Couple Decides to 'Close Shop' After 10-Year Infertility Journey. One Month Later, They Get Huge Surprise (Exclusive)
Audrey Bolton's expected due date for her daughter is Nov. 16
Audrey Bolton
Audrey Bolton with her familyAudrey Bolton and her husband, Crawford, struggled with infertility for 10 years
Audrey always wanted to be a mom, so the the couple ended up welcoming two children by adoption: Camden Ivey, 6, and Emmy James, 2
In January, Audrey learned she was pregnant and due in November
She's since shared about her infertility journey on TikTok, hoping to inspire others
Audrey Bolton and her husband, Crawford, had just cleaned out their attic of baby items.
After 10 years of unexplained infertility, the North Carolina couple — married in 2014 and parents to two children by adoption — decided in January to "close up shop." However, just one month after making this decision, Audrey began to feel unwell.
Initially, the 34-year-old thought her symptoms were related to her Crohn's disease, which she was diagnosed with nine months after her marriage. In 2019, she had approximately 18 inches of her small bowel removed. But as her condition worsened, Crawford, 33, suggested she take a pregnancy test just in case.
Audrey, who in 2017 had taken Femara — a medication used to induce ovulation in women with infertility — initially dismissed Crawford's suggestion, thinking she was unlikely to be pregnant.
"One night, (in April) while he was in the living room playing with the kids, I went to the restroom and saw the test lying on the counter," Audrey tells PEOPLE exclusively. "I thought, let me take this real quick, just to put my mind at ease."
A few minutes later, when she looked at the test, her jaw dropped.
"I've taken a lot of tests in my 10 years of marriage, and I've never seen one show a positive result so quickly. I was like, 'Oh my gosh.' "
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Not long after, the expectant mom set up her phone in the bathroom and called Crawford, pretending something was wrong with the sink. When he entered the room, he saw Audrey holding up the positive test.
"He was as shocked as I was, especially because we had just had the conversation that we weren’t going to try anymore," she says. "It wasn’t even on my doctor's radar, which is the funny thing."
Audrey eventually posted the video of her husband’s reaction to TikTok, where it has garnered more than 1.3 million views. Since then, she has continued to open up about her fertility journey.
Audrey Bolton
Audrey Bolton with her familyWhile she had previously dabbled in posting on social media, Audrey had never publicly shared her fertility struggles; only those closest to her knew.
"I don't necessarily regret not sharing this earlier, but it definitely makes me realize we are not alone," she says. "You come in contact with people every day who are fighting that battle, whether they keep it silent or open up about it."
"It's heartbreaking to see how many people experience infertility, but at the same time, the number of people who say, 'You've given me hope,' or share their own stories of waiting 10, 15, or even 18 years for their miracle is incredible," she adds. "The main thing I like to tell people is you just can't lose hope."
Upon learning about her pregnancy, Audrey and Crawford shared the news with their children, Camden Ivey, 6, and Emmy James, 2, as well as their extended families.
While her parents have always loved their grandchildren, Audrey says there’s a unique excitement this time because they’ve never been present to experience the birth of one of their grandchildren before.
"It’s exciting to think about whether this baby will look like me or Crawford, and it’s special that Crawford will be present for the delivery since he wasn’t able to be in the delivery room with Emmy," she adds. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to experience these moments together."
Audrey Bolton
Audrey Bolton with her family.Reflecting on her fertility journey, Audrey admits that when she first learned she was pregnant, her excitement was mixed with concern about whether her body could handle it. She also notes another challenge for the couple: starting over after having moved past the baby phase.
They had begun discussing travel plans and activities they couldn’t do when their kids were younger. "And then it’s like, bam, you’re starting over from scratch, and you’ve gotten rid of all your baby items. Holy moly, are we really doing this?" she says.
However, after her initial doctor's appointment, at which she was able to discuss her medical history and its potential impact on the pregnancy, her anxiety eased.
"Infertility is incredibly hard. And undergoing treatments, even basic ones, can make a negative result feel devastating. That’s why we shifted our focus to adoption," she says.
"We had initially wanted three children, but I remember discussing with Crawford last year that I didn’t think I could go through the adoption process again due to the emotional and mental toll. He agreed, saying he was happy with our two children. We have a boy and a girl, and life is good."
"Hearing the heartbeat during that appointment made me much more excited," she adds. "Since then, it’s been really, really good. I’ve been amazed at what my body has been able to do, and I’m very thankful for that."
In July, Audrey and Crawford revealed on social media that they will be welcoming a baby girl in November. The couple has already chosen a name, which Audrey says is a blend of their names.
Both of their older children have family names, so it was important for their newborn to have one as well. Audrey says, "After we had our two and had settled on family names, I thought, 'Okay, we’re done with that.' But then, bam, we had to go back to the drawing board."
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