Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi opened up about the emotional and mental challenges she experienced during her nine-month pregnancy, saying her baby helped her discover a strength she never knew she had.
Cortesi, who is expecting her first child, shared raw moments from her pregnancy journey on social media as she reflected on the changes she experienced and looked forward to becoming a mother.
“9 months of carrying baby S. Only few people know the most vulnerable side of me—the parts I rarely show,” Cortesi wrote.
She described pregnancy as one of the most challenging and humbling experiences she had gone through emotionally and mentally.
“I experienced my mental health at its lowest and many were the days where I thought, ‘I can’t do this,’” she said.
Cortesi said she experienced sadness, despair, anxiety, depression and, at times, an overwhelming sense of loneliness while trying to stay healthy, care for herself, deal with challenges and cope with hormonal changes.
She also admitted that she had underestimated the effects of pregnancy on her body and emotions.
Despite the difficulties, Cortesi said the experience allowed her to discover an inner strength she did not know she had.
“I discovered a strength within myself I never knew I had. Baby S has been growing inside me while, in so many ways, I have been growing too. 9 months of carrying you, and somehow you carried me too,” she wrote.
Cortesi also opened up about how pregnancy affected her skin, mood and body, saying she sometimes struggled to recognize herself.
“I saw a version of me I could barely recognize and some days I struggled to look at myself and feel like me,” she said.
The beauty queen expressed her admiration for mothers who face similar challenges, reminding them of their strength.
She said that amid the difficulties, thinking about her body’s work in growing, nourishing and protecting her baby helped her regain perspective.
“I’m at the finish line now, and I can’t wait to discover this new version of me—healed, stronger, and ready to be your mommy. Ti amo per sempre my little angel,” Cortesi said.
Her post came after she confirmed her breakup with Jonathan Sterling on September 30. The split was revealed in the season finale of Celeste Unscripted, where it was also disclosed that the breakup happened shortly before Sterling’s proposal to Cortesi.
