Claire Holt felt "broken and ashamed" after suffering a miscarriage.
Claire Holt
The 'Vampire Diaries' star and her husband Andrew Joblon tragically lost their baby towards the end of the first trimester of pregnancy in March last year, and Claire has bravely opened up about her "intense" battle with "grief".
Speaking to Mini magazine, she admitted: "Our journey certainly hasn't been an easy one.
"When we decided that we wanted to try for a baby, we were lucky to conceive fairly quickly.
"I remember feeling so joyful and excited when two lines appeared on the pregnancy test early last year.
She continued: "Sadly, we lost the baby late in the first trimester.
"It was devastating and I felt broken and ashamed.
"Because I experienced such intense grief, I found it very difficult to process things and move on.
"Thankfully, we were blessed with another pregnancy around five months later."
The 30-year-old actress struggled to "connect" with their son James, who was born 12 days ago, until she knew he was "genetically healthy" and she also suffered with "anxiety" when they fell pregnant again.
She said: "We were both so thrilled.
"I do remember feeling a lot of anxiety once the initial excitement wore off. "Because of the miscarriage, I didn't want to get my hopes up."
Claire added: "It was quite difficult to connect with the baby and I was on edge for most of the first semester.
"After we were told that the baby was genetically healthy, I allowed myself to relax a little, but it was certainly a different experience than the first time."
The actress announced her pregnancy two months after the couple tied the knot in Beverly Hills, California, last August.
She wrote on Instagram: "My heart is bursting. I'm so happy to share with you that we are having a baby! It still doesn't feel real. These past few months have been filled with excitement, anxiety, tears, joy, uncertainty but most of all gratitude. You never forget the deep pain of loss. It dims with time but it informs many of your experiences. Our loss earlier this year was the darkest moment of my life. Yet, it made me infinitely more thankful for the precious baby growing inside me today. I want to take a moment to acknowledge all those struggling with miscarriage, infertility or any of the difficulties that come with bringing new life into the world. I know that these announcements can hurt. I've felt it all. My heart is with you and I pray that our story gives you hope. Thank you all so much for your love and support - I can't wait to share this journey with you."
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