Scheana Shay Recalls the Moment Her Baby's Birth Took a "Really Scary" Turn

The Vanderpump Rules star opens up about her traumatic labor and where baby Summer Moon's name comes from.

By Samantha Bergeson May 14, 2021 3:59 PMTags
Watch: "Vanderpump Rules" Star Scheana Shay Welcomes Baby Girl

Scheana Shay truly is a fighter.

The Vanderpump Rules star didn't hold back in detailing the scary moments of giving birth to baby Summer Moon. Shay welcomed Summer on April 27 with boyfriend Brock Davies by her side, but suffered from a series of rare complications. After being at the hospital for almost 24 hours, her blood pressure spiked and doctors diagnosed her with pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome.

"It ended up being amazing but it was really scary," Shay explained on the May 14 episode of her podcast Scheananigans with Scheana Shay. "Basically my liver was struggling. I was borderline about to have a stroke or a seizure."

Shay received a magnesium drip that made her lethargic and also affected her daughter. "It made poor baby Summer so sleepy. She had a low heart rate," Shay continued, citing that she first thought Summer as a stillborn after coming out "limp" and not screaming. "It was a lot of scares." 

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Scheana Shay's Baby Shower

Thankfully both mother and baby made it out safe and sound following treatment for HELLP. "The fact that they caught it, I am so lucky. It literally is a life-threatening disease and it could have been fatal," Shay almost teared up. "It's the second highest cause of death in pregnant women."

Davies gushed that Shay is a "champ" with breastfeeding; the couple agreed Shay "crushed it" giving birth after an induced labor. 

Scheana Shay/Instagram

So where did Summer Moon's unique moniker come from? Shay shared her sweet relationship with both words—and a surprising TV connection. 

"Back in high school, I was a huge fan of The O.C. specifically Rachel Bilson," Shay confessed. "She, to this day, is one of my favorite actresses." Shay even wants Bilson to play her if there was ever a Vanderpump Rules movie adaptation! Selena Gomez can play "young Scheana," Shay joked. 

Bilson played lovable character Summer in the hit SoCal series. "It's just been a name that I've always loved," Shay continued.

Davies also thought it was a "perfect fit" as his eight-year-old daughter in Australia is named Winter. "Hopefully when they meet each other they'll be able to bond over that moment," Davies added. The half-sisters even share the same birthday! 

Shay felt compelled to add Moon as a middle name as she was "manifesting a healthy birth" with moon rituals following her past miscarriage. "The moon was something I prayed on," Shay emotionally explained. Summer also was born on the "night of a full pink supermoon," so it was a perfect name for her. 

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Vanderpump Rules Pregnancies

Motherhood has come naturally for Shay. The Bravo star gushed on Instagram about her new role as parent to Summer. "Becoming a mom has been the most amazing gift I have ever received. @summermoon I will always and forever love you endlessly and protect you," Shay captioned on Mother's Day. "You have changed my life."

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