Ryan Edwards he feels love from his big family.
Before the news came out that his girlfriend, Amanda Connershe was expecting a baby girl, the New Mother: The Next Chapter The star was able to share the milestone with his ex, Maci Bookout.
“He’s been very supportive and happy,” Ryan shared exclusively Us Weekly on Wednesday, October 9, before revealing his parents’ response. “[Jen and Larry] they were a little scared at first, but they are very happy.”
Ryan shares son Bentley, 15, with Maci. He also has two children – Jagger, 5, and Stella, 4 – with his estranged wife, Mackenzie Edwards.
Long before she got pregnant, Amanda – who has a son from a previous relationship – managed to form a friendship with Maci. (First 16 and Pregnant star is now married Taylor McKinney and recently celebrated 8 years of marriage.)
The secret to their healthy friendship may be the simple principle of putting children first.
“It comes down to parenting and being there for Bentley and being there for the kids,” he said Us. “I think he respects that. I don’t give him a hard time. I want to see Ryan be a father, and I want to see him be with Maci.”
Having a happy, close-knit family is something Amanda hopes to continue as she prepares to welcome a baby girl into the world.
“It makes everything easier,” she said. “We understand each other. We hang out. We actually do family things that families should do. It makes it so much easier, and I feel like he appreciates that.”
Over the weekend, Amanda confirmed she was expecting a baby on social media. While trying to keep the news private, the MTV reality star admitted that “the bump is starting to show.”
“We’re both very happy,” Amanda said. “We knew it was only a matter of time.”
Since dating Ryan in September 2023, Amanda said their relationship has continued to blossom. He is also proud of how far they have come as individuals, after they both celebrated more than a year together.
“We are in a healthy and happy place,” he said. “I feel like we’re doing better than ever, better than ever. We’re just raising our future, raising our family, and that’s where we are. We are happy to be where we are. We are happy to start a family. We are glad we are still sober. We are happy to have a united family. Everything just comes. Life is good.”
New Mother: The Next Chapter airs on MTV.
