Shawn Johnson and Andrew East are welcoming a new member to the family! The former Olympic gymnast and her husband, an NFL free agent, announced the birth of their baby girl on their Instagram accounts.
"You are our everything. Welcome to the world," Johnson wrote in her Instagram post on Monday.
East also announced his daughter's arrival on Instagram. He posted a video of the family dancing with their newborn child to his account. The couple did not reveal their daughter's name. She has her own Instagram account, called @theeastbaby. A photo of the couple's daughter in a pink bow was posted to the baby's account.
Eagle-eyed fans suspected that Johnson had given birth to a baby girl long before the announcement. The couple's website currently has a "Love Pink Onesie" on sale, causing fans to suspect the couple had welcomed a baby girl.
Johnson announced her pregnancy in April in an emotional YouTube video. The couple has been very open her Johnson's pregnancy journey on their YouTube channel, and posted about the challenges and triumphs of the pregnancy.
When the couple went for their 20-week ultrasound in July, they learned from doctors that the baby's kidneys were underdeveloped, dilated and retaining "a bunch of fluid," according to Johnson.
There was a second complication. Johnson revealed she had a two-vessel umbilical cord -- one vein and one artery. Most umbilical cords have three vessels -- one vein and two arteries. A two-vessel umbilical cord happens in 1% of pregnancies, the doctor told the couple.
Johnson and East said they were told by the doctor that the two complications together could be a marker for Down Syndrome, a chromosomal anomaly.
Johnson expressed her frustration. Because she and East are self-described "control freaks," they wanted to know what she could do to help make sure the baby came out as healthy as possible. The doctor told them there was nothing they could do.
"That was the rudest awakening I think we've ever had in our lives," Johnson said.
A year and a half before the April pregnancy announcement, Johnson had experienced a miscarriage.
"The past 48 hours have been some of the happiest, scariest, and saddest times of my life," Johnson said in a video of her miscarriage. "My husband Andrew and I found out that we were unexpectedly pregnant, only to find out hours later some tragic news. I have been crying more than I ever have, but am still optimistic for what is next."
