Former Miss Universe Philippines titleholder Celeste Cortesi opened up about her first reaction upon discovering she was pregnant, describing the moment as both unexpected and deeply personal.
In a podcast interview with fellow beauty queen zKylie Verzosa, Celeste shared that she found out during a trip to the Maldives.
“I was in the Maldives and honestly, I just felt weird. Honestly, I was always, especially the last year, ready to have a baby. I wanted to. We were ready that if it happens, I will be happy. I always wanted to be a young mom before 30. I was like live it to God if it happens. I want to be a mom, but that specific period of my life, I thought, it’s impossible,” Celeste opened up.
Celeste began noticing changes in her body and emotions.
“However, I started to feel different. I was fighting everyone. I felt weird. My body feels something so I decided to do a test,” she shared. “I think before I even went to Maldives, I was pregnant. That’s when I found it. Everything explains why I feel this way. There were body changes and hormones. Maybe because I just know my body that it feels different.”
Celeste first shared the news with her longtime best friend, who was with her on the trip, before telling her partner and eventually her family.
“The first person who I said it to was my best friend from Italy because she was in Maldives with us. She’s been my best friend for 20 years now… I don't want to tell anyone else at the beginning of the pregnancy because it’s very fragile. He (Celeste’s partner) was really happy. I think we are both a little bit shocked,” she said.
Her family initially reacted with surprise, but the moment quickly turned into excitement.
Celeste admitted it hasn’t been entirely easy, citing the physical and emotional changes that come with pregnancy.
“It hasn’t been smooth. I just deal with so many changes when it comes to my body,” Celeste said. “All the changes with the hormones, I feel like whatever behavior or emotions I had before, now it’s ten times more. You need the right support system with you. It’s not easy.”
She also revealed that her worries as a first-time mom led her to take extra steps, even purchasing an ultrasound machine for personal monitoring.
“Naturally, I worry a lot. With this baby, I worry a lot,” she expressed. “I have questions in my head if I’m going to be a good mom or how to take care of a human.”
Still, Celeste has found comfort in bonding with her baby, often talking to him to stay calm and connected.
“I talk to the baby every night. Whenever I get stressed, I feel like the baby feels it too, so I just talk and keep it calm,” she said. “I just tell him I love you, that everything’s gonna be fine.”
The beauty queen also confirmed she is expecting a baby boy, whom she plans to name Sergio after her dad.
“It’s a boy and it’s crazy because the baby will be born the same month as my dad. It’s October. His name is going to be Sergio just like my dad,” she said.
Looking ahead, Celeste hopes to raise her child follwing her Italian and Filipino roots.
“Italian, English, I definitely want my mom or my friends to speak to him in Tagalog. For me, it’s very important that the baby will feel all the cultures. I want to imprint that from the very start,” Celeste said.
Celeste first announced her pregnancy in April, revealing that she is expecting her first child with her partner, British national Jonathan Sterling.