Reba McEntire‘s daughter-in-law Marissa Blackstock is calling on fans for help as she and her husband Shelby — the country legend’s son — start a new chapter in their journey towards parenthood.
As she starts her first round of in vitro fertilization (IVF) medications, Blackstock didn’t mince words.
“This. Is. Awful,” she said in a recent Threads post, just one day into the process.
- Shelby and Marissa Blackstock got married at Walt Disney World in February 2022.
- Not long after, they decided to start trying to have a baby, but the process wasn’t as smooth as they’d hoped it would be.
- Blackstock has previously opened up about the experience, saying they began medicated cycles and enlisted “Nashville’s top OBGYN” after a year of trying through natural methods.
Now, after more than two years of trying to get pregnant, Blackstock says she and her husband are moving to IVF.
But the medication’s side effects immediately hit her hard.
Reba McEntire Daughter in Law IVF Update
“Went into IVF hopeful … and day one immediately humbled me,” she wrote in her Threads post.
“Started meds at 5PM, woke up with a fared disc, had night sweats so bad I slept on a towel, then got hit with nausea, hot/cold flashes & vomiting,” she continues. “Couldn’t even keep water down.”
“My body said: Not today, sis,” Blackstock says.
“Anyone else struggle with this or have any tips/helpful ideas?”
Several fans chimed in in the comments section, both to offer prayers and support, as well as to suggest tips to help combat her symptoms.
Swapping ice chips for water, using break-and-shake ice packs and taking a stool softener — a preemptive tip for some other medications she might be prescribed later — are all among the things seasoned IVF pros suggested Blackstock try.
“The beginning was the toughest!” another fan writes. “Let your doc know though, they might be able to give you some suggestions or prescriptions for relief.”
Marissa Says Husband Shelby Is Her Rock Through Infertility Ordeal
In late 2023, when she shared a lengthy social media post about her struggles, Blackstock praised her husband for remaining strong during a tough time.
“Shelby has been an incredibly supportive partner through all of this,” she wrote at the time. “His strength and optimism have been my rock.”
Read More: Reba McEntire’s Daughter-in-Law Reveals Fertility Struggles
She also said it’s important to her to speak out about what she’s going through, because she knows many fans are facing similar situations.
“It’s a tougher and more common journey than many people realize,” Blackstock adds. “If you’re in the midst of this too, remember you’re not alone. The emotional whirlwind is completely normal. Let’s keep supporting each other, finding joy in the small things and holding onto hope.”
Bunnie Xo Has Spoken About Her IVF Experience, Too
Jelly Roll‘s wife Bunnie Xo is another major country music figure who’s spoken openly about her IVF journey and her struggles with the side effects of the medication.
Bunnie, who is in her mid-40s and has suffered miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies in the past, said she’s received “gross comments” and assumptions about her fertility as she shares portions of her experience of trying to have a baby.
Read More: Jelly Roll + Bunnie Xo Just Got the IVF News They’ve Been Praying For
However, she’s also committed to help destigmatize this common experience, and also share some wins along the way.
Most recently, she reflected back on a music video that she filmed with Jelly, MGK and Megan Fox for Jelly and MGK’s duet “Lonely Road.”
In that video, Bunnie and Jelly play a couple struggling with infertility: An eerie foreshadowing into their future of starting IVF, she says in retrospect.
Read More: Country Stars Who Are Having Babies in 2025
“This girl right here holding a paper in her hand about infertility had no idea the battle she would go through starting weeks after,” she writes over a shot from the music video that shows her in character, sitting on a porch step, reading an information handout.
“Who knew a year ago, filming this video was so foreshadowing for all of us,” she added.
MGK and Megan Kelly’s storyline in that video told the future, too. In that video, MGK and Kelly were expecting a baby — months before they announced Kelly’s real-life pregnancy that November.
“My heart is with all the girls battling infertility,” Bunnie reflected in her post. “There is a rainbow after the rain, I promise.”
Truly Unique and Cool Baby Names in Country Music
Country artists sure do have a way with their words, don’t they? And over the years, they’ve found a way to let their creativity spill over into the names of their children.
Here are some of the most unique baby names in country music.
Gallery Credit: Jess Rowe
