Byline / Entertainment News Desk
As San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey prepares for the demanding grind of a new NFL season, his wife, model and influencer Olivia Culpo, is gearing up for a major milestone of her own: welcoming the couple’s second child. Opening up to her followers in a candid new TikTok video, Culpo revealed her detailed delivery plan for baby number two, sharing how she and McCaffrey are coordinating the arrival around his intense football schedule while navigating the inevitable stress that comes with back-to-back pregnancies.
Balancing NFL Demands with Family Milestones
For professional athletes and their families, timing life’s biggest moments often means working around non-negotiable athletic calendars. While many casual fans assume the NFL season begins when the regular-season kickoff games start in September, Culpo pointed out that the reality for players and their spouses begins much earlier.
“All the misconception is that the football season starts like in September when all the games start, but it really doesn’t,” Culpo explained to her followers. “It starts at the end of July because that’s when they go to camp, and then just goes right into the season.”
With training camp officially underway at the end of July, McCaffrey, 30, faces grueling days of practice, meetings, and team obligations. To ensure the star running back can witness the birth of their second child without missing crucial team commitments, Culpo and her medical team carefully picked a date that aligns with McCaffrey’s brief period of downtime.
“Christian’s leaving for the season. So sad. Everything feels overwhelming,” she admitted. “Basically, it’s on an off day for him, so he’ll be able to come just for the birth. And then aside from that, he’ll have to go back. So it’s gonna be different than my first birth.”
Why a Scheduled C-Section Was the Necessary Choice
In addition to timing the birth around McCaffrey’s demanding schedule, medical factors played a significant role in Culpo’s birth plan. The 34-year-old former Miss Universe welcomed the couple’s first child, daughter Colette, via C-section in July of last year. Because of the close proximity between her deliveries, attempting a vaginal birth was off the table.
“Plan is I’m having a C-section because I had a C-section in July last year, so having a VBAC [Vaginal Birth After Caesarean] wasn’t an option,” Culpo shared.
Medical guidelines often recommend a longer recovery period between a prior Caesarean section and a subsequent vaginal delivery attempt to reduce the risk of complications such as uterine rupture. Having experienced a C-section recovery previously, Culpo is familiar with the process, though she acknowledges that recovering from major abdominal surgery while caring for both a newborn and a toddler presents a unique set of challenges.
Reflecting on her previous hospital stay after delivering Colette, Culpo previously noted on social media that recovery requires patience and comfort, advising fellow mothers to bring their creature comforts to the hospital for the multi-day stay required after surgery.
Navigating the “Overwhelming” Transition to Two Under Two
With daughter Colette turning one year old, Culpo and McCaffrey are officially joining the “two under two” club—a milestone that brings equal parts excitement and exhaustion. Culpo did not shy away from expressing the emotional weight of preparing for another major life shift while her husband travels for the football season.
Describing the upcoming period as “overwhelming,” Culpo credited her strong support network for helping her manage the daunting logistics. Knowing that McCaffrey will have to return to camp shortly after the delivery, she emphasized the importance of leaning on friends, family, and extra help during the early weeks of recovery.
“I’m grateful for my village,” Culpo noted, acknowledging that having a reliable support system in place will be essential as she juggles postpartum recovery, caring for an active 12-month-old, and tending to a brand-new infant on her own during peak football season.
Career, Motherhood, and Teamwork
Since embarking on motherhood, Culpo has frequently discussed the psychological and practical shifts that occur when expanding a family. Speaking previously about her transition into parenthood, she acknowledged the natural fears that come with balancing a thriving career with the full-time demands of raising young children.
“There’s totally a shift,” Culpo previously remarked on The Squeeze podcast. “Whether or not you want there to be or not, you have somebody that’s physically dependent on you. So I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Yeah, it’s scary.”
However, Culpo has consistently praised McCaffrey for being a deeply supportive partner both on and off the field. Despite his high-pressure career as one of the NFL’s premier offensive weapons, McCaffrey has actively embraced fatherhood, earning praise from Culpo for his dedication to their growing family.
As the couple prepares to welcome baby number two, their carefully coordinated birth plan stands as a testament to the flexibility, communication, and teamwork required to raise a growing family in the spotlight of professional sports.