Bunnie Xo reflected on the hurtful comments she received about her body during her pregnancy, saying that the experience taught her not to let online criticism affect her self-esteem. The podcast’s author talked about the stress of having fertility treatment when people look at her for her looks.Bunnie Xo, whose real name is Alisa Andrea DeFord, spoke to a guest on the July 7 episode of her podcast about her experiences with endometriosis, weight gain and the criticism she’s faced online during her health journey. The conversation prompted the 46-year-old podcaster to reflect on her own birthing journey and the painful judgments she’s faced from strangers online.
Bunnie Xo pa IVF obesity and online criticism
Bunnie Xo detailed the results of in vitro fertilization and comments from online viewers. “I know what it’s like to try to manage that. When I was going through IVF, it weighed on me, and people would be like, ‘Oh, she’s bigger than her husband now,'” she said, describing the specific types of comparisons that strangers made about her body changes.
Bunnie Xo shared how she learned to ignore the body-shaming comments made during her IVF journey and focus on her own birth control. Photoshoot (Bunnie Xo Instagram)
The singer emphasized the harshness of the comments based on how they were said. “You’re trying to make a baby with your body, and it’s like people don’t respect. The Internet is very crazy, but I’ve learned that they are sad people who have nothing to do than to answer for other people’s lives. So you can’t let this get to you,” he said, thinking about how he learned to fix and eliminate disagreements.Her comments highlight the unique vulnerability people face during fertility treatments when physical and emotional demands are already at an all-time high.
The reproductive journey is Jelly Roll
Bunnie Xo’s thoughts on her IVF experience come weeks after she opened up about her plans to continue having a baby with her estranged husband, singer Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord, despite their split. In the June 18 episode of her podcast, she revealed that she and Jelly Roll finalized their divorce quickly but remained committed to their goal of becoming parents.“We’re basically setting up our divorce as… We’ve done it like, what? Three weeks? Two weeks? We have a child together,” he said at the time. The couple described themselves as the “most disparate people” they had ever met, explaining that they were planning for a single parent to move forward.Bunnie Xo emphasized their relationship during the split. “We will have parents together. J is my best friend. Like, this is not what you think it is. No one cheated on the other. It’s just that we fulfilled our purpose for each other,” she said explaining what led to their divorce.
Despite their split, Bunnie Xo and Jelly Roll remain committed to having a baby together, continuing their pregnancy journey and planning to co-parent. Photoshoot (Bunnie Xo Instagram)
Bunnie Xo on the mental health issues of fertility issues
The couple’s birthing journey has had a profound effect on both people. Bunnie Xo revealed that she lost four embryos while trying to conceive together, a tragic setback in their efforts to start a family. “It messed me up mentally, spiritually, physically,” he said, explaining how the death affected him.She added that both Jelly Roll, 41, received hormone therapy during childbirth. “In a way I thought J and I were in danger” she expressed her acceptance of how her experience of dealing with fertility problems deepened their connection despite the end of their relationship.
The old family continues to devote themselves to childhood
Despite the end of their marriage, both Bunnie Xo and Jelly Roll are focused on their dreams of becoming parents. Bunnie Xo previously wrote in her ‘Stripped Down’ article published in February that she and Jelly Roll found a surrogate and planned to continue their fertility journey using her eggs and sperm. They wrote that they have been trying to have a child together since October 31, 2019, which shows years of dedication to this goal.Bunnie Xo has shown her determination to see the birthing journey through despite the challenges she faces. “I am very happy to live my life through the eyes of a child, so this journey of a child, I will not let it destroy me, and I will not stop it. And J has been very happy with us while we still have a child together and he wants the same thing. And we are just raising little Nugget as one big happy family,” said his parents sharing their future.Bunnie Xo and Jelly Roll tied the knot in August 2016 and have been open about their efforts to grow their family, documenting their birthing journey publicly in recent years.