Bachelor in Paradise couple Astrid Loch and Kevin Wendt have opened up about expanding their family and how difficult the IVF process has been.
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"It is so much effing work to have a child," Kevin admitted during the December 15 episode of the "Click Bait with Bachelor Nation" podcast.
The couple then got married on October 28, 2022 at the Powel Crosley Estate in Sarasota, FL, after a three-year engagement and two postponed weddings due to COVID-19 and Astrid's due date with their first child.
Astrid and Kevin -- whose wedding had initially been scheduled for November 2020 before it was pushed back to November 2021 -- revealed how the third time was the charm and their wedding day was "magical" and "worked out" because their son got to participate and take photos.
Now that August is a one-year-old, Kevin revealed of the pair's plans for Baby No. 2, "We're going in for our second IVF transfer in January [2023], so hopefully we have a second by September, fingers crossed."
Kevin said he and his wife have "two embryos left."
"We have two cracks at it for hopefully a sibling for [our son]. But it is so much work. I go to the firehouse to relax," he said with a laugh. "[But] we are lucky on the [sleep] front. He'll do the 7 to 7."
The podcast's co-host Joe Amabile asked Astrid and Kevin how the IVF process works considering the pair is hoping to get pregnant again in the New Year.
"I am literally picking up my medication for it next week. My next cycle, I start the meds and then I go in on Day 10 to get my lining checked and then they schedule me after that," Astrid explained.
"Then they'd put a little frozen Wendt baby in there and hope for the best."
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RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOWOn how they ended up with two more embryos, Astrid shared, "When we did IVF, we took my eggs and immediately inseminated them with his sperm to make the embryos. We had all those embryos tested and we had six good ones, and out of the six good ones, only three were actually grade A embryos that they thought would stick."
Astrid explained how the first one had "the highest percentage of everything" and was August.
"The other two remained frozen after that. So now they are picking the second-strongest embryo," Astrid noted.
Kevin shared how Astrid has "already gone through the hardest part," which was the egg retrieval and fertilization.
"So now we have two in the freezer, basically," Kevin added.
"We get to try in January, and if for some reason that doesn't work, we get to try again in February. And if that doesn't work, we have to start over."
Kevin admitted he has "a lot of empathy now" for couples trying to have a baby.
"The amount of stuff [Astrid] put herself through just to have [our son] is unbelievable," Kevin gushed of his wife, adding how they plan to share more about Astrid's IVF journey with their second child on social media.
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Astrid and Kevin got engaged in August 2019, and when they decided they were ready to start a family, they tried to conceive naturally for a year.
When that didn't work, Astrid underwent multiple intrauterine inseminations and then started IVF a week before Christmas in December 2020.
Astrid ended up going through two rounds of IVF before getting pregnant.
Astrid and Kevin announced they were expecting Baby No. 1 in May 2021 by posting photos of themselves holding up ultrasound photos.
"One of the first conversations @kevin.c.wendt and I had was about how we both loved kids and couldn't wait to have our own. When I think about Kev holding our little angel for the first time my heart flutters," Astrid said at the time.
"Even in my wildest dreams I couldn't have imagined how amazing this would all feel."
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Astrid shared of her struggle with fertility, "It's the toughest thing we've ever been through... But today is finally about some good news & we hope you can enjoy it with us."
Several days before their wedding in October 2022, Kevin posted a beautiful tribute to Astrid on Instagram.
In addition to uploading a video montage of their memories, Kevin wrote, "'Hey, is that show you went on fake?' Answer... tomorrow is our wedding day. Thanks to all of you for following along our story."
Kevin proceeded to list the following: Four or more years together, 50 or more flights and adventures, six TV shows filmed, one country move from the U.S. to Canada, two COVID-19 postponed weddings, two rescued poodles, three houses and renovations, one "perfect baby boy," two embryos in the freezer, and "way too many laughs to count."
The firefighter concluded, "Let's spend forever building this family and this life's resume hun. Us against the world."
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Kevin explained on the reunion special of Bachelor in Paradise's fifth season he had a lot of fears and insecurities he had to deal with via therapy regarding his previous romances before being able to commit to a woman wholeheartedly and settle down.
One of Kevin's exes is Ashley Iaconetti, whom he met on The Bachelor Winter Games but split from in March 2018.
"I will never forget when I left the show, going to my best friends and being like, 'I know we technically broke up on the show, but I'm pretty sure this is the person I'm going to marry,'" Astrid previously told People.
"I feel like I knew right away how well he fit into my life."
Once Astrid gave Kevin a second chance, they seemingly became inseparable.
Back in November 2018, Astrid and Kevin's families reportedly met each other at an event in Toronto, Canada, and then the following month, Astrid -- who worked as a plastic surgery office manager in Tampa, FL -- moved in with Kevin in his hometown of Toronto.
Prior to appearing on Paradise several years ago, Astrid competed to win Nick Viall's heart on The Bachelor's 21st season, and Kevin found fame when he won the debut season of The Bachelorette Canada in 2016 and then appeared on The Bachelor Winter Games in 2018.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
