Leah Van Dale went from the ring to the runway.
The WWE star, who goes by the stage name Carmella, recently strutted down the catwalk during Miami Swim Week to model swimwear by Remnant Bikinis. The 35-year-old proudly rocked a string bikini and strappy heels while nearly six months pregnant. She is expecting her first child with husband Matt Polinsky, a fellow wrestler whose known as Corey Graves to fans.
Van Dale told Fox News Digital that modeling the two-piece while proudly displaying her growing baby bump was an empowering experience.
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"I think being pregnant has really made me feel so much more comfortable in my skin," she said. "I feel empowered. I feel like the best I’ve ever felt in my own body. And I just feel there’s this stigma sometimes … when you’re pregnant you need to cover up, you need to just stay at home and just sit on the couch, be safe and grow your baby and be pregnant. And it’s like, wait a minute. No, the world doesn’t have to stop. Your life doesn’t have to stop just because you’re pregnant."
"I think it’s a great time to embrace your body, embrace who you are and embrace being pregnant," she said. "I was scared, I’m not going to lie. I was like, ‘Am I making the right decision here?’ But I feel like if I did this, I could hopefully show other women out there that the world doesn’t stop. You don’t have to stop being who you are or trying new things or taking chances just because you’re pregnant."
Van Dale admitted she had second thoughts before stripping down just days before the fashion show.
"I had a few fittings, and I was there with all of these other girls who have amazing bodies," she said. "They’re probably 15 years younger than I am. … That’s when the doubt started creeping in. And then I was like, no, I’m not going to let my mind trick me into thinking that I can’t do this. … [The day of] I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, what am I doing?’ I had to snap out of it. I had to channel my inner Carmella, my WWE character, who is super … overconfident. I had to channel that energy and just be like, who cares? What do I have to lose?"
Van Dale said she was getting emotional as she began walking down the runway, joking that "pregnancy hormones" were to blame.
"I was like, nah, we’re not going to walk down … with tears in our eyes," she chuckled. "I had to be in that moment and just own it."
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In May, Van Dale announced to "Good Morning America" that she was expecting her first child. According to the outlet, she experienced two miscarriages last year in September and October. She credited her family for being a "great support system" as she grieved. Van Dale said she still gets messages from other women who also suffered from miscarriages and felt alone.
"Especially with the ectopic pregnancy, I wasn’t able to do anything," she said. "I couldn’t really be physical. I couldn’t leave the house. I couldn’t do much. … [Talking about it] was my way of dealing with it and helping other women, by telling my story. That, to me, has been the biggest positive out of this whole thing. … I think it’s important that we don’t go through these things alone and be in silence over it. … There’s no shame in it."
"I went through this thing that changed me," Van Dale continued. "So, I need to talk about it. ... To this day, I still get texts and DMs from women. People will stop me on the street. ... I'm grateful that I was able to sort of open the floodgates and start a conversation and be able to talk about uncomfortable things. Everyone goes through this. If you don't go through it, you're going to know someone who [went] through it."
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Van Dale and Polinsky, 39, tied the knot in April 2022. The star said it’s always been her dream to become a mom. Polinsky is already a father of three kids who he shares with ex-wife Amy Polinsky.
"I’ve always wanted to be a mom," she said. "And then the older I got, [the more I thought] maybe it’s not for me. Maybe I’m not going to be a mom. And then I married my husband. … And I have the three most amazing stepkids. They really made me want to have one of my own. … I feel ready. I’m 35. I feel like I’ve done some fun things in my life. Timing is everything, and I just feel like this all lined up for me. And I feel so grateful to be at this point in my life."
"Until you have kids, you forget what it’s like to be a kid," she reflected. "You forget … the little things that get you excited. Having three stepkids brought it all [back to me]. … I’m really excited to see all the stages with my son. But without these three kids in my life, I don’t know if I would have been ready to be a mom."
Van Dale said the first few months of her pregnancy were "awful," noting she was "down and out for at least two months." But the last several months have been "flying by." Van Dale has taken a break from wrestling to focus on motherhood but plans to return to the ring once she’s ready.
"[Pregnancy] doesn’t mean our careers have to stop," Van Dale said. "… I’m excited to go back to work. I can’t wait to go back and show that just because you have a baby doesn’t mean you can’t have a career as well, especially a career that’s so physical. I want to take my time getting back. The advice [I received] from other women who have had babies and gone back [was] don’t rush. And that’s really important. Having a baby … is such a physical journey, so I want to make sure that I feel good, I feel ready. But when I do go back, it’s over for those girls."
Van Dale said fitness has been part of her pregnancy, along with cravings for "all the carbs." She said that every pregnancy journey is different, but for her, exercising has always been part of her daily routine.
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"There have been some comments like, ‘Not everybody can look like that when they’re pregnant,’" she said. "But at the same time, I work really hard at being healthy and being fit. It’s not easy, especially being pregnant. I wish I could just sit there and eat chips and ice cream all day, but at the same time, I come from an athletic background. I love to work out, and it’s part of my daily routine. It’s difficult being pregnant … I don’t get to the gym as much as I did before being pregnant. I’m just trying to listen to my body. If I’m tired, I’m not going to force myself to go to the gym. … I’m human. … It’s about finding a balance and listening to our bodies."
Van Dale said she’s excited about the next chapter in her life.
"I’m [looking forward to] being able to raise a gentleman, raise a boy, a man who treats someone with respect and is kind," she said. "I’m grateful to share this with my best friend, my husband. I’m hoping to put my little fingerprint on the world."
