Hailey Bieber, Expecting Mom, Felt Unwell Hiding Her Pregnancy for 6 Months

When Hailey Bieber and her husband, Justin Bieber, revealed in May that they were expecting their first child, the model was nearly six months pregnant and eager for some “freedom to go out and live my life.”

“I didn’t enjoy the stress of not being able to enjoy my pregnancy outwardly,” the model and Rhode cosmetics founder shared in a recent interview. “I felt like I was hiding this big secret, and it didn’t feel good.”

Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin), 27, opened up about her journey to motherhood in an interview with W magazine for a cover story published Tuesday. She discussed how she could have kept her baby bump hidden “until the end.” The couple announced their pregnancy in May through matching Instagram posts. Photos and videos showcased Hailey in a white lace gown, cradling what appeared to be a baby bump. Bieber told the magazine she “stayed small for a long time” and managed to keep her pregnancy a secret with “big jackets and stuff.”

Since the announcement, Hailey has publicly embraced her baby bump, revealing her midriff in Instagram posts and Rhode events. The Biebers are expecting their first child more than four years after they got married in New York City. Hailey also mentioned that people have “made me feel so bad about my relationship [with Justin Bieber] since day one.”

Addressing years of negative speculation and criticism surrounding her romance with the 30-year-old “Sorry” and “Peaches” singer, Hailey Bieber said, “It’s like people don’t want to believe that we’re happy.”

“I’ve tried to think that you get used to it at a certain point, that this is what’s going to be said and this is how people are going to be,” she added. “But I realize that it doesn’t actually ever hurt any less.”

Hailey, the daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin and niece of Alec Baldwin, also reflected on her “not super close” relationship with her family. “I feel like I’m very independent,” she said.

“I’m my own individual now, and I’ve built my own family,” she added. “But when I look back on my childhood and how I grew up, I have very fond, beautiful memories.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.