Certain foods and drinks are prohibited during pregnancy, including sushi, specific cheeses, deli meats, as well as alcohol and coffee. With the arrival of her first child, daughter Gemma, earlier this month, Lindsay Hubbard from Summer House eagerly indulged in her favorite treats.
“I was already thinking about my first meal right after giving birth,” recalls the 38-year-old reality star in an interview with PEOPLE. Immediately after delivering her baby, Hubbard partnered with Jimmy John’s to enjoy her beloved Vito sandwich in the delivery room, accompanied by their signature chips and a cookie.
After nine months of cravings, Lindsay indulges in her favorite sandwich for the ultimate postpartum treat
“Craving my Jimmy John’s sandwich was intense,” Hubbard shares, revealing her fondness for the sandwich chain developed while she was a student at the University of Florida. “I loved working with them during my pregnancy.
I often ordered non-meat sandwiches, like the Jimmy John’s Picklewich and the veggie sandwich, but finally getting to enjoy my Vito sandwich, which resembles an Italian, was thrilling. After going ten months without it, I just wanted my classic favorites.” With her pregnancy behind her, Hubbard looks forward to resuming activities like laser hair removal and tying her shoes.
“It may sound trivial, but as my pregnancy progressed, I became so large that moving quickly was difficult, and I would tire easily,” she explains regarding her struggle to reach her feet. “Now that it’s been almost two weeks since giving birth, I’m regaining my energy and moving more swiftly, despite sleeping considerably less.”
She adds, “I’m also excited to return to some beauty treatments, especially laser hair removal. My hair has grown so much due to hormones, and I can’t wait to get rid of this extra body hair.” Regarding breastfeeding, Hubbard expresses gratitude for how smoothly it has gone so far, saying, “I feel very blessed that Gemma latched on within 20 minutes of being born.”
“This doesn’t happen for everyone, so I consider myself lucky that she was so easy and continues to be,” Hubbard reflects. “However, breastfeeding requires commitment. It’s a demanding routine since I need to feed her every two to three hours, which is crucial.”
While her body adjusts to producing more milk, Hubbard has been supplementing with formula and receiving support from a lactation consultant. “The rapid changes in her are surprising,” Hubbard notes. “She looks so different now compared to when she was born.
Every few days, it seems like she’s changing, and I already feel like, ‘Oh no, she’s growing up too quickly.’ And it hasn’t even been two weeks!” Before sharing the news of Gemma’s birth on December 8, the former publicist notified her Summer House co-stars at Paige DeSorbo’s request.
“I sent a message to our Summer House group chat the day before my Instagram announcement because Paige specifically asked me to let them know when I had the baby before telling everyone else,” Hubbard explains. “I said, ‘Can you guys keep this a secret?’ They were all thrilled and overjoyed.”
Since welcoming her daughter, Hubbard has also connected with fellow reality stars like Austen Kroll from Southern Charm and Kristen Doute from Vanderpump Rules, who is expecting her first child.
“I feel like she’s right behind me on her journey into motherhood, so we text regularly,” Hubbard comments about the 41-year-old Doute. “Austen was doing an interview with Entertainment Tonight, and the producer mentioned, ‘By the way, Lindsay had her baby.’ That prompted Austen to start texting me. It’s nice to share this experience.”
Hubbard describes new motherhood as filled with “sleepless nights” and “plenty to absorb and learn.” “It’s a lot of hard work,” she admits. “Everything is new, and there’s a learning curve. But I’m doing well physically and emotionally.”
