Ireland Baldwin says ‘pregnancy is hard’—especially when dealing with ‘idiots as family’

Even though it’s hard hearing about how badly others are struggling, it’s almost a breath of fresh air when people with a public platform get candid about life’s hardships. Ireland Baldwin, who recently announced her pregnancy, shared a very authentic account of the difficulties she’s experienced while pregnant—all while feeling grateful at the same time.

She says she was inspired to share her true feelings publicly not because she’s looking for sympathy, but because she wants to help anyone else who may be feeling the way she’s feeling. It helped her to see realistic portrayals of pregnancy, so now she wants to do the same for others.

Related: Sometimes pregnancy is the worst, so let’s stop romanticizing it

“I came across various posts and videos where people were just f—— honest about how hard this journey can be and it’s helped me so much,” she writes on Instagram. “Pregnancy is hard. It takes so much out of you. I wasn’t ready for that,” she continues, explaining she “grew up with a very jaded perception of what love really looked like.”

Ireland, who is expecting a little girl with boyfriend RAC later this year, shared she was pregnant over the holidays.

“I always wanted to have a child of my own with someone who would treat us right and love us unconditionally,” she says. “I underestimated just how hard pregnancy would be on my mind and my body,” she admits. “Being someone who deals with extreme health anxiety on a daily basis, pregnancy turned things into high gear. I’ve struggled to adapt to these changes.”

Ireland, who currently lives in Oregon, shared how difficult it is to live far away from family during this time. Her mother, Kim Basinger, lives in California, and her father, Alec Baldwin, lives in New York with his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, and their seven children. (Her father is currently facing charges of involuntary manslaughter due to his involvement in the unintentional shooting death of a cinematographer on the set of his movie, “Rust,” in 2021. The shooting occurred less than a year after Hilaria was publicly called out for appropriating being Hispanic for many years, despite being a white Boston native. Ireland has steered clear of family drama and is, in my opinion, one of the most enjoyable and relatable nepo babies on social media.)

Related: Hilary Duff’s simple, powerful honesty: ‘Pregnancy is hard’

“It’s hard moving somewhere with no family. It’s hard not being really close to family to begin with because they live far or are idiots that I want nothing to do with. It’s harder seeing other people go through this and have their parents close by.”

Ireland, who is 27 and has worked as a model and writer, shared her insecurities and fears about what motherhood will mean for her career—a valid concern, given the entertainment industry in general.

“My career isn’t going anywhere and if it is, f— it. The friends that mattered most will be there and you’ll have more room for new friendships. All of this is still worth it but it’s ok to admit how hard and scary it all can be. You are not alone.”