Real Housewives of Salt Lake City alum Monica Garcia is pregnant with baby No. 5, which will be her first child with boyfriend Braxton Knight.
The reality star‘s rep confirmed the joyous pregnancy news to People on Tuesday, March 4, that she’s expecting 11 months after suffering a miscarriage. The outlet shared several black-and-white photos from a maternity glamour shoot with Braxton, 29, where her sizable bare baby bump was on display.
Monica, 41, told People that her pregnancy had been a little tough, as she’s been “so sick” and nauseous the entire time. Her baby is due in April.
The Utah native explained she’s waiting to find out the sex of her baby when she gives birth, saving the moment for a surprise.
“We have no names! We are really struggling in the name department. Send us all your name suggestions!” she joked to the publication.
Monica is already a mom to four children: Bri, 19, Jaidyn, 14, West, 8, and Kendall, 7, whom she shares with ex-husband Mike Fowler.
The Bravolebrity found out she was pregnant while planning a trip to Disneyland and decided to surprise Braxton with the news they are expecting a baby at the Happiest Place on Earth.
“My best friend, Koa, helped me pull it all off,” she explained. “Koa had picked out the infant ears hat at the Mad Hatter and had ‘Aries Baby’ embroidered on them while I distracted Braxton with churros and getting my cotton candy. I told him while we were on Peter Pan, flying over NeverLand.”
Monica appeared on season 4 of RHOSLC, leaving after a drama-filled reunion that saw her clash with fellow cast members. She had epic fights with costar Heather Gay, who exposed Monica for being behind the Instagram account “Reality Von Tease.” Heather, 50, claimed it was “dedicated to annihilating and exposing” former cast member Jen Shah, before moving on to attack herself and fellow costars Lisa Barlow, Meredith Marks and Whitney Rose.
After it was announced in January 2024 that Monica wouldn’t be returning for season 5 of RHOSLC, she experienced a heartbreaking pregnancy loss.
“One thing I promised myself when opening my life up to all of you was that I was going to do it completely unapologetically and authentically raw as possible. I would show you my life in all aspects because that is what I agreed to do,” she captioned an April 2024 photo holding hands with Braxton.
“Unfortunately, today I need to share a very heartbreaking aspect. ‘There is no heartbeat.’ I don’t have many words and I’m still processing all of this myself,” she added.
“Being able to protect my peace was so important to me this pregnancy,” Monica told People about why she didn’t share the news about baby No. 5 earlier. “I’m grateful for those that have stood beside me, to the amazing fans, and loved ones I do have in my life, but that miscarriage was my lowest point with being in the public eye and I wasn’t going to put myself through that again, for the sake of the pregnancy and the baby.”
“God has been there for me every single step of the way,” she added. “I have been so blessed and been silent about all of it. I just hope someone reads this and it resonates with them on some level. Reminds them that no matter what people do to you, say about you, or try to take from you, they can never take what God has for you.”
