Olivia Culpo had to reassess who she was after welcoming her daughter.
After giving birth to her first baby Colette McCaffrey with husband Christian McCaffrey in July, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model admitted that she had a "little bit of an identity crisis."
As Olivia recalled, she worried that motherhood would prevent her from pursuing her career as well.
"There's totally a shift," the 33-year-old explained of becoming a parent during the Oct. 15 episode of The Squeeze podcast. "Whether or not you want there to be or not, you have somebody that's physically dependent on you. So, I'm not going to sugarcoat it: Yeah, it's scary."
But Olivia also noted that she is someone who has been hyper-focused on her career for a very long time.
"I'm just kind of a worry wart that way, like I'm very ambitious," she said. "But it's very common."
And luckily, the former Miss Universe—who tied the knot with Christian in June 2024—has a support system that has allowed her to balance both her professional pursuits and her responsibilities as a mom to Colette, now 2 months.
"I'm so grateful that I have my husband because while I'm totally working and I'm doing everything in my power to keep working and I'm so happy to have the opportunities that I have," Olivia shared, "let's say they all went away—would I have the same ability [without his support] 10, 12, 15, 20 years ago to light that fire up my butt when I have somebody who really needs me, which is my baby? No."
She added, "And I would choose my baby 10 times over obviously."
Indeed, Olivia is having a blast raising her little one—vulnerable moments included.
"It's been so fun," she gushed. "Every day is so different and I'm really just trying to sit in because I know it goes by so fast. Everybody says these are the days that go by quicker than you could have ever imagined."
And thankfully, Colette is moving into a chapter that has afforded Olivia a little more time to take in her new reality.
"She's starting to become so much easier, sleeping through the night, not waking up every two hours," the Culpo Sisters star said. "I really have the opportunity to be grounded and still in each moment."
For more sweet moments between Olivia, Christian and baby Colette, keep reading.
Welcome to the Team
One week after announcing she gave birth, Olivia Culpo shared an adorable time-lapse video of her baby bump, which ended with a shot of her cuddling her and husband Christian McCaffrey's little one Colette.
Players Who Twin Together, Stay Together
The model and her tiny tot proved they are a winning duo by sporting matching fluffy brown robes.
Put Grandma in, Coach
Olivia felt lucky that her mom Susan Curran stepped in to help her with baby Colette as she adjusted to the first month of her motherhood journey.
The former Miss Universe said of her kiddo's grandma on Instagram at the time, "I can only hope to be as good as her."
An Unbeatable Trio
Olivia and Christian—who tied the knot in June 2024—weren't the only ones excited to welcome a new addition to the family.
The model shared several clips of her pup Oliver proving he was thrilled for Colette's arrival as well, including one of the trio taking a nap together in bed.
Scoring a Kiss
More proof that Oliver is going to be an excellent big brother? The doggo gave his baby sister kisses while she cozied up her in carrier.
A Well-Deserved Timeout
Colette got some much-needed rest while cuddling in her mom's arms on a cozy armchair.
Making a Case for M.V.A. (Most Valuable Aunt)
Being an aunt seems to come naturally for Olivia's sister Sophia Culpo, who looked at ease as she took her niece for a scene nature walk.