Teresa Palmer is now expecting her second child with husband Mark Webber. The actress' current pregnancy, however, started out rocky and even led to a more serious health diagnosis for Palmer.
In an interview with OK! magazine, the "Lights Out" star recounted how difficult it was for her and Webber to try for a second pregnancy. Palmer described the experience as "stressful, confusing, sad, disappointing and downright unsexy," Daily Mail reported.
Teresa Palmer's Molar Pregnancy
The 30-year-old Palmer recalled that she and her husband was overwhelmed with excitement when they realized that they successfully conceived a second child. Their happiness, however, was cut short when doctors told them during a heartbeat ultrasound that Palmer wasn't carrying a baby, but a molar pregnancy that could become cancer.
According to the National Health Service, a molar pregnancy is unsuccessful because the placenta and fetus don't form properly. This is where a non-viable fertilized egg latches in the uterus but is unable to come to term.
Last month, Palmer wrote on her blog Your Zen Mama that she displayed the symptoms of a pregnancy back then, but it turned out to be a "potentially cancerous tumor" that grows in size. The Australian actress shared she had to be monitored weekly with blood tests to ensure that the tumor won't grow back.
Teresa Palmer's Second Pregnancy
Fortunately, Palmer's HCG levels decreased fast and chemotherapy wasn't required. Now, Palmer is healthy and truly expecting her second child due in November. The couple already has a two-year-old son named Bodhi Rain, while Webber, 36, has an 8-year-old son named Isaac Love from a past relationship.
On July 11, Palmer revealed on Your Zen Mama that she has no plans to stop breastfeeding her son Bodhi Rain as long as he wants to. She said that the child seeks her breast because it gives him a sense of comfort and connection, but he also eats different kinds of food.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advised moms to breastfeed a child for the first six months of its life, though some mothers breastfeed their kid until three or four years old, Us Weekly reported. In her post, Palmer mentioned Dr. Katherine A. Dettwyler, an anthropology professor at the University of Delaware. Dettwyler believes that a child's IQ score and school grades are higher if he/she breastfed longer.
Palmer's "Lights Out" is currently out in theaters. Directed by David Sandberg, the horror flick also stars Gabriel Bateman, Maria Bello, Lotta Losten, Billy Burke, and Alexander DiPersia.
