Shawn Johnson East got real about the bittersweet moments that come with adjusting to life as the mom of three.
“Most amazing thing about this special small window of time with a newborn is being able to hold, cuddle, nurse, and be with him 24/7,” Johnson East, 31, shared via her Instagram Story on Tuesday, January 9. “It’s a time like no other that you’ll never get back.”
The Olympic gold medalist posted a photo of herself holding son Barrett “Bear,” who was born in December 2023, while reflecting on an unexpected drawback of having a new baby.
“But, the hardest part of this short phase is missing my big kids,” Johnson East confessed, noting, “Daddy is doing the best job in the world showering them with attention and adventures, but this mama misses her big babies.”
Along with Bear, Johnson East shares daughter Drew, 4, and sons Jett, 2, with husband Andrew East, whom she wed in 2016. Earlier this month, the former gymnast gushed about how her spouse has helped juggle their two older kids.
“I love doing life with you. @andrewdeast,” Johnson East captioned an Instagram video on Saturday, January 6, showing a glimpse of East, 32, playing with Drew. Johnson East told her followers a few “things my husband doesn’t know,” including that she “count[s] down the hours until he gets home because I miss him.”
She shared, “I love the way he lights up our home with his presence. I cherish the way he loves me & our children.” Johnson East added, “I love the way he handles my attitude with grace,” noting that the “little things” that the former NFL player does “will never go unnoticed.”
Since welcoming Bear, Johnson East has been open about her personal highs and lows. She explained last month that she decided against using “narcotic” pain medication during her son’s C-section delivery based on her history with Adderall.
“Long story short, during my comeback in 2010, I was prescribed Adderall to ‘curb my appetite and give me more energy’ by a not-good doctor,” Johnson East claimed via her Instagram Story. “Fast forward 7 years of being heavily addicted to it and having it control me.”
Johnson East, who retired from gymnastics in 2012 after winning four Olympic medals, revealed that she has since weaned herself off the pain pills. “It affected every part of my life and changed who I was. I never want to feel out of control like that again,” she said, noting that she steers clear of “anything remotely addictive.”
