Emily Maynard reflected on the highs and lows of 2020 and in the process revealed that she suffered from Bell’s palsy while pregnant with her fifth child.
The former Bachelorette, 34, posted a series of throwback photos via her Instagram Story on Friday, January 1. In one shot, she had one eye covered by a black mask. “September 2020,” she wrote. “Got Bells [sic] palsy and had to wear a patch.”
Bell’s palsy is characterized by sudden weakness in the facial muscles that is often temporary, according to the Mayo Clinic. The exact cause of the condition is unknown.
Elsewhere in the flashbacks, Maynard noted that she found out she was pregnant in February 2020 and “spent [the] next nine months hiding” that she was expecting. She and husband Tyler Johnson, who wed in June 2014, welcomed daughter Magnolia in October 2020.
The Bachelor alum and Johnson, 34, are also parents of sons Jennings, 5, Gibson, 4, and Gatlin, 3, while she has daughter Ricki, 15, from her relationship with her late fiancé, Ricky Hendrick.
Maynard kept her fifth pregnancy top secret. In fact, she did not announce the news until one day before giving birth. “Ready or not #5,” she captioned an Instagram photo of her baby bump in October 2020.
The I Said Yes author delivered Magnolia later that week. “Baby #5 ….oh heavenly day…” she wrote via Instagram alongside a video of herself in the hospital. Johnson then asked in the delivery room, “Is that a girl?”
Maynard shared her baby’s name days after her arrival. “Welcome to the world Magnolia Belle Johnson,” she captioned a series of Instagram photos with the then-newborn. “You are the most perfect addition to our family and to say your brothers and sister are already in love would be an understatement. My sweet Nola Belle, you are absolute magic and I can’t wait to see God uncover your personality each day. I’m so happy He picked me to be your mommy!”
The reality star appeared on The Bachelor in 2011 and got engaged to Brad Womack. After their split that May, she starred as the Bachelorette in 2012 and accepted Jef Holm’s proposal. However, they called it quits in October of that year.
