Iya and Drew now have a ‘princess’

Iya Villania-Arellano (center) with husband Drew and baby Alana Lauren

“I still can’t believe it’s a girl!”

A couple of hours after giving birth to her third child last Saturday morning, Iya Villania took to Instagram to express her disbelief that she and husband Drew Arellano finally have a “princess” now.

“I was so sure, guys. I was sure it was going to be a boy because, during the ultrasound, I thought I saw balls,” Iya quipped, laughing.

Drew, who posted a photo of him and Iya with their newborn, wrote: Our little dumpling.”

Iya and Drew named their daughter Alana Lauren. They have two older sons, Primo and Leon, who are turning 4 and 2, respectively, in August.

“Delivery was hard. Thank you, Lord for getting me through once again,” she said.

Prior to giving birth, Iya shared with the Inquirer her thoughts about having a baby in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the continuing rise of cases in the country was a cause for concern, Iya kept her spirits up and ensured that she’s in the best condition she could be.

“At around March or April, I was still feeling positive that things would be better when July comes. ‘Wala na, ‘to,’ I thought. I was upbeat. Cut to July… Now that we’re still here, I try to not let it get the best of me. I don’t want to worry,” she related in a recent video interview for the GMA 7 lifestyle program “Mars Pa More,” which will return with new episodes on July 27.

The television host-actress was also confident that hospitals have measures in place, and that healthcare workers are all doing their best to maintain a safe environment for expecting mothers.

Home birth was something the 34-year-old celebrity had thought about in the past. But her gut tells her that she’s simply not up for it. “I considered that with Primo. There’s a reason it didn’t happen the second time. There’s a reason it’s not happening the third time,” Iya said, laughing.

“I just don’t think I have it in me,” she surmised. “People always tell me that I can do it since I regularly work out. But working out and delivering a baby are completely different.”

One good thing about their current setup is that Drew is also staying at home and ready to tend to his family’s needs. Having him around all the time came in handy, especially when she was in the nesting stage—a period during pregnancy where the mother gets a sudden urge to clean or organize the house in anticipation of the baby’s arrival.

This is also an opportunity for Drew, she said, to get used to taking care of their boys without her help. “He has had the chance to practice dealing with the kids on his own since I will be busy with the newborn baby. He has no choice but to put the two to sleep and watch over them through the night,” she quipped.

“But it’s also a perfect time for him to strengthen his connection with the boys even more.”

Iya with sons Primo (left) and Leon

Before giving birth, Iya had been taping the new episodes of “Mars Pa More!” with cohost Camille Prats from the comfort of their own homes—something they have been enjoying so far. No traffic for starters.

“But it also gave us a deeper appreciation for all the people who work on the set. You have makeup artists, someone in charge of lighting, cameramen, wardrobe people,” she said. “But now that we’re working at home, we have to find ways to make it work.”

The program is celebrating its first anniversary since moving from GMA News TV to GMA 7. Some of their special guests for the coming episodes include Ai-Ai delas Alas, Rodjun Cruz, Glaiza de Castro, Jak Roberto, Barbie Forteza, Andre Paras, Betong Sumaya and Kyline Alcantara.

“We have the opportunity to show a different side of the artist. They give us a tour of their homes and they shoot their content however they want to. They can freely shoot everything they’re comfortable showing to us,” she said, adding that the show will be showing how celebrities are adjusting to the “new normal.”

Iya requested only a one-week break before resuming work. “Since I can’t go out, connecting with other people through this show is the closest thing,” she said. “And at the same time, I will still be able to mother my children or breastfeed my newborn. We can adjust to the demands.” INQ