Married At First Sight star Ella Ding shares pregnancy update...after backlash over sponsored announcement post: 'Every day I'm in awe'
Married At First Sight fan favourite Ella Ding has given a pregnancy update as she prepares become a mum for the first time.
Ella, 31, announced that she was expecting her first child with husband Guy Palermo last month.
Taking to Instagram on Friday, Ella admitted that she was 'finally' getting excited about the impending arrival, answering a fan AMA.
The fan asked: 'Are you going private for birth? What's your experience so far?'
Ella revealed that she plans to give birth in a private hospital, admitting it made her feel less 'nervous.'
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'Pregnancy and giving birth were never things I used to imagine or fantasise about until I met my husband,' she wrote.
'Only recently have I started feeling truly excited rather than nervous. Most of my close girlfriends have had children, some even two, and I've found that going private helps calm my nerves.'
She added that her doctors have made her transition to first-time mum as smooth as possible.
'So far, my experience has been very smooth,' she said.
'My OB has made me feel relaxed, supported and guided, while still trusting my gut along the way.'
She added: 'He's very black and white, no sugar coating, and a little old school, which I really appreciate.'
Rounding out her expansive answer, Ella added that she was 'loving every moment' of her pregnancy journey.
'Grateful doesn't even begin to cover it,' she said. Every single day I'm in awe.'
Ella revealed that she was expecting back in May
In a series of photos, Ella posed alongside her husband Guy Palermo, who she married last year, while displaying her small baby bump and a positive Clearblue pregnancy test.
Another snap showed several Polaroids of her showing off her bump, plus a selfie with Guy and a sonogram image of their baby on the way.
'Somewhere between healing and hustling, the next chapter quietly chose us,' she captioned her post.
'Baby Palermo you've already made our story sweeter & given us the best news of 2025 yet #ad #ClearblueConfirmed.'
Following the announcement, Ella's former 'bestie' and MAFS star Domenica Calarco called her out for revealing her pregnancy with a sponsored post.
Ella's announcement was reposed by the @influencer.updates.au Instagram page.
Domenica took to the comments section to slam Ella for 'monetising her pregnancy'.
'Even has to monetise her pregnancy announcement. Some people will never change. Wow,' she wrote.
Many of Ella's fans too umbrage with the sponsored post, too, causing the reality star to respond to the backlash.
'If it makes sense to me and my people understand, that's all that matters. And if you got offered, you would take it!' she told Yahoo Lifestyle.
Ella also noted that the cost of living crisis was a reasonable excuse for saying yes to the brand partnership, adding that having a baby is 'f***ing expensive'.
Ella and Guy shocked fans when they said 'I do' in a surprise wedding ceremony back in April 2024.
She took to Instagram to confirm they had exchanged vows, just weeks after announcing their engagement.
She announced that she and Guy wed in a secret ceremony ahead of their reception at The Prahran Arcade's Sophia venue in Melbourne.
Ella, who also recently launched her new podcast The Ella Era, opened up about her pregnancy cravings in an exclusive chat with Daily Mail Australia.
'I've been really wanting Dim Sims,' she said.
'We went to South Melbourne Markets and I got like a fried and a steamed dim sim with chili and soy. Even talking about it now I'm like, I need to go back and get more.
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