Why Nicole Curtis From ‘Rehab Addict’ Hid Her Pregnancy on the Set of HGTV
HGTV star Nicole Curtis revealed she kept her last pregnancy a secret on the set of her show, Rehab Addict, for a few different reasons. And she eventually enlightened fans on the choice and her reasons for taking a couple of years off.
How many children does Curtis have, when were they born, and why did she decide to keep news of her most recent pregnancy concealed at work?
Who are Nicole Curtis’ children?
The Rehab Addict star has two children, but one is a young adult. Her oldest son, Ethan, was born in 1998 when she was 20. And he spent much time on job sites with his mom when he was a kid.
Curtis had another son, Harper, in 2015. Notably, when she became pregnant with her youngest child, she intended to be a single parent. But his father was awarded visitation when he was 6 months old. “Harper had never, ever been away from me before,” Curtis told PEOPLE about the change. “That was the most horrific moment. It was heart-wrenching.”
The ensuing custody battle saw the parents fighting over many things, including how to feed their infant. The court instructed Curtis to produce enough breast milk to supply visits with her ex. He accused her of continuing to breastfeed to limit his time further.
However, Curtis said the parents were “working on” their arrangement despite the fighting and added, “It’s still not perfect or even close, but it’s a lot better.”
Why Nicole Curtis hid her pregnancy on ‘Rehab Addict’
When Curtis was pregnant with Harper, it wasn’t a “strategic” decision to keep the news quiet, she later disclosed. In her book, Better Than New, she shared, “… It was just one of those moments where I was like this isn’t anyone else’s time and space.”
“This is mine,” she declared about having her second child (per PEOPLE.)
Furthermore, Curtis felt protective and said, “Having my newborn child’s face plastered all over social media on a Facebook post where someone could cut and paste it and make it a meme, that wasn’t for me.”
But she confessed her age and relationship status were also on her mind, as she had concerns about how people could respond. “I was worried about being judged,” Curtis confessed to PEOPLE. “It was a very difficult time for me. There I was, almost 40, having another child on my own.”
Did Nicole Curtis return to HGTV after her second pregnancy?
After taking two years off, Curtis returned to HGTV with Rehab Addict Rescue. She even teamed up with Vanilla Ice for one project, prompting fans to beg for more of the two together.
But she was happy for the chance to focus on parenting while she took a hiatus from television. “I could just be at home, being a mom. When I had a chance for that to happen, I took it,” she explained to PEOPLE, “because I didn’t have that the first time around.”
Though her break made her nervous about returning to another show, she said she was thankful for her fans who welcomed her back. “I had a very chaotic ten years. I didn’t want to go down that path again,” she explained.
“I’m hyper-focused right now on remembering where I want to be, what matters in my life, what my priorities are. My biggest thing, always, is that life is short and I want to live it to the fullest,” she concluded. “And I’m thankful our fans have appreciated that.”
