Michelle Kwan is now a mom of two.
The 45-year-old retired figure skater and Olympic medalist announced Thursday that she recently welcomed another baby girl, her second child. Kwan uploaded a few cute snaps and videos of her youngest daughter to Instagram as part of her announcement. The first picture showed her cradling her newborn in the hospital.
In the second, Kwan, then still pregnant, and her 3-year-old daughter Kalista Belle Kwan enjoyed some chocolate ice cream while sitting on a couch together. The mother-daughter duo sported matching red plaid pajamas, and Kwan placed her ice cream carton on her growing baby bump.
The third picture was a holiday ornament featuring a picture of Kwan holding her youngest child as Kalista leaned in to give her baby sister a kiss. For the final slide, Kwan uploaded a time-lapse video of her wearing the same black dress as her baby bump grew over the months. The last seconds showed her cradling her newest little one.
“Christmas came early,” she gushed in the caption and included a red heart. “I’m overjoyed to share that our baby girl — Della Rose Kwan — has arrived!”
She continued, “My heart doubled in an instant the moment I held her in my arms, and watching my daughter walk into the hospital to meet her baby sister brought tears to my eyes.”
Kwan said she had always dreamed of becoming a mom but wasn’t sure it would be possible after years of trying. She called Kalista her “miracle” baby.
“Getting here again has been its own rollercoaster, and I’m endlessly thankful for my love, who I’m so lucky to share my life with, my family, who I would not be here without, and the incredible doctors and support team who helped make this miracle happen. After more than a decade of hoping, I still can’t quite believe this moment is real,” she added.
Kwan reflected on her life as an Olympic athlete and how much she had to push her body to extreme lengths throughout her career. She said being pregnant has given her an even greater appreciation of what her body can do.
She ended her post by opening up more about her fertility journey and speaking directly to those who can relate to her experience. She concluded, “There were moments of frustration over how little I could control — a humbling reminder that fertility is something none of us can fully predict. To all the moms, moms-to-be, and the women and families dealing with infertility or praying to build a family — I know what you’re going through and I’m hoping you feel loved and supported in every way as you navigate this journey.”
Kwan shared the post on her Instagram story, too, along with the caption “My Heart” and the song “Little Life” by Robert Gromotka.
Friends and fellow athletes celebrated baby Della’s arrival in the comments.
Tara Lipinski wrote, “Congratulations! I’m so happy for you and your family!”
Allyson Felix said, “Congratulations friend!! Beyond excited for you!”
Apollo Ohno simply commented, “Amazing Michelle :-)” and added multiple red hearts.
Kwan previously reflected on the challenging road to motherhood when she revealed in 2022 that she had given birth to Kalista. Similar to her latest birth announcement, she didn’t confirm her pregnancy until after her daughter arrived. She also included time-lapse photos documenting her pregnancy.
“This has been a challenging journey to motherhood (not to mention a very long labor!!!) and I’m glad I never gave up,” she wrote at the time.
