Big Miracles’ Sheila, 49 welcomes her second baby and reveals his beautiful name

‘Our family is complete’: Big Miracles’ Sheila welcomes her ‘deeply wanted’ second baby.

Big Miracles star Sheila, 49, and her husband Tyson have welcomed their second son, Ziggy Rumi Salijevic, following what she describes as an “incredibly difficult” journey to grow their family.

Sharing the news on Instagram, Sheila revealed her newborn son arrived on 19 August.

“Ziggy Rumi Salijevic arrived in our lives on 19 August 🤍

He has completely rocked our world, and we’ve loved disappearing into our baby bubble these past few days.”

Sheila explained that Ziggy’s name carries special meaning, paying tribute to Tyson’s German roots and the journey they have taken to welcome their second child.

“Ziggy means victorious peace in German. It pays homage to Tyson’s German roots and feels deeply symbolic of the enormous journey we’ve been on to create our family.”

The couple are already parents to son Phoenix, who Sheila says was cared for by loved ones while they welcomed his baby brother.

Reflecting on the birth, Sheila said this experience felt very different from becoming a mum for the first time.

“This time was different. No camera crew. Quieter and more intimate.”

Sheila also thanked the medical team who supported her through the pregnancy, including Dr Raewyn and her obstetrician, Dr James Bacon.

After years of hoping to grow their family, Sheila says they have finally reached the moment they dreamed of.

“For so many years, creating this family was a dream.

Then it became a journey. At times, an incredibly difficult one.

And now, it is our life.

Our family is complete. 🤍 And our next chapter is beginning.”

One week to go

Last week Sheila shared the countdown to meeting her second child was on. “ONE WEEK TO GO. 🐘🤰🏻 I officially feel like an elephant. Elephants are pregnant for around 22 months. Apparently they also live about as long as humans. And elephants never forget… so I have absolutely no idea how they agree to do this multiple times. 😂

Not sleeping much right now, so the days are LONG.

One week until we become a family of four. ❤️”

Sheila announced her pregnancy in March, revealing she was 17 weeks along with baby number two. The couple used the same donor as before, with the pregnancy coming from one of the three embryos they had remaining after welcoming son Phoenix in 2024.

Giving birth just three months shy of 50, Sheila has been open about the decision to try for another baby.

“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.”

Sheila’s pregnancy took a frightening turn

At 29 weeks pregnant, Sheila’s pregnancy took a terrifying turn when a high tea with friends ended with an ambulance ride, three nights in hospital and emergency surgery.

“Last Sunday, what started as a beautiful high tea with dear friends ended with an ambulance ride, three nights in hospital, the loss of 30% of my blood (through a nose bleed), and emergency surgery at 29 weeks pregnant.

But the bleeding wouldn’t stop.

By that evening, the doctors discovered I’d lost 30% of my blood. The diagnosis was a major posterior nosebleed from the sphenopalatine artery. Which is very rare. A random freak of nature. It was a bleed from the base of my skull. Which is why nothing was working.

I needed emergency surgery.

I remember sobbing as I spoke to the anaesthetist. No pregnant woman in her third trimester wants to hear the words “major surgery” and “general anaesthetic.”

Thankfully, the surgery was successful and baby is doing well. 🤍”

After the ordeal, Sheila said it reminded her how little control we have.

“The lesson I learned this week was sometime you need to stop, or the universe will make us, and it won’t be comfortable.

As someone who likes to plan, achieve and control outcomes, this experience has reminded me how little control we actually have.

Sometimes we choose to stop.

And sometimes life chooses for us.”

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.