Mandy Moore has opened up about the emotional journey that led to the birth of her third child, revealing she went through an unsuccessful round of IVF before her daughter arrived completely by surprise.
Trying IVF
Speaking on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, the 42‑year‑old actress explained that after welcoming sons Gus and Ozzie with husband Taylor Goldsmith, she decided to try IVF as a “just in case” option while she figured out whether she wanted a third baby. But the process didn’t go the way she hoped.
She said, “We didn’t get any viable eggs, no embryos.”
Moore recalled thinking, “If this is meant to be, it’ll happen naturally. Otherwise, I’m so grateful for the two boys.”
Then came the twist she didn’t expect. Moore and Goldsmith welcomed daughter Louise in September 2024 – a pregnancy she says caught them completely off guard.
She said, “Lou just had to show up. We weren’t trying, but we were open to it because of the IVF of it all.”
Smooth Pregnancies
Moore admitted she’s still “emotionally recovering” from having three children in such a short span, but says she feels fortunate that pregnancy and postpartum were relatively smooth for her.
She said, “I do feel lucky. I didn’t suffer from postpartum symptoms, so I had a pretty easy journey all things considered.”
The This Is Us star has long been candid about her fertility challenges. In early 2024, she reflected on a time when doctors warned her she might struggle to conceive at all – only for her first pregnancy with Gus to happen naturally.
She wrote on Instagram, “There was a time when I thought I might not be able to have kids.”
Away from family life, Moore is also preparing for a return to television. She’s set to executive produce an upcoming HBO Max project from This Is Us writer Julia Brownell, and while she isn’t officially attached to star, she’s expected to appear if the series moves forward. The drama will follow two families who discover a sprawling, unexpected connection.