From there, Brynne explains that she and her close girlfriend, who she is currently living with in Melbourne, booked in to see a doctor the following Monday. During the visit, it quickly became clear there were more surprises on the way – the doctor revealed Brynne was already five months along!
“She was like, ‘So how far along do you think you are?’ and I assumed maybe I was 12 weeks judging by the look of my stomach,” Brynne explains. “Then she says, ‘No. You’re at least 20 weeks.’”
To Brynne’s credit, she says a combination of being single, having fertility issues and “putting on COVID kilos” made her assume she was just growing sideways and not a beautiful bundle of joy.
“All I ever wanted to do in life was be a mum. I can’t make up my mind about anything, but I have always been sure of this one thing,” Brynne gushes. “I wanted it so badly … and so over the years I just became a woman who came to accept it wasn’t on the cards for me. Coming to that realisation, it was devastating.”
Choosing to find out her child’s gender, Brynne excitedly reveals: “It’s a girl! She’s a night owl like me. I feel her moving quite a bit. When I jump into bed she moves about, it’s beautiful.”
And while every part of Brynne’s pregnancy, and arguably her life, has been unexpected, the SAS Australia star admits she could never have foreseen herself bringing a baby into the world alone.
“There’s no man in the picture,” she confirms. “I told the father, though. I would never keep the father of my child apart – I don’t think that’s ever going to be something that happens.”
Doubling down on her confession, Brynne says her baby’s father is “without a doubt” aware of the paternity, but she is uncertain on the level of support she’ll receive.
“I don’t think it seems real for him – it barely seemed real to me,” she says. “I told him I was happy to raise her alone, so I’m not sure what he’ll want to do. I just see my baby as a blessing – I’m really happy about it.”
When New Idea caught up with Brynne in June last year following her late ex-husband Geoffrey’s death, she maintained she will always remember him fondly, despite their messy split in 2014 after four years of marriage.
“I think Geoff would be so happy for me,” she says. “I think it would come as a surprise, as we never thought it was possible for us.”
Brynne admits she has a lot to prepare for as a single first-time parent, which is all especially difficult without her US-based family around her. She hasn’t seen them since 2015.
“When I was bankrupt, they took away my passport, then COVID [happened], so it’s been a long time. I just can’t wait to see my mother.”
Taking every day as it comes, Brynne, who is due in April, explains that she’s determined to work out exactly what she needs to buy, set up and organise ahead of her little girl’s birth – but hasn’t got very far.
“Thankfully I have my girlfriend, who is helping me work out what I need. She’s been a big support,” tells Brynne, who says she’s more concerned that she can’t settle on a name for her precious little girl.
“Nothing has stuck out for me. I’ve read so many books, but nothing! Every name that I thought I loved I now don’t like – it’s proving stressful,” she jokes.
With only a few months to go before her world changes, Brynne reveals she couldn’t be more excited to welcome her miracle daughter.
“I hope she is healthy and happy – that’s all I care about,” she tells. “This is all I’ve ever wanted, and I have it.”
For more, pick up a copy of New Idea. On sale now!
