Pregnancy is often portrayed as a magical journey, but for Bec Judd, her twin pregnancy was anything but. In a raw and emotional revelation, she describes it as one of the most physically and mentally exhausting experiences of her life. Speaking candidly on the Vain-ish podcast, which she co-hosts with Jessie Roberts, the TV personality shed light on the intense challenges she faced while carrying her twins, Tom and Darcy—a journey that ultimately led her to make the controversial decision to undergo tubal ligation after their birth.
But here's where it gets controversial: Judd’s choice to have her tubes tied wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment decision. She revealed that her small frame, combined with already having two young children at home, made the pregnancy increasingly unbearable. “By the end, I really couldn’t do anything,” she shared, painting a vivid picture of how even the simplest movements became a Herculean task. In the final weeks, she was confined to resting on her side, her body refusing to cooperate. And this is the part most people miss—the emotional toll. Judd confessed to crying alone in the shower while her husband, Chris, was at work, feeling overwhelmed and desperate for the pregnancy to end.
Her honesty about the darker side of pregnancy is a refreshing departure from the curated perfection often seen in the spotlight. Judd, who was 33 when she unexpectedly fell pregnant with the twins during a holiday in New Zealand, described the boys as “the biggest blessing,” but admitted her body sensed early on that this pregnancy was different. The twins were delivered via a planned cesarean at 35 weeks, and Judd was unwavering in her decision to have her tubes tied during the procedure—a choice she had to repeatedly advocate for.
However, the aftermath was emotionally complex. Postpartum hormones flooded in, leaving her overwhelmed with regret. “I cried for two weeks straight,” she admitted, even briefly wishing she could reverse the procedure. But once her hormones settled, clarity and peace followed. “After that passed, I knew it was absolutely the right decision for me,” she said. Today, Judd and Chris are proud parents to four children—Oscar, 12, Billie, 10, and twins Tom and Darcy, 9—and she wouldn’t change a thing about their family.
But here’s the question that lingers: How many women face similar struggles during pregnancy and feel unable to speak openly about them? Judd’s candidness sparks an important conversation about the physical and emotional realities of motherhood, especially when it comes to making permanent decisions like tubal ligation. Do you think society does enough to support women through these challenging experiences? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s keep this conversation going. And remember, if you or someone you know is struggling, Lifeline offers 24/7 support via their crisis line at 13 11 14, text service at 0477 13 11 14, or online chat at https://www.lifeline.org.au/crisis-chat/.
