It's a time of mourning for former Bachelor Arie Luyendyk Jr. and his wife, Lauren Burnham. The couple just revealed that Lauren suffered a miscarriage last month. While the two are usually very upbeat, sharing sweet family moments of joy on social media, this post was a pretty big contrast to their characteristic lightness. Lauren was the first to point that out in a video she posted to the couple's YouTube channel over the weekend.
"This isn't our typical positive-vibes-type video," she begins in the nearly 30-minute video. It's clear they wanted to tell the whole story about what happened, rather than just bits and pieces. The video shows various scenes, from them learning they are pregnant with their second baby to finding out that they'd lost the baby and all of the confusion in between.
So many women experience miscarriage, yet we don't often see all of the behind-the-scenes details. While it definitely looks like it wasn't easy to share, it seems like Lauren and Arie wanted to do their part to change the narrative.
The video is really moving to watch because the moments the couple documented are really raw. From the joyfulness the two experienced in the beginning to seeing how unsettling it was when things took a turn in the wrong direction, it's hard not to feel the emotions right along with Lauren and Arie. The two had clearly been so excited to grow their family, and suffering a miscarriage is not usually what anyone is expecting.
Arie filmed Lauren just after she got some disappointing news from the doctor. She was told that the baby measured only five weeks when the couple had thought she was eight weeks pregnant. As they explain in the video, that can mean a few different things early on.
Sometimes, it can mean that the baby is growing a bit slower than normal. It can also mean that a woman is simply not as pregnant as she thought. But it can also mean that the pregnancy isn't viable. It's a situation that happens to a lot of women, but most people are confused by the news that the baby isn't measuring what would be expected.
Lauren addressed those feelings in the video. "We were really confused by that, didn't know why or what was going on, but our doctor assured us that it could be a number of things and not to panic about it." Still, the two were definitely concerned about what was going on.
Then, while the couple had been hoping for a positive update, they received more bad news at their next appointment. "The baby was measuring only five days more than it was in the last ultrasound, which had been two weeks prior," Lauren shared. "So again, we were in that state of wondering and worrying about it."
At the couple's third appointment, they found out that Lauren had miscarried. Arie said is all have felt like a "roller coaster of emotions." While they have been trying so hard to hold on to hope, they didn't get the outcome they were hoping for. "Going from scared at first a little bit 'cause it was so soon, then happy, then stress and just worry for weeks on end, and obviously today was the bad news and it's something that you can never really prepare for," he said. "I feel like we've been trying to prepare for either good or bad news, but trying to stay positive at the same time."
Lauren and Arie really seem like a happy couple, though their relationship didn't start off so smoothly. They got together after Arie chose another woman — Becca — on the season finale of his season of the Bachelor. Then he realized that he couldn't get Lauren off his mind. He broke it off with Becca in a follow-up episode and pursued Lauren.
Of course, that came with a lot of scrutiny. Becca had been a fan favorite, and people were not thrilled that he devastated her and went after Lauren. Still, Arie chose to listen to his heart, and it seems to have worked out for him. He and Lauren seem very much in love.
The couple already have a beautiful 1-year-old daughter, Alessi. In fact, they just celebrated her birthday and shared many lovely photos from the day, including their daughter smashing her birthday cake while getting a few bites in her mouth.
They had been hoping to give their firstborn a sibling sooner rather than later. In the video, you can hear Arie talking to his daughter about the new addition. "Can you believe you're going to have a brother or a sister? It's blowing my mind still," he said.
It's definitely a tough time for Lauren and Arie right now. But many women experience miscarriage and soon go on to have perfectly healthy pregnancies. We'll be rooting for them as they navigate the next steps.
Hopefully, they'll be sharing another joyful update again soon.
