted to go like every week.
00:24:46
Speaker 2: And I think we were going pretty much like once a month. But it was like every doctor's appointment, you kind of held your breath and just wanted to make sure that there was a heartbeat each time you went. So it's hard. It's like you get super excited that it worked, but then it's hard to sort of be excited in the moment. But as time went on, we obviously started to get more and more excited. And after the anatomy scan and everything was looking good. And yeah, I think I I think I announced publicly because I did my article on, uh, women's health. So for those that didn't read that article, you can, you know, Google that article. Um, but I basically wrote about my journey and I think it was 15 weeks and I was just, I was like really nervous. I ended up wanting to get an ultrasound before just to double check and, um, because it's, yeah, it's, it's just such a, it's such a nerve wracking thing. But, um, Second time around, it's been, you know, a bit different, which has been fine. That's good.
00:25:51
Speaker 1: Well, and it's vulnerable at the end of the day. Yeah. Even though it's amazing you shared your story, it still doesn't mean it's easy to have that conversation. It's still, you're still telling the world, which is... And I was embarrassed, you know, like I remember going to the... Yeah, I remember being in my doctor's office and there were, you know, there were people that recognized me and I just kind of would put my head down in the beginning and... I wasn't very open with telling a lot of people. I felt like people were probably wondering, you know, why isn't she pregnant yet? And, you know, all these different things. And then there was a part of me where I'm like, I don't, why do I care about this? You know, I could be helping so many other people talking about this. And, um, that was, that was one of my top moments. I mean, of course, playing for the national team and, and giving birth to Harper.
00:26:43
Speaker 2: And all that. But, um, The amount of support that I received and the amount of people that reached out after I had gone public with that Women's Health Magazine article just felt really fulfilling to just really put it out there and help other women. Because it's, yeah, it's just a really tough, tough journey.
00:27:10
Speaker 1: I can't imagine you ever being embarrassed. I just don't like that version of you. Because it's real, though. It's real life. But I just can't see that side of you in so many ways because you're such a confident person. Mm hmm. Yeah.
00:27:23
Speaker 2: And then, yeah, it was I had to tell obviously had to tell Fox, like, yeah, I'm going to be on, you know, and that was another thing. I'm like, I have to plan these transfers. Yeah. Around soccer. I'm like, I'm still planning my life around soccer because I want to. So, you know, I want to work.
00:27:41
Speaker 1: I want to work these month long tournaments in the summer. So that was like a whole nother thing in itself to plan the timing of all that. And then, yeah, Fox was, they were thrilled. They were over the moon, super supportive, whatever you need. And obviously wardrobe staff, as you know, I was talking to you about what some of the stuff that you like to wear. Cause I was like, I don't, I don't know how I'm going to be. I don't know what's going to be comfortable on air.
00:28:09
Speaker 2: Yeah. So that was, that was that.
00:28:14
Speaker 1: But it is weird how, I remember being scared to tell Fox too, but not for any reason. Like there was no indication that they wouldn't be supportive of the pregnancy. And I was working on Undisputed at the time. So it was me behind a desk with Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharp. So in a weird way, like being behind the desk, my belly really didn't show a lot of the time.
00:28:36
Speaker 2: And the hardest part was- Were you doing college football though too?
00:28:38
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:28:39
Speaker 2: So you were pregnant during college football and Undisputed. So it was really busy.
00:28:44
Speaker 1: And then I ended up, Leaving Undisputed when I went on maternity leave, which was like best timing ever for many reasons. It was time to move on, but it was just crazy how it timed out perfectly. So college football, I was pregnant, but in like the comfortable stages.
00:29:00
Speaker 2: I was still flying.
00:29:01
Speaker 1: But my last event with Undisputed was the Super Bowl. And I remember and I also did I did some entertainment reporting and I still do at times and I worked for Extra and no dog show at this point. I did the dog show in the summer that year. So that was my first event back. Gigi was born, what month was Gigi born?
00:29:24
Speaker 2: So March 24th, 22.
00:29:25
Speaker 1: So it was the Super Bowl.
00:29:29
Speaker 2: Don't ask me who was playing. I should remember.
00:29:31
Speaker 1: But it was in LA because I remember walking pregnant like and thinking oh wow like this is I'm done I am I feel it now like this is the end and I I don't know what week I was it was in the 30 weeks sometime but I was like I'll be fine I'll just keep on keeping on and then I had Gigi and had a really natural time off and then I worked the dog show which was like in June right after Gigi so I had like two months off and I remember like you like we've shared stories about like pumping and I was like in the security van and I was hiding.
00:30:04
Speaker 2: And they were like, don't worry, we won't let anyone near you. That was hard.
00:30:07
Speaker 1: So being pregnant, I think was really fun.
00:30:10
Speaker 2: Like, was it hard for you on air or no? I mean, I guess you were sitting for undisputed. I have one story that's very, I gotta be honest.
00:30:20
Speaker 1: So undisputed was hard because I would wake up at three or four, but I find that we've discussed this, that in a weird way, being busy was good. I couldn't really think about it or stress about it. I just was going. Like I was just going to continue on. I was still traveling.
00:30:35
Speaker 2: I was busy. I was excited. I was healthy.
00:30:38
Speaker 1: You know, I didn't have any morning sickness or anything that was holding me back. So I just, I was tired, of course, but maybe I was always tired.
00:30:46
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:30:46
Speaker 1: I have one story that I have to admit. And it was a college football game. And Gus, Joel, and I have a very organic relationship. conversation while we're on air, right? Like, we're always talking.
00:30:59
Speaker 2: It's very free-flowing.
00:31:00
Speaker 1: I'll say to my producer, hey, Chuck, I can add on so-and-so. And I don't even remember who.
00:31:06
Speaker 2: The player was.
00:31:09
Speaker 1: Let's just say it was Christian Pulisic, if we're talking about soccer. Like I said, hey, I've got a story on Christian. And then, like, minutes went by, and we had moved on to other things, and Gus throws it to me. He's like, hey, what do you got on Christian? And I had absolutely no idea. No idea what my story was. Forgot what I had pitched. And that has, Carly, never happened to me. And this is like a big college football game. I think we were at Oklahoma or it was about an Oklahoma player. And I've definitely blocked it out of my brain because it was so traumatizing. And I just didn't speak. And I, so this is like.
00:31:49
Speaker 2: So you did have a thought about it at one point. At one point.
00:31:53
Speaker 1: Earlier in the game that was it was more so that I was like there's so much going on during a game where I'm talking to people reading listening so he threw it to me just in a moment where I like wasn't ready for it like it came to me five seconds after he threw it to me or 10 seconds after but for whatever reason in that moment I was just like pregnancy brain like it was not there So I didn't say anything. And then my producer was like, hey, you good? I'm like, yeah, Mike, like, wasn't working. Oh, my gosh. I, of course, have told him since it was not that.
00:32:29
Speaker 2: So then.
00:32:30
Speaker 1: Trey, who is my audio guy, who is literally an angel, like he is a foster.
00:32:35
Speaker 2: The guy is the best guy in the world. Foster parent. I love him. We've worked together for years.
00:32:38
Speaker 1: I see Trey sprinting from the other sideline because he thinks he screwed up and my microphone doesn't work.
00:32:45
Speaker 2: And he comes over. He's like, what happened? I go, Trey, I am so sorry. But that one was on me.
00:32:51
Speaker 1: And he was like, it's OK.
00:32:56
Speaker 2: Don't worry about it. You're pregnant.
00:32:58
Speaker 1: And we're in this together. And so then in about, this all feels like eight years, 30 seconds later, I say, hey, Chuck, I'm good. I got that story. And so then Gus threw back to me and he was like, tell us about that Christian Pulisic guy. And I, of course, had my story. But it was so bad. It's crazy. Pregnancy brain is real.
00:33:20
Speaker 2: Oh, yeah. Mom brain, pregnancy brain, post-pregnancy brain. I lost my train of thought last summer. Just covering the women's euros. The final Harper had had me up. She was, she was with me in LA the whole time. She had me up every three hours for weeks. Oh, and I'm, you know, nursing and I'm, you know, pumping when I go to the, to the studio. And, um, yeah, I remember we were doing a standing segment. Stu was on and I like turned to Stu and he's giving me this look and I'm like, I just lost my train of thought. And I think, you know, Stu and Ari kind of, I think, I think Ari was, yeah, Ari was there as well. Just kind of, you know, helped me through it. But I was like, oh my gosh. I mean, I knew what I was going to say. We rehearsed it a bit and boom, gone. Gone.
00:34:16
Speaker 1: Yeah. I mean, it happens. It just doesn't happen a lot. But it was an odd thing.
00:34:22
Speaker 2: Yes. I can't even believe I admitted that. But it was.
00:34:25
Speaker 1: But Trey has forgiven me since. And so has my producer, Chuck McDonald, who after the game, I remember going over to him and just being like, because, you know, you talk to your producer and talk back, but a game is happening and you can't really get into the specifics. And I was like, Chuck, I don't know. And he was like, Jenny, you're good. That doesn't happen to you. Like, we're not holding on to this.
00:34:44
Speaker 2: I'm sure nobody even really noticed.
00:34:46
Speaker 1: And it was like, oh, audio issue. And then poor Trey. But Trey, I love him to death.
00:34:52
Speaker 2: All right. I got to give him something. On that note, let's take a quick break.
00:34:55
Speaker 1: And we've discussed the pre-pregnancy, the pregnancy, and then the postpartum, which Carly is about to experience very, very soon again.
00:35:03
Speaker 2: We'll be right back. Welcome back to Whatever It Takes. That last segment, I was getting some cramps going on down below. I'm like, am I going to go into labor at this recording of episodes? The show must go on. Doing whatever it takes. Yeah, whatever it takes. Are you good? I'm good now. Maybe some Braxton Hicks, you know. They were pretty strong, though. I think we're talking this into existence, Carly. I know. I mean, I still need a few more days. Okay.
00:35:43
Speaker 1: Okay.
00:35:44
Speaker 2: Where are you at? You're 39?
00:35:46
Speaker 1: No.
00:35:48
Speaker 2: Tomorrow will technically be exactly 39. I thought we were right around there. Oh my gosh. I'm so excited for you. I know. So what did you, did you have something a friend sent you?
00:35:57
Speaker 1: This is crazy because someone knows that we're talking about this. One of my best friends who's pregnant right now and she and I were texting about IVF and pregnancy. And so she's, I've been talking to her a lot about this and she just texted me. Just wanted you to know this quote that I read today. Research on longevity is complicating the story. Women who had their last child after 33 were twice as likely to live to 95, while women who gave birth after 40 were four times as likely to reach 100.
00:36:29
Speaker 2: So, Carly, I'll see you in the hundreds. That'd be amazing. Although, you know, hopefully that's not, you know, too horrible of a 100-year-old. You know, I don't want to be, like, a vegetable at that point. Yes. Like, still hanging. Hopefully we're all hanging a little bit.
00:36:49
Speaker 1: Hopefully we're in a nursing home together with our kids visiting all the time. But yeah, so Alex was thinking about us.
00:36:54
Speaker 2: Wow, look at that. I did read that.
00:36:57
Speaker 1: I know.
00:36:57
Speaker 2: There's always the thought that I did see that. I feel like I saw that on Instagram. But there's always the thought of, like, I think there's pros and cons to having kids when you're older, you know, versus younger and You could look at it both ways. I mean, I think you're older, you're wiser, you're more comfortable in your own skin. But then I'm like, oh my gosh, when, you know, Harper and this baby, I mean, I'm about to pop this baby out at 44 years old. And I'm like, I hope, you know, we got to really stay active. Like, I hope we're around for grandchildren. You know, there's whole, that whole element. And yeah, it's gone through my, it's gone through my mind a bit, but.
00:37:36
Speaker 1: I just think that the lifestyle that we live, I mean, there's so much that you can control and not control. But I do think we're doing the right things to be healthy. And that's what you have to control, right? Control the controllables. I think having kids a little older is fun that we have the ability to, you know, show them fun things. I mean, I can't imagine my life having kids in my 20s, but I have friends who did and it was the best thing for them. So it's There's no perfect way. You just have to follow that gut and instinct. But we're living till 100. So we are, according to the study. I wonder how many people they studied there.
00:38:14
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm all in. Just the three of us. And that is the study. And I'll see you there.
00:38:21
Speaker 1: Since you're about to hit baby delivery and then postpartum, that stage for you with Harper, I think something that you said to me, like you've just embraced every stage because of maybe the not... it wasn't perfect and easy from the beginning. And so now you've just, you're like, hey, I might not be sleeping. I'm just going to embrace it. Like, how lucky to celebrate every moment. Are you looking forward to postpartum? And maybe what are the challenges that you remember or don't remember? And just kind of your approach this time around?
00:38:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, everybody's journey is different. And there's women that absolutely hate being pregnant, but love having kids. And there's women that love being pregnant. And, you know, there's all these different feelings I think that every woman goes through. With my particular journey, I think, like you said, because it was so hard, I really embraced everything, even my pregnancy. I mean, I did. I loved being pregnant. I thought it was an absolute miracle of what our bodies can do and how everything that is needed is just forming and prepared and when you deliver the baby, same thing. I mean, your body does some incredible things. So I just, it's so miraculous to be able to even be pregnant, get pregnant. So I really embrace that. And then what's kind of crazy is I was not present during my career. And I don't know that... I mean, I was definitely present in the 2015 World Cup final.
00:39:55
Speaker 1: Yes.
00:39:56
Speaker 2: That was a very fun game to be a part of. But being in those zones and those moments throughout my career was really difficult because you're always trying to prepare for the next thing and you're always worried about making rosters and everything's in cycles. Every four years is a World Cup and Olympics. So it was really hard. And once I stopped playing and then... had Harper, again, I think everybody had told me how fast it goes. Everybody had told me to soak up the moments. And I really, truly did. I loved every stage. It was, I would say the one thing that rocked my boat a little bit is type A. And, you know, I like to have things tidy and do the dishes before I go to bed or, you know, kind of you know, have things like cleaned up and do the wash and all these different things. And suddenly you have this tiny little human that you're keeping alive and you're not really sleeping. And I was nursing and, you know, the cluster feeds and all these different types of of moments that I had, it was, it was really difficult for me. I remember one day I was planted to, I felt like I was planted to the couch for like 12 hours. And I said to Brian, I was like, oh my gosh, like I haven't gone outside, like you're outside. And I'm like, oh my goodness. And then I just kind of took myself back a little bit and I'm like, okay, this is short lived. Just try to embrace it. So that took getting used to, and it was, it was short lived, you know, and, Eventually, I could put Harper down in one of those little bouncers and, you know, take a shower freely. And I didn't have too many emotions, I would say. You know, I think I don't know how you were after with Gigi, but. You know, I wasn't too sad. I feel like I didn't battle a lot of those postpartum emotions that some other women battle. And I produced milk, which made breastfeeding way easier. I nursed her for a whole year. I can't say that if I had to go back to a nine to five job and have the stress of that, of pumping and doing all that, would my supply have been that good? I think a lot of women, you know, struggle with that, the stress of that. So yeah, I don't know. I mean, obviously I don't, I wasn't, we weren't really nervous parents either because I think we were a bit older and it was just kind of trial and error for us.
00:42:43
Speaker 1: You know, we, we didn't over-research, we didn't over-analyze. We kind of went with our intuition about what she was doing and kind of started to decipher between her cries and in her crib, whether we go in, whether we don't go in. And yeah, so I feel like we approached it pretty well.
00:43:03
Speaker 2: And the second time around, I mean, yeah, I mean, I don't, I don't know what to expect. Obviously we know kind of what to do now and this baby could be completely different. Um, but you know, I plan on kind of doing the same similar things and, um, Yeah, but I would say I'm probably a bit more emotional towards the latter end of this pregnancy, which I'm not sure why. I wonder why. I don't know. Emotional in what way? Maybe the hormones are extra strong. Yeah, just emotional. I just feel like, yeah, things get to me. I'm like, I look at Harper and I'm like, oh, like, we're not going to be a family of three, four. I mean, I'm excited, but I'm like, this is, you know, this is going to change a lot. So, yeah, but... I would say that, you know, I had 36 hours of labor last time. It was long. It was long. And eventually, you know, we got there. But yeah, we'll see what this time brings. Oh my gosh. I don't know. How was your whole life? It was a lot.
00:44:08
Speaker 1: I mean, I just, in hearing you talk about that, I do find it crazy that our bodies, I do.
00:44:14
Speaker 2: Think in a lot of ways, forget.
00:44:15
Speaker 1: Because yes, there's sleepless nights and there's stress from breastfeeding or not breastfeeding. And you just, I think you forget, like, I'm going to be living this through you in a week, basically, and doing it again, right? Like it all comes back to you. Postpartum for me was, was okay. I mean, I, I think that emotionally, like there were times where I was super just like hormonal in a way of just being tired. I remember yelling, sorry, mom. And my mom, like in a way that was so horrible, because I'd asked her to take the dog outside and it was raining and she like took him out for a longer walk. And then I had a wet dog and it just like I was like, I'm done. I like I can't function right now like this. That wasn't helpful.
00:45:04
Speaker 2: Like I was so cruel.
00:45:06
Speaker 1: And on that same day, we had to drive to the pediatrician and it was raining and I live in L.A., And I was like, why is it raining today, the day we have to drive? You know, it was just like, it hit me. Everything is so heightened.
00:45:19
Speaker 2: So heightened.
00:45:21
Speaker 1: That I very vividly remember. I would say that that's how I was for some stretches because.
00:45:26
Speaker 2: You're so tired. You're just tired. So, okay, good. So we're, that's normal. That's all good and normal.
00:45:33
Speaker 1: But no, I mean, I did breastfeed for almost six months, which I'm glad I did. And then I pumped for a little bit longer. I mean, I take that back. It was probably like, Four months and then I pumped and kind of got to six months with her because I was traveling again. And I have some reporter friends that I know that were able to pump like mid-game at halftime. And I just like know myself and I barely can go to the bathroom in time. So that didn't feel feasible to me, although incredibly challenging. impressed by some who do. And maybe the second, if I hope when I do this again, if I could pull that off, I could try.
00:46:10
Speaker 2: But at least four years.
00:46:13
Speaker 1: Ago, it felt very not doable to me to think of that mid-game. What did you do at night? Did you mostly do, did you just nurse her?
00:46:23
Speaker 2: I nursed her and then I would also pump. So there was a bottle, like I remember, it's crazy.
00:46:28
Speaker 1: Did you have a night nurse or anybody? I had a night nurse for three weeks. Which was really nice. And it was short. And it was, I learned a lot from her. So she lived with you? Well, she didn't live with us. I guess she just came over at night.
00:46:42
Speaker 2: Okay, okay.
00:46:43
Speaker 1: For like maybe four nights a week. It wasn't full time. Did they just get the baby.
00:46:48
Speaker 2: Up, hand them to you?
00:46:49
Speaker 1: Yeah, like, it's like I don't remember because I feel like it was such a whirlwind. She would come over at like 9 a.m. So I think Gigi was already asleep, but she would kind of do the first shift with a bottle and then I would sleep a little longer and then I would pump. But then Matt would wake up early when she would leave and I'd sleep a couple more hours.
00:47:10
Speaker 2: I mean, my fear, I guess I did have.
00:47:14
Speaker 1: That nighttime fear, which I think a lot of parents have that like, well, what if like who's watching them? And so I liked the idea of someone in the room. But I don't know if I would do that again. I don't think I think it was more a new mom. Yeah. I really learned a lot from our night nurse and I'm still close with her. She's she's living overseas now. And I remember telling Matt, like, if we have another kid, we're having her back. It's been five years, but. I just learned a lot from her, and that was the comfort of just having someone who'd been in a room with a million babies and moms was really nice for me. We didn't have family around, and I really did enjoy that, but you kind of just find a rhythm eventually.
00:47:56
Speaker 2: So I think the harder part was.
00:47:58
Speaker 1: I didn't feel like I lost the baby weight quickly, and it wasn't like, oh, my gosh, I'm going crazy to lose it.
00:48:04
Speaker 2: No, I know. Didn't you go into it thinking, because I feel like so many women said to me, you know, Yeah, if you, you know, breastfeed, like, you're going to shed so much weight. No, not for me. It didn't... I don't think... I think when I finished completely, that's when I started to shed. Same with me.
00:48:24
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:48:25
Speaker 2: Which was a year.
00:48:25
Speaker 1: I did not lose weight while breastfeeding. I felt like I really had to stop breastfeeding.
00:48:31
Speaker 2: But I have.
00:48:32
Speaker 1: One of my best friends is at A Million Babies, and she's basically never stopped breastfeeding.
00:48:36
Speaker 2: It's never looked better. So, like... I don't know.
00:48:39
Speaker 1: I mean, there's, everyone's different. I didn't love that feeling. I didn't feel, I loved the benefits of breastfeeding, but I didn't love the postpartum. I did not feel like I was losing weight and it didn't really matter. Yes, there was some insecurity in that, but I'm like, I just had a baby. It's not like I'm going to bounce back tomorrow, but I think it takes time. Even just, you know, your, your, I had a little bit of that diastasis. So you, you know, your core muscles just took forever to feel better.
00:49:05
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:49:06
Speaker 1: Like that I think is all normal, but I didn't love that feeling.
00:49:09
Speaker 2: No.
00:49:10
Speaker 1: And I also didn't, since we're talking all things, I didn't love how big my boobs got.
00:49:15
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:49:16
Speaker 1: At all.
00:49:17
Speaker 2: I actually didn't mind it.
00:49:18
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:49:21
Speaker 2: Like, wait a second. That was fun for me. I don't know. I just, like, equate it to, like, just, I don't know, not being thin, you know?
00:49:31
Speaker 1: And, like, running. As a runner, you're like, I don't need this. Like, this needs to go away.
00:49:35
Speaker 2: No.
00:49:36
Speaker 1: No.
00:49:36
Speaker 2: Mine are definitely not as big this time around as they were last time. And I was a little bit, I was probably like 12 pounds lighter going into this pregnancy. Interesting. But again, postpartum, you know, these puppies are going to probably, you know, fill up with lots of milk. But like, this is the stuff I'm kind of like, oh my gosh, I remember being on air. And, you know, Rob, I'm Ari and I would always be talking about like bra choices. And if I'm wearing a bra today, if I'm not wearing a bra and Rob's like, I don't want HR coming over here. But that was always like the hot topic. But I mean, my bra size, I was like, this is insane. Two years ago when I was pregnant, like that for me was like, I was uncomfortable, especially sitting at a desk and in the dress and Well, and.
00:50:29
Speaker 1: It feels a little vulnerable because that's, when you're at a desk, it's almost like it hits you right there too.
00:50:34
Speaker 2: Like that's all you kind of see of someone. I've never at all had that. So I was like, oh, this is kind of fun.
00:50:42
Speaker 1: But I'm also not one who would like to, like, I don't care. That's just not high on my priority list.
00:50:49
Speaker 2: But I get it. I mean, it's not that fun. Like the milk and the leaking and all the things. Oh, that's another thing. Nobody told me to get the nipple pads. So I... No one told you?
00:51:02
Speaker 1: No.
00:51:03
Speaker 2: I woke up and the bed was soaked. Oh, no. Milk stains everywhere. Brian was like, what just happened? I'm like, I guess I'm leaking. Yeah, nobody told me. So I've got boxes of them now left over. So I'll be all good. But yeah, that was a big... missing piece that nobody told me about.
00:51:29
Speaker 1: So yeah, the postpartum like chats are like, you gotta, you gotta really be close with someone. I'm going to remind you all the things you got to remember, but truly it's like your body went through a lot. I, I think it's still the, the same thinking of how incredible what our bodies can do. Like I, it's just insane and you're able to create this life and, and, able to go back to how you were feeling like you'll be back in no time and it's just that thought is wild yeah.
00:52:00
Speaker 2: I know i and i am last time i was doing the breastfeeding in our bed um which was absolutely destroying my back and a couple people were like oh just lay down and do it and i'm like that never worked for me yeah so i think i'm gonna bring.
00:52:15
Speaker 1: The um.
00:52:18
Speaker 2: You know, the recliner that we have in the nursery in our room so I can at least get in that because it just, pillows, there was not enough pillows for support, slunched over, hunched over. Yeah. So that's something that I'm going to change. So true. Like the recliner, I remember thinking, these chairs are so expensive.
00:52:40
Speaker 1: What is the point? And I did not get a good chair and that was a big miss. So you, when you're done with that chair, you send it my way.
00:52:48
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:52:48
Speaker 1: Well, now, and I don't want to buy another chair for Harper's room. So I'm like, well, she has nothing in there. So if we want to read a book or, but I was like, I don't want to buy another one.
00:52:58
Speaker 2: Why do I need another one? So that's the dilemma. But yeah, postpartum is, you know, it's very interesting. I mean, obviously C-sections and, you know, The way that the delivery goes dictates a lot of different things. It's not all glamorous, but, you know, it's part of the experience. Part of it. Well, look, I'm so excited for you. We've rocked it so far on TV. We're in it. On TV. Whatever it takes. Yeah. Whatever it takes. Oh, my gosh.
00:53:32
Speaker 1: Carly, I'm so excited for you. And I honestly, I really appreciated this conversation. I feel like the timing could not have been better for both of us. you know, it was really nice. So hopefully fun for others to hear our stories.
00:53:45
Speaker 2: I agree. And yeah, well, everybody will stay tuned as to the journey. I'm sure I'll have lots of things to talk about postpartum. Maybe there'll be some different things, maybe some different labor experiences, but we got you covered. Oh, all right.
00:54:04
Speaker 1: Well, boy, until next time, and maybe with a new baby, maybe without. Thank you for listening to Whatever It Takes with Carly Lloyd.
00:54:13
Speaker 2: And Jenny Taft.
00:54:14
Speaker 1: Please, you know, chat with us. We'd love to know what you're thinking about the podcast. Like, subscribe, follow, you know, tell us your pregnancy stories before, during, after. Keep the conversation going because this podcast is for our listeners, too.
00:54:29
Speaker 2: And don't forget to follow us on our social channels, Jenny Taft, Carly Lloyd, and Whatever It Takes Pod. Thanks so much, and we'll be back soon.
