September 28 was a big day for Meghan McCain. After waiting for so long, she was finally able to meet baby Liberty Sage. Liberty is the first child for Meghan and her husband, Ben Domenech. While Meghan is known best for her role on The View, Ben is a journalist and founder of the right-wing blog The Federalist.
The couple had been trying for some time, and they publicly suffered a miscarriage in 2019. "To the end of my days I will remember this child," she said, after revealing the tragedy.
"My miscarriage was a horrendous experience and I would not wish it upon anyone," she added. "I loved my baby, and I always will."
That makes Liberty a rainbow baby, otherwise known as a baby had after a loss. Meghan's story was inspiring, proving that fertility struggles happen to a lot of women. At the time, Meghan internalized it, feeling as if she was the one who'd caused the issue. Chances are, she wasn't.
"I blamed my age, I blamed my personality. I blamed everything and anything a person could think of," she said, per USA Today. "This, I told myself, is the reason my body is a rock-strewn wasteland in which no child may live." But Liberty proved that wrong. And now Meghan is sharing photos of her healthy baby, proving that anything is possible.
It was a role that Meghan was meant to have. And now, with the help of Instagram, her fans can follow her parenting journey even further.
In the first photo, it's obvious that Meghan is loving motherhood. In the picture, she is holding baby Liberty while smiling brightly. All she needed was one word to really capture the moment, even though her fans could tell by her facial expression alone. That word? "Bliss."
Meghan first announced her pregnancy in March. While it was a tough year to be pregnant, Meghan managed to make everything work. As a celebrity, she had to take more precautions regarding the pregnancy than anyone else — and that meant staying somewhat quiet, in comparison with other expectant mothers.
"Given that people write on photos I put up of my family they are glad my Dad got cancer and he's in hell, I thought I would leave my unborn child out of the social media cesspool as much as is possible," she wrote on Instagram, per the New York Daily News. "I believe children have a right to privacy and hope you will all understand as we navigate this as much as possible going forward without sacrificing our comfort or safety."
And she's right. Kids don't ask to be in the spotlight, so many celebrities are careful to not put too much information out there. Her approach could also stem from her miscarriage. As it turns out, she meant to keep that information to herself — but was unable to.
"This was not supposed to be public knowledge," she said, after the news was revealed. "I have had my share of public grief and public joy. I wish this grief – the grief of a little life begun and then lost – could remain private." No matter how you feel about Meghan McCain, nobody should feel as if their personal health information is fair game.
However, Meghan did acknowledge that sharing her miscarriage story may help another woman out there feel less alone. "I am not hiding anymore," she admitted, per USA Today. "Women need to be able to speak about this publicly, without the stigma and the lack of knowledge that pervades the issue," she said. "I have love for all the women who, like me, were briefly in the sisterhood of motherhood, hoping, praying and nursing joy within us, until the day the joy was over. You are not alone."
One thing that Meghan did share was her love for her husband throughout her pregnancy journey. "Thank you for taking such wonderful care of my bloated, knocked up, swollen, pandemic navigating self," she said on Instagram. "I don't know what I would do these days without such a strong, loving partner."
Meghan has been head over heels for her husband Ben since they first met. "When we went out the first time, I was like, this is a totally different vibe and it's way better," she once said, per Closer Weekly. "I think if you're serious, which I was when I met my husband, about getting married and having kids and wanting to go to the next phase, I just found … finally dating a conservative man was the one."
Meghan even wanted to keep the engagement a secret — but much like everything else, the news slipped out and she eventually addressed it on The View. "We've been together for years," she said. "We've been engaged for a while and it's a secret. I was hoping to get married and people wouldn't find out, but people talk sometimes."
Meghan's late father, John McCain, reportedly served as the inspiration to get married sooner rather than later. Meghan and Ben discussed their future together at the Mayo Clinic, while John was at an appointment. They realized that life is short, and they may as well make the most of every moment.
They married in November 2017, and John was able to attend the big event. While he didn't get to meet his beautiful granddaughter, he likely knew about Meghan's desire to one day become a mom. The two of them were very close, and Meghan admitted that thinking of her father watching over her first baby helped give her peace after suffering from the loss.
Even though Liberty is still very young, Meghan is already getting candid about parenthood. "Having Liberty is like observing my entire heart live and exist outside of my body," she wrote on Instagram, per People. "She is a little wildcat. Beautiful, strong, alert, already so full life and spirit … I only wish I had done this sooner."
"Motherhood is euphoria," she added. "All of the cliches have come true and exceeded well beyond my wildest expectations. It is hands down the best thing I have ever done in my entire life and I am completely in awe of our daughter." She also thanked her husband, for "giving me this gift."
"I love our little family and I have never felt so blessed, present and grateful," she said. "This is the first time since my Dad passed that the part of my heart that broke off and left with him no longer feels missing." Congratulations to Meghan and Ben for expanding their family and sharing parts of the experience.
