“Bachelor In Paradise” star Krystal Nielson recently gave birth to her second child, and she’s finally shared the harrowing story of her experience. Her story is that of resilience and love.
Krystal Nielson’s Birth Story
In an Instagram post on December 3, 2025, Nielson called her second child, Rowan’s, birth “the most traumatic experience we’ve ever endured,” referring to herself and her husband, Miles Bowels. Nielson said she gave birth weeks ago, but needed to heal at home before discussing the details.
According to Nielson, she went in for a “scheduled induction due to an umbilical vein vax,” a condition Nielson was familiar with having gone through the same issue with her daughter. Nielson described a lovely birth with her first child, and admitted she and her husband “thought baby #2 would be faster and gentler.”
Unfortunately, that was not the case. Nielson was in labor for 33 hours with very little progress, describing her state as “utterly exhausted and sleep deprived.” Eventually, she agreed to an epidural so the medical team could break her water.
Things seemed to be looking up from there; less than three hours later, Nielson was ready to start pushing. At the same moment, “a double rainbow … painted itself across the sky outside [her] window.” Nielson believed this to be a sign from Heaven.
Yet, the labor process was not as smooth sailing as anyone would have liked. Nielson pushed for three-and-a-half hours to no avail. She knew something was wrong, telling her midwife, “He isn’t coming.” It turns out Rowan was stuck under her pubic bone, meaning a vaginal delivery was no longer an option.
“The Bachelor” star’s doctor tried to rotate the baby, but realized her uterus had ruptured. Nielson was immediately rushed to the operating room to have a C-section.
Due to the complications, Rowan swallowed blood and had to spend time in the NICU before Neilson and her husband could hold their new baby.
The story has a happy ending. Rowan survived and was returned to his parents. Nielson said every test performed on her son “came back normal.” The doctors were also able to repair Nielson’s uterus, although she’s been advised not to have anymore children. As the mom was hoping to someday have a third child, she called this news “devastating to hear.”
Krystal Nielson’s New Family Tradition
GettyAt the end of her Instagram post, Nielson said her family has a new tradition given Rowan’s difficult birth story.
“Every year on Rowan’s birthday, we will lower ourselves into ice-cold water together. We will remember was 92.3 °F felt like when the world hung in the balance. We will shiver, we will cry, we will laugh, and we will rise–because that is the story of how our son came to us.”
The temperature is in reference to the 72 hours Rowan spent in “protective hypothermia–his body cooled to 92.3 °F to protect his brain.”
