Pregnant at 49, grateful and “utterly exhausted”. Big Miracles’ Sheila shares honest pregnancy update

Big Miracles’ Sheila is six months pregnant and keeping it beautifully real.

Big Miracles stars Sheila, 49, and Tyson are expecting baby number two… and yes, it’s every bit the miracle you’d hope for.

“Today, we have something so exciting to share… we are pregnant again! 💛 I am 17 weeks with baby number two,” Sheila revealed to Instagram on March 23. Using the same donor as before, this pregnancy came from one of the three embryos they had left after welcoming their son Phoenix in 2024.

Sheila, who will give birth three months shy of 50, admits it wasn’t a decision made lightly. “I was not attached to the outcome, but I was devoted to the process. I needed to know, in my heart and soul, that I had followed it through.”

A journey anything but easy

Their path has been public and raw as they appeared on the reality series Big Miracles. From heartbreak over age-related infertility and failed IVF rounds, to the tough decision to use donor eggs, Sheila and Tyson’s journey has been anything but easy. The first trimester tested her limits. Exhaustion like she’d never known forced her to slow down, be intentional, and guard her energy fiercely. “My time and energy are sacred,” she writes. And already, this baby is shaping her into a calmer, more focused version of herself.

Sheila is clear about not glamorising late motherhood but she’s proving it’s possible. “Late blooming is not a consolation prize. It is often the result of years of healing, courage, and shedding what no longer serves,” she says. “For so long, becoming a mother felt out of reach for me, and now I find myself here again.”

Six months in: grateful, exhausted, and keeping it real

Now at the six-month mark, Sheila is keeping it refreshingly real. “We are officially 6 months today,” she shared on Instagram, alongside a wave of honesty that will resonate with anyone who has ever been pregnant. “Every morning I wake up with what honestly feels like a ridiculous amount of gratitude in my heart. But I also want to be transparent, because two things can absolutely be true at the same time.”

“My sciatica has returned exactly like the first pregnancy, which basically means I spend parts of the night rotating in bed while shooting pain runs down my legs. Sleep has become more of a concept than a reality lately,” writes Sheila.

“Then there’s the heartburn. A deeply humbling experience,” she says, before listing her pregnancy cravings have included, “Blueberry muffins, despite the fact I don’t even normally like muffins, and Mint Choc Magic on vanilla ice cream, which currently feels life changing.”

Sheila says life “feels beautifully chaotic right now”, explaining that her son, “Phoenix is in full toddler mode, meaning tantrums can erupt over highly significant issues like the wrong coloured spoon. Most mornings start at 5:30am because Phoenix believes if he is awake, the entire household should be too.

“And honestly, I now understand why parents look back on these years with both exhaustion and nostalgia at the same time. Because underneath the chaos, there is so much life happening. I feel more alive than any other period in my life.”

“To my donor…”

With three months to go, Sheila’s thoughts keep returning to the donor who made it all possible. “To my donor in the USA, who knows nothing about me: I hope somehow you can feel my love from down under. I hope you can feel the depth of my gratitude for the life you have helped create. You gave me a family. 🤍”

Sheila is due mid-August.

Fertility after 40. What you need to know

Falling pregnant naturally becomes more challenging with age but there are options available.

• Natural conception declines significantly after 35 and more steeply after 40, largely due to egg quality and quantity reducing over time.
• IVF success rates using your own eggs drop considerably with age. In Australia, the live birth rate per IVF cycle for women over 40 using their own eggs is around 10% or less.
• Donor eggs significantly improve the odds. Using eggs from a younger donor can bring success rates closer to those of the donor’s age group, this is the path Sheila and Tyson chose.
• Egg freezing before 35 is increasingly recommended for women who want to preserve future options.
• It’s worth talking to a specialist early. Fertility specialists recommend seeking advice sooner rather than later, even just to understand your options.

Always consult a fertility specialist or GP for advice tailored to your individual circumstances.