Former 'Bachelor' Star Shanae Ankney Expecting First Child: Reveals Gender of Baby with Boyfriend Nate Ebner!

Courtesy of Shanae Ankney/Instagram

Shanae Ankney, a former contestant on The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise, has exciting news as she announces her impending motherhood! She joyfully reveals that she is expecting her first child, a baby girl, with her boyfriend Nate Ebner.

"I'm eagerly anticipating the joy of being a mother to a baby girl 🩷. Baby Ebner is due to arrive in April 2024," Ankney expressed on Instagram on Monday, October 23. She accompanied her announcement with photos of the couple celebrating and a cupcake revealing pink frosting in the center.

At 16 weeks pregnant, Ankney revealed to People that she had a strong intuition about her pregnancy even before confirming it with a test.

"I simply had a strong intuition," she stated. "We anxiously anticipated the appearance of the double lines, and suddenly, there they were."

At approximately 10 weeks into their pregnancy, the couple pursued genetic testing as a means to ascertain the gender of their unborn child.

"I decided to forego the traditional way of finding out the gender from the doctor and opted for a more unique approach. Instead, my partner and I took the results to a bakery where we had cupcakes specially made in either pink or blue colors. The idea was that we would discover the gender of our baby once we bit into the cupcakes. We wanted to share this special moment in an intimate setting, just the two of us, as it is our first pregnancy."

The former professional football player, aged 34, expressed his immense excitement about becoming a father. He eagerly looks forward to building a truly special and unparalleled bond with his baby girl.

"Shanae possesses an extraordinary essence and I eagerly anticipate witnessing her extraordinary nurturing abilities as a parent to our child. Undoubtedly, she will excel in this role, owing to her abundance of love. While acknowledging the inevitable challenges, I firmly believe in my own capacity to contribute, and I am enthusiastic about embracing the journey, the obstacles, and the opportunities for personal growth."

Ankney made her debut on Bachelor Nation during season 26 with Clayton Echard in January 2022, where she was depicted as the antagonist. Her controversial remarks about fellow contestant Elizabeth Corrigan's ADHD diagnosis received significant backlash. Echard later admitted that had he been aware of this interaction, he would have immediately eliminated Ankney.

In a notorious turn of events, Ankney was ultimately eliminated during a two-on-one date in Niagara Falls alongside Echard and Genevieve Parisi. Following the show, Echard attempted to mend things with contestant Susie Evans, but their relationship ended in September 2022.

Ankney, for her part, joined the cast of Bachelor in Paradise season 8 but ultimately left the beaches of Mexico single. She and Ebner went public with their relationship in April via Instagram.