Retired U.S. women’s national soccer team star Carli Lloyd announced the birth of her first child, a daughter named Harper, on Monday. The announcement comes after Lloyd opened up about her years-long battle with infertility earlier this year.
Harper was born on October 18, following two unsuccessful rounds of in vitro fertilization (IVF). In an emotional Instagram post, Lloyd expressed her gratitude, stating, “So very grateful for this amazing blessing in our lives. By far the hardest thing I have ever endured but the best thing I’ve ever done!”
Since retiring from professional soccer in 2021 at the age of 39, Lloyd has shared her personal journey with infertility. In a May interview with Women’s Health magazine, she revealed that she and her husband, Brian Hollins, initially believed conceiving would not be an issue. However, Lloyd faced significant challenges, ultimately undergoing three rounds of IVF while balancing her career as a soccer analyst for Fox Sports, including coverage of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Reflecting on her experience, Lloyd wrote, “I’ve conquered the soccer world and I consider myself to be really strong, but I was at my weakest during this entire process.” She emphasized the importance of resilience, stating, “I want to show other women that it’s okay to struggle. It’s okay to feel broken and to feel hopeless, but to never give up and to keep going. We don’t know the future chapters of our lives, and it is important to just keep putting one foot in front of the other.”
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