Lovi Poe Experienced 30-Hour Labor and Preeclampsia Giving Birth

Actress and new mom of one Lovi Poe hasn't spoken much about her motherhood journey till now. She's also kept her daughter's face off the internet, a decision she and her husband Monty Blencowe made together.

In a recent interview with Boy Abunda, Lovi shared a behind-the-scenes look at her motherhood journey, including a glimpse of her birthing story, her daughter's name, and a peek into their family life. During the September 2 interview, Lovi said her daughter, who is in America, just turned eleven months old.

“Malungkot ako kasi andun siya sa America. Tapos ilang araw akong malayo sa kanya. First time ko na maging malayo sa kanya,” the first-time mom shared.

Boy Abunda confirmed whether Lovi shows her daughter’s face on social media. She said, “Hindi pa because this is what works for us this time. Maybe because of how the internet and privacy work now. But it’s a discussion my husband and I are having right now. Eventually, I think it will be nice to share this beautiful treasure that we have. Maybe in the future.”​

​It was also Lovi’s first time revealing her daughter’s name, Sloane. “Sloane means warrior. May mga listahan kami ng mga puwedeng pangalan, pero wala talagang nag-match na gusto naming mag-asawa. Sloane lang talaga. And it’s not common.”

It was not just a name for Lovi, but also a message she wanted her to carry for the rest of her life. “I want her to grow up thinking that she's a fighter and, you know, that she's a tough cookie,” Lovi explained.

READ MORE: 80 Beautiful Baby Girl Names For Your Little One

Just like her daughter’s name, Lovi went through a battle and became a warrior when she gave birth. Behind the picture-perfect photos, Lovi’s birth experience and first moments with her daughter were not quite as perfect as they appeared. Indeed, every birth experience has a story to tell.

“I chose not to hold her first,” Lovi began telling her birth story.

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“Hindi sa hindi ko siya mahawakan. I chose not to at first. They asked me if I wanted to hold my baby. And I said, not right now because I’m very groggy pa.”

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Lovi had preeclampsia when she gave birth, which caused her blood pressure to go up. She was also in labor for 30 hours without epidural—"not by choice".

“Pag-gising ko, wala pa ko sa wisyo. I didn’t wanna hold her and have that first moment and not feel it fully,” she explained. She remembered her husband being briefly sad about it, but she decided to wait until she felt completely fine.

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Lovi shared that her first moment as a mother was unlike the movies: “It's not like in the movies where it's instant,” she explained.

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But even though she was still trying to process her emotions, her mother’s instinct kicked in immediately. Once the medicines wore off, she started to ask, “Wait lang, hindi pa siya kumakain. I haven’t fed her. What should I do?”

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“When I snapped out of the meds, nagpatawag agad ako ng nurse. I asked, should I breastfeed her? Ang dami kong questions,” Lovi continued.

She learned just how powerful a mother’s instinct can be.

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After a few days, Lovi finally felt more like herself. “There’s a sudden rush of emotions. It’s a certain love that you can't even explain. Parang this is no joke—now I know exactly what love means,” she said. “I've been singing so many songs, you know, and have fallen in love with so many things, but this is different.”

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Lovi Poe also had a renewed appreciation for her mother after giving birth. She said, “It’s only when you become a mother that you will truly understand and empathize with your mom. I saw her after I gave birth, umiyak ako, and I said sorry. I said sorry, not because of the pain of childbirth. But because, I was looking at Sloane, I went from this baby to who I am now. It must have been a rollercoaster ride of emotions. It’s nice to see your kid grow up, but then it must have hurt as well because of the changes.”

Want to read more birthing stories? Here's actress Valeen Montenegro's birthing story exclusive with Smart Parenting.