Tears of Joy: New mom Kristen Doute isn’t letting motherhood faze her – she’s embracing it with open arms and sharing precious moments with her fans.

Kristen Doute Opens Up About Motherhood, Baby Kaia, and Her Incredible Transformation

For Bravo fans, Kristen Doute’s tears are a familiar sight—but today, as she introduces her newborn daughter Kaia Lily with fiancé Luke Broderick in a shoot for Us Weekly, the tears are different. Gone is the heartbreak and drama; in their place is pure joy.

“I feel so lucky, so fortunate. Honestly, I could never have dreamed this,” Kristen gushes. “She’s the most perfect thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Baby Kaia’s arrival marks a stunning new chapter for Kristen, 42, who first captured viewers’ attention as the wildest waitress at SUR on the original season of Vanderpump Rules back in 2013. Her tumultuous romance with Tom Sandoval, the endless drama, and the roller-coaster friendships made her a reality TV legend. But after her contract wasn’t renewed in 2020, Kristen stepped away from the spotlight, focusing on her fashion brand, James Mae.

Then, in March 2024, she made a triumphant return to TV with The Valley, the VPR spinoff. By November, Kristen revealed she was pregnant after undergoing intrauterine insemination, following a heartbreaking miscarriage in 2023.

Now, as season 2 unfolds, Kristen and Luke, 33, are fan favorites—and, remarkably, the show’s voices of reason. Kristen’s calm, grounded happiness is a far cry from her reality TV beginnings. This is Kristen 2.0—embracing motherhood, sharing her fertility journey, and savoring every moment with her daughter.

A Dream Come True

Kristen admits she’s still in disbelief. “It’s wild that we have an actual human. She’s ours, she’s here, and I keep thinking, ‘We just take her home now?’ It’s surreal.”

Motherhood, she says, is exhausting but exhilarating. “The tiredness is no joke. We thought we had a system down, but then there are nights where everything goes haywire. We’re all figuring it out together.”

She’s grateful for the quiet time at home. “We’re not filming right now, so we get to just be a family. I feel so fortunate.”

The Birth Experience

Kristen was nervous about giving birth. “I was induced a week early because I’m over 40. Labor lasted about 14 hours, but it flew by. I had an epidural—no pain at all, which was my plan! When it was time, I pushed for nine minutes, and there she was.”

Luke was by her side, cutting the umbilical cord, and Kristen was amazed when newborn Kaia tried to roll over on the weighing station. “She’s already advanced!” Kristen laughs.

The Fertility Journey

Kristen has been refreshingly open about her struggles with fertility. “On The Valley, you’ll see our journey. We got pregnant two weeks after filming ended. Hearing the word ‘infertile’ was tough, but I learned it just means it might take longer—it’s not impossible.”

She hopes her honesty helps others. “Reading other women’s stories made me feel safer sharing mine. The more I opened up, the more support I received.”

Looking Back—and Forward

After her miscarriage, Kristen doubted she’d ever become a mom. “I told Luke, ‘What if nothing works?’ But he never wavered. He kept me calm when I was anxious. I’m so lucky.”

There were scary moments—like a bleeding scare at 13 weeks—but Luke’s steady presence helped. Now, Kristen marvels at how calm Kaia is with her dad. “She feels his energy. He holds her, and her tears just stop.”

As for baby number two? “We’d love another if we’re lucky. I know we’ll probably need help from our fertility doctor again, but I’m hopeful.”

A New Perspective

Motherhood has taught Kristen patience. “I’m usually so impatient, but with her, I just have endless patience and grace. We’re learning together.”

She and Luke hope to eventually move out of LA, maybe to Nashville or the Midwest, to raise Kaia closer to family.

Life on Reality TV—Then and Now

Kristen is humbled by the positive response to her new era. “I did a lot of questionable things in my 30s, but I’m grateful for the chance to show who I am now.”

Kaia will appear on The Valley’s next season, but Kristen is mindful about privacy. “I want the world to see how beautiful she is, but some moments are just for us.”

When Kaia is old enough to ask about her mom’s reality TV past, Kristen won’t shy away. “The best way to learn is by being honest. Here are my mistakes, here’s reality, and here’s how you grow.”

For now, Kristen is simply soaking up every moment. “I feel so incredibly connected to her. If she has my personality, there’s no one better to raise a little Kristen than me. But I hope she’s more adventurous and less anxious—more like Luke.”

Kristen Doute’s journey from “Crazy Kristen” to “Crazy About Kaia” is a testament to growth, resilience, and the transformative power of motherhood.