Gretchen Rossi is sharing a glimpse from the sweet moment she got to hold her baby daughter Skylar Gray for the first time after having surgery.
On Thursday, the former Real Housewives of Orange County star, 41, posted a black-and-white photo on Instagram of her baby girl resting on her chest.
“This was right out of surgery and the very first time I got to hold my baby girl,” Rossi captioned the post, which shows her with a made-up face and freshly curled hair.
“This was the most amazing exhilarating feeling, and a moment that will be forever engrained in my mind,” she continued.
Rossi went on to thank the doctors and nurses “for taking such amazing care of us” as she recovered from giving birth and her “major” abdominal surgery.
“Those 4 days and 3 nights were some of the toughest days I have ever navigated, being that you are trying to recover from a major abdominal surgery (not to mention I have never had a major surgery in my life) deal with all the swelling and hormonal changes going on with my body, all the while trying to learn how to breastfeed, and meet your babies needs, but also trying to keep your head above water and take care of yourself so you can be the best mommy to your baby,” Rossi wrote.
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“I cried a lot, I was nervous, scared, in pain and not sure I was doing it all correctly. But I had an amazing support system between the hospital staff, my parents, my brother, and my dearest of friends all surrounding me and telling me, I got this, and was doing a good job! Felt so beyond blessed to have everyone there! So thank you from the bottom of my heart,” she added.
Rossi first revealed she had surgery and needed some time away from Instagram after her fans criticized her for not showing photos of Skylar right after giving birth.
In a post to her page on Tuesday, she directed followers to her Instagram Stories where she shared her thoughts and told the haters that they “can go suck it.”
“I got back on my social today for the first time in six days after having major abdomen surgery and bringing a new life into this world,” her post began, “and I have to say I was not only shocked by some of the comments on my last post but super hurt and disappointed by some of your guys attitude about how I have not shared pictures quite yet, and the attitude that I owe you something.”
“First let’s be clear I don’t owe any of you who are making these ridiculous comments anything,” she added.
The following day, Rossi shared a slideshow of photos, which show herself and her partner Slade Smiley doting on the newborn.
“And then there were 3 ❤️🙏🏻👼🏻 ,” Rossi captioned the post. “Thank you to the good Lord above for the most precious gift we have ever been given! Our perfect little miracle! 🙏🏻 “
She added, “Introducing our precious baby girl SKYLAR GRAY SMILEY!!”
Rossi and Smiley, who endured multiple rounds of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and a vasectomy reversal, were elated when they first found out about the pregnancy. The couple welcomed baby Skylar on Wednesday, July 10. But the new mom revealed that the first few days of motherhood were “difficult” and she was not at all “concerned about posting” on her social media. The former Bravo personality and Smiley, 45, wanted this time to bond with their new daughter.
“Also, we really wanted to take some time to bond and get to know our little girl!!” she wrote on Instagram. “To me that is called being a good Mom!”
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