Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels has started the process to adopt a baby from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In past interviews, Michaels has made it sound like she was choosing adoption in order not to have to go through the pregnancy and birth process. She said “I’m going to adopt. I can’t handle doing that to my body. Also, when you rescue something, it’s like rescuing a part of yourself.” She later clarified her remarks, admitting she did say that but taking outlets to task for adding that she claimed it would “ruin,” her body, which she never said. She also said that she has endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome, which would make a pregnancy risky. So it was a complicated issue for her, and one that she didn’t take lightly. Michaels told US Weekly that she’s started the adoption process, and that her new child could come any day now:
Even though she’s not whipping contestants into shape on national television, celebrity trainer Jillian Michaels is hard at work on a different kind of life-changing motive; having a child.
But don’t start looking for a bump, because the 37-year-old Biggest Loser alum is trying to adopt from the Congo.
After announcing that she would be ending her contract with the NBC reality weight-loss series in December, Michaels explained her desire to start a family. “I’m going to adopt,” she said in an interview last spring with Women’s Health magazine. “I can’t handle doing that to my body. Also, when you rescue something, it’s like rescuing a part of yourself.”
So how “far along” is the aspiring mom?
“My dossier, which is your paperwork portfolio, is in to the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Michaels told Us Weekly, Monday in NYC at the National Magazine Awards. “So the paperwork is done, and now it’s just a waiting game. It could be six months, twelve months; it could be two years. Or, it could be tomorrow! They call you and they say, ‘Oh, we have your referral,’ which is essentially the child they match you up with, and you go overseas and you get him or her.”
In the meantime, the tough-as-nails trainer will have plenty to keep her busy. She recently landed a multi-year deal to join the expert panel of TV’s syndicated series The Doctors, and “couldn’t be more excited.” She will appear alongside ER physician (and former contestant on The Bachelor!) Dr. Travis Stork; OB/GYN Dr. Lisa Masterson; cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Drew Ordon and pediatrician Dr. Jim Sears.
[From US Weekly]
Aw, good for her! I googled “adopting from the Congo” to see what the laws in that country are on International adoption, and they don’t require that adoptive parents live in the country, that they be married, or that they be below a certain age. (Other than 15 years older than the adoptive child.) So it looks like the restrictions are minimal as far I can tell. It’s not like she’s pulling a Madonna and asking them to bend the rules for her.
Michaels has said in the past that she’s dated both men and women. I got the impression that she has a same sex partner but am unable to verify that. Congratulations to Michaels!
Jillian Michaels is shown on 4/7/11. Credit: WENN.com
I can’t stand her, but she’s doing a good thing
congrats to her, and i hope she is paired with her child soon.
several countries will not adopt to single people (with the assumption that they are gay). some countries even have weight restrictions for the adoptive parents!
Congrats to her, hope everything goes well.
She started doing a podcast again, which is often pretty informative and much more realistic than the Biggest Loser stuff. She is kind of annoying, but oddly motivating.
For all the haters who are going to say, why not here, who cares? She’s a single female adopting a baby. It’s harder. And there are children needing homes all over the world and here, and nobody should criticize her unless they’re out there adopting, do foster care for unwanted children, or mentoring children. Glass houses.
Hasn’t the continent of Africa suffered enough?
Good for her! Not everyone has to go through pregnancy. I think adopting and not getting pregnant is a great way to help the children who need help and not add to the population boom.
Given the atrocities happening in the Congo…I say, good for her…
@lucy2…thank you for the info regarding the podcasts…I will check them out…
I feel for that kid. Yikes.
Good for her.
I bet she is a great mom, because she has lots of experience balancing compassion and toughness. I hope she gets a referral soon.
That’s great that she’s adopting a kid from Africa…you know, since there are no kids in her own country that need adopting. But even if there were, that just wouldn’t be exotic or interesting enough.
“That’s great that she’s adopting a kid from Africa…you know, since there are no kids in her own country that need adopting”
@ will: it is difficult for gay parents to adopt in this country which is why so many adopt from overseas. yes, there are children all over the world who need adopting, but adopting one -any one- who needs a loving home is a good thing. what’s your problem with that? and i’m curious how many children you’ve adopted lately.
I find it interesting that the people who complain about foreign adoptions are rarely adoptive parents. My friends who have adopted have no problem with it since they realize every child deserves a loving home.American orphans are not superior nor are they inferior to Asian or African orphans.For those intested in adopting check with your county foster care system there is no cost and/or the fees will be reimbursed.
At least the kid will already be used to not eating carbs.
yeah, Will, and those kids in the Congo have it so great…
#14 that was harsh, but I slightly lol’d
The self-centered, attention-seeking beeyutch thinks she’s famous enough that people will notice her new fashion accessory? I don’t think so.
Oops I meant for those interested in adopting not intested.
#12, some of these “orphans” are not orphans. (See the case of Madonna.)
I have no problem with her adopting, but why is she using the excuse that a pregnancy would be risky? As far as I know,endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome might make it difficult to get pregnant, but it doesn’t make a resulting pregnancy risky (barring other factors).
I have endo and pos. endo is scar tissue on the ovaries, bladder – in that general area usually and pos are small cysts. I too was led to believe that I’d never have a baby because of these. Then I married this really hot Chinese guy. End of problem. My daughters is 6.
My point is – even tho there are different severities to both of these issues, they are totally fixable. Her excuse is crap.
TLDR: There’s a reason China has a massive population. /wink
“some of these “orphans” are not orphans. (See the case of Madonna.)”
@ bobster: what are you on about?! who’s talking about madonna?
dont feed the trolls people!
anyone being negative about ANY child being adopted just does not have ANY sympathy for human life.. i dont care what excuse they use for their negativity, whether through xenophobia or a complete lack of knowledge, it is just best if we ignore them and focus on the fact that at least *one* child we know if is being adopted out of a war-torn country…
Good for her for adopting, but the “rescuing” language is really inappropriate. The idea of saving a child, while it seems attractive at first, is really flawed (it leads to all sorts of weird dynamics: parents feeling the kids “owe” them, etc). People should adopt because they want kids, not because they want to rescue someone.
(btw, I am a foster parent and in the process of adopting internationally.)
@flourpot – maybe it was fixable for you, but certainly not for all. In my case of endo, which is severe, I have 0.00% chance of getting pregnant naturally, and fertility treatments never worked either. It’s really not nice of you to gloat. 🙁
@ j – I completely agree. Hopefully she’s been educated on that topic as a part of her homestudy since she made those statements.
Congratulations and best wishes on your adoption and fostering!
@#14; actually carbs are what he or she is probably sick of eating bk a lot of people in 3rd world countries can’t afford proteinous food especially animal protein.
I know bk i live in one.
WILL
WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM? WHERE DO YOU GET THE NERVE TO BITCH AND MOAN OVER WHERE SHE CHOOSES TO ADOPT FROM. ITS HER ADOPTION, HER CHILD NOT YOURS!IT ALWAYS AMAZES ME HOW OTHERS FEEL THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT SOMEBODY ELSE’S CHOICE.
CONGRATS JILLIAN THERE IS A LITTLE BOY OR GIRL WAITING FOR YOU!!
I agree that the rescuing language is inappropriate but hopefully she’s learned more adoption friendly terms now.
And seriously? We’re still going to harp on the accessories/get one from here nonsense? Have any of you looked in to domestic adoption? Yes, we have millions of kids in foster care but do you have any idea what kind of nightmare it is to have them legally adopted if you are not at least somehow related to them? And anyone who goes through the grueling homestudy/paperwork/travel/etc associated with adoption has more of an interest than just a new accessory.
And adopting from DRC is pretty straight forward. She isn’t bending any rules at all. I say good for her for pursuing her family, even if it means travel across the globe.
(From a mom of 2 little girls adopted domestically and 3 little boys from two different countries in Africa)
Hmmm I have never heard that BEING pregnant was risky with her conditions — it’s just getting pregnant in the first place is difficult with her conditions. 9 mos. without periods is a good thing if you have endometriosis is what I always heard?- But I don’t judge her for not wanting to be pregnant though, being pregnant is a big deal.
I don’t think criticism over adopting is a bad thing. Yes many kids need homes but it is foolhardy to ignore the complex issues around adoption to include children and family rights. Adoption has become BIG business and that creates problems especially for under-advanataged people. If you look it up on line and read what some of these birth families say, they have points that should be considered. There is alot of deception of poor families that goes on in third world countries, and lying to the adoptive parents about the child’s status as well. There has been outright buying of babies and deception of families in many third world countries….adoption can be and is often a wonderful option for creating a family, but discussion about moral/human rights issues as they pertain to adoption are necessary.
@j ITA “rescue” language is innapropriate and potentially harmful to the parent-child relationship when it comes to adoption. Not to mention to the child’s sense of self esteem, obligation, place in the world and place in the family etc. Rescue language is better suited if you’re adopting a homeless pet. Being a do-gooder (“Here I come to the rescue of this poor child”) ultimately backfires in the context of building a family. Adopt a child if you want the role of parenthood. not to be a rescuer. Altruism should not be the reason behind creating a family. People need to understand that adopted children quickly become adults and they don’t need that trip, “I was my parent’s altruistic project.”
She doesn’t have to have a reason to choose adoption over pregnancy; howver, I suspect that the reason “I can’t handle doing that to my body” pertains to the rigorous fertility treatments she would have to endure to become pregnant with her medical conditions.
I’ve held the hand of many an exhausted friend who went through fertility treatments. What they went through was staggering, both physically and emotionally.
I doubt anyone in Ms. Michael’s line of work could keep working and go through that. Her hours, the sheer physicality of what she does…nope. Not likely.
original Kate – It is MUCH easier for gays to adopt in America than from most foreign countries. Madonna didnt seperate from Guy long after the marriage was over because the country she was adopting from doesnt allow single women to adopt. Many African countries wont allow single women or divorced women to adopt. And they certainly wont allow gays to adopt. Not all countries but many. American adoption process is hard & takes a long time BUT they are more apt to let gays adopt than many other countries.
@ kim: yes, from some countries it is easier for gay couples to adopt, from others it is more difficult. i know several gay people who adopted internationally because they had a hard time adopting in the US. jillian michaels is a single, gay woman adopting a child from an african country, so obviously it is not the entire continent that prohibits women or gays from adopting.
Considering I just read an article which described the Congo as the ‘worst place to be a woman’ I can sort of understand why Jillian Michaels may want to adopt from there.
I don’t think it’s just the easier access for adoption but get this statistic:
“1,152 women are raped every day in the African nation, a rate equal to 48 per hour.”
I can’t imagine the misery, the trauma, the horror of being a child brought into that world.
“…more than 400,000 women had been raped in Congo during a 12-month period between 2006 and 2007.”
“On average 29 Congolese women out of every 1,000 had been raped nationwide. That means that even in the parts of Congo that are not affected by the war, a woman is 58 times more likely to be raped than a woman in the United States, where the annual rate is 0.5 per 1,000 women.”
I can’t imagine. Regardless her reasoning for the adoption I wish she’d shed some light on those statistics.
My problem with this is that she comes across as being another Madonna, with the exception of Madonna hand-picking the non-orphan child that she had to have. Children are a life-long commitment and not just something to purchase. I wish she’d just be honest that she’s too vain to want to get pregnant. Yes, endo and PCOS can prevent some women from becoming pregnant, but my mother (4 children) and I (2 children) are living proof that for some women with those conditions, no help is needed. (Mom did take 7 years to get pregnant with me though; no IVF.) Jillian hasn’t said that she’s been trying and has decided to adopt in lieu of continuing; she just said she didn’t want to put her body through pregnancy.
Never have liked Jillian, but I hope that she can change her attitude of being so harsh and wanting to “rescue” a puppy – oops – child, in order to become a good mother. She’s a definite candidate for “Pregnant In Heels” on Bravo with Rosie Pope. lol
Now that she’s going to be a regular on The Doctors, they’ll have one less fan watching.
I don’t get why she calls herself the “world’s toughest trainer” when she can’t handle being pregnant. I would consider her tough if she could have a baby and lose the weight. I would think she was indeed the “toughest” but nope. If she has endometriosis then why doesn’t she just get a hisderectamy? PCOS doesn’t cause complications, I know because I have it and had a kid. Jillian, please have enough respect for yourself to stand behind the words you say. If you can’t handle gaining some weight in order to have a kid then I definitely wouldn’t refer to myself as “tough.” There are A LOT tougher women out there than you.