Kayleigh McEnany’s Journey to Motherhood: A Story of Faith and Perseverance

Kayleigh McEnany, the 35-year-old Fox News presenter and former White House press secretary, has recently opened up about her deeply personal journey to motherhood in her new memoir, *Serenity in the Storm: Living Through Chaos by Leaning on Christ*. The book, set to be released on May 2, 2024, chronicles her experiences as she navigated the challenges of trying to conceive her second child, Nash, after the birth of her daughter, Blake, who is now three years old.

In the summer of 2021, McEnany and her husband, former New York Mets player Sean Gilmartin, decided they wanted to expand their family. Their first pregnancy had been relatively straightforward, leading to the joyful arrival of Blake. However, the path to welcoming their second child was fraught with emotional turmoil and uncertainty. In an exclusive extract shared with DailyMail.com, McEnany candidly reflects on her struggles with infertility, revealing that several months passed with negative pregnancy tests, leading her to question why she wasn’t getting pregnant again.

As spring 2022 approached, McEnany found herself grappling with worry and doubt. “My first pregnancy happened rather quickly, and we felt blessed that God had given us a beautiful daughter with relative ease. The second time around was different,” she wrote. In an effort to combat her anxiety, she turned to faith, inspired by Mark Batterson’s *Draw The Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge*, which encouraged her to pray with expectation. Yet, she admits that this was not an easy task, as feelings of doubt and frustration often crept in.

A pivotal moment in her journey occurred during the Extraordinary Women Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in March 2022. Overwhelmed by her worries about conceiving, McEnany found solace in the uplifting atmosphere of the conference. Surrounded by music and prayers, she was able to refocus her attention on her faith. It was here that she encountered Kathy Sparks Lesnoff, the CEO of Mosaic Pregnancy and Health Centers, who offered to pray for her desire to have another child. This heartfelt moment of support became a turning point for McEnany, who felt the power of community and shared faith.

After returning home, McEnany and Gilmartin prayed together for a child, and unbeknownst to her, her father’s Bible study group was also praying for her. Just three days later, she felt compelled to take another pregnancy test, despite having taken several that month, all of which had been negative. This time, however, the test revealed two pink lines, indicating that she was indeed pregnant. The joy of this moment was palpable as she shared the news with her husband, who embraced her in a heartfelt hug, marking the beginning of their journey toward welcoming Nash.

In her memoir, McEnany emphasizes that while her worries about conceiving lasted only a few months, many women face far longer struggles with infertility. She expresses deep empathy for those who endure such challenges, acknowledging that their journeys can be filled with heartache and unanswered prayers. “My heart breaks for these women, and I imagine the struggle can be incomprehensible,” she writes. “Why did God answer my prayers? I do not have an answer, for we will never know God’s mysteries in full while here on earth.”

In December 2022, McEnany joyfully announced the birth of her son, Nash, on Twitter, sharing images of her newborn and her daughter, Blake, alongside him. The couple expressed their gratitude for the blessings they had received, stating, “What a truly joyful time. God has blessed us immensely.”

Kayleigh McEnany’s story is one of resilience, faith, and the power of community support. Her candid reflections on her struggles with infertility resonate with many women who have faced similar challenges. Through her journey, she highlights the importance of leaning on faith and the strength found in prayer, while also acknowledging the complexities of God’s timing in our lives. As she prepares to share her story with the world, McEnany hopes to inspire others to find hope and strength in their own journeys, no matter how difficult they may be.

The 35-year-old Fox News presenter said she and her husband, former New York Mets player Sean Gilmartin, had decided they wanted to have a second child in the summer of 2021 after the birth of their daughter, Blake, who is now three years old.

The couple welcomed their second child, Nash, in December last year.

But it was not an easy road to pregnancy for the mom-of-two.

Trump-era press secretary Kayleigh McEnany has shared her bitter struggle to have her second child

The 35-year-old Fox News presenter shared she and husband Sean Gilmartin, 32, had decided they wanted to have a second child in the summer 2021

‘My first pregnancy happened rather quickly, and we felt blessed that God had given us a beautiful daughter with relative ease. The second time around was different,’ Kayleigh wrote in an extract shared exclusively with DailyMail.com from her new book, Serenity in the Storm: Living Through Chaos by Leaning on Christ.

‘Several months passed, and negative pregnancy tests were ample. As spring of 2022 approached, part of me began to worry. Why wasn’t I getting pregnant? I attempted to overcome worry by leaning on faith.’

After reading Mark Batterson’s Draw The Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge, given to her by a friend, Kayleigh said she started to ‘pray with expectation,’ but it did not come easily to her.

‘We have a tendency to expect immediate results. That is a natural human inclination, one that I certainly fall into myself,’ she said.

‘As I tried to pray with expectation, Satan did his best to infiltrate with worry, doubt, and frustration.’

Her frustration came to a head on a Saturday in March when she was about to deliver a speech at the Extraordinary Women Conference 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Kayleigh said she had been ‘overcome with worry’ about not being able to fall pregnant, while it seemed she was surrounded by friends who were announcing they were expecting.

But that frustration shifted at the Christian conference as she listened to gospel singer Mandisa, prayers and the music ‘ringing through the building,’ she said, and she refocused her attention on God.

Kayleigh pictured with Fox News presenters Ainsley Earhardt and Carley Shimkus

She said her daughter, Blake, was conceived easily compared to her second child, Nash (pictured with Kayleigh)

She said several months passed and negative pregnancy tests were ‘ample.’ Pictured on Fox News with her husband

Kayleigh served as White House press secretary from April 2020 to January 2021

The Trump-era press secretary also spoke of the support of family, friends and people she had just met who were willing to help her through her time of struggle, including a moment with Kathy Sparks Lesnoff, who is the CEO of Mosaic Pregnancy and Health Centers – a group that offers pregnancy resources to women in need.

She was a speaker at one of the organization’s events in Collinsville, Illinois, about two weeks after she was in Tulsa.

The sweet moment Kayleigh shared with Blake she was going to be a big sister

‘I opened up about my desire to have a second child with Kathy and her family, and without hesitation, Kathy asked if she could pray over me. I agreed, and right there at our dinner table, Kathy and I bowed our heads while she said a heartfelt prayer for God to bless me with a child,’ Kayleigh said.

‘”The last time I said a prayer like this, God blessed the young woman with twins!” she shared with me at the conclusion of our prayer. I smiled from ear to ear at the thought!’

When she returned home, Kayleigh and her husband, 32, also prayed together for a child, and, ‘unbeknownst’ to her, her dad’s Bible study was also doing the same.

And then three days later, Kayleigh said she ‘felt the urge’ to take a pregnancy test.

‘I had already taken about five or six that month. All were negative,’ she wrote.

‘Nevertheless, for some reason, I felt the urge to take one that Tuesday morning, three days after our prayer. I suppose you could say I took the test that morning with expectation.

She talked about family, friends and strangers she’d just met praying for her to fall pregnant

Kayleigh also revealed the joyous moment she broke the baby news to her husband, saying: ‘I set the two tests on the table, displaying two pink lines on each one. He wrapped me up in a big hug’

Kayleigh is pictured here with then White House advisor and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner in 2020

‘A few minutes after taking the test, I saw a slight pink double line, indicating a pregnancy.

‘”Is this real?!” I wondered. I took a second just in case, and sure enough, two solid pink lines!’

Kayleigh also revealed the joyous moment she broke the baby news to her husband.

‘With a knowing smile on my face, I found Sean in the office, working on his iPad, and I scurried up to the table beside him,’ she said.

‘I set the two tests on the table, displaying two pink lines on each one. He wrapped me up in a big hug. Our journey with our second child was just beginning.

‘For Sean and me, our worries about getting pregnant lasted only a few months. Moreover, they came after we had been blessed with our first child.

‘For millions of women, struggles with pregnancy occur for far longer than a few months, and for some, pregnancy is simply not possible, even though they pray with hopeful expectation and faith, as Sean and I did.

The mom-of-two announced the birth of her second child on Twitter back in December last year

Kayleigh shared images of baby boy Nash, adding that she and her husband, Sean Gilmartin, were ‘so thrilled to announce the birth of our son’

She also shared this snap of daughter Blake, three, alongside her brother

Kayleigh’s candid memoir, Serenity in the Storm: Living Through Chaos by Leaning on Christ, is out May 2

‘My heart breaks for these women, and I imagine the struggle can be incomprehensible.

‘Why did God answer my prayers? I do not have an answer, for we will never know God’s mysteries in full while here on earth.’

In December last year, the Fox News presenter, who co-hosts Outnumbered, announced the birth of Nash on Twitter.

The new mother-of-two wrote at the time: ‘@GilmartinSean & I are thrilled to announce the birth of our son, Nash!

‘What a truly joyful time. God has blessed us immensely.’

She shared a picture of Nash snuggled up on a blue blanket, as well as an image of Sean snuggling their newborn, and finally a snap of daughter Blake, three, alongside her brother.

Serenity in the Storm: Living Through Chaos by Leaning on Christ is out May 2.