Congratulations are in order for Real Housewives of the Potomac star Nneka Ihim and her husband. The couple recently welcomed their first child, a baby boy, to the world. 

Noah Jidechi Ikeoha Ihim entered the world on May 14, weighing 7lbs and 1.4 oz. The moment for the new mother was “bittersweet,” as Noah was a twin. His sister died in utero. 

Despite the heartbreak, Ihim told People Magazine in an exclusive interview that becoming a mother has been “amazing and pretty smooth,” and that she is “simply in awe” of her son.

“I just stare at him and think, ‘Wow, this is the person that was kicking me in the ribs all those months,’ ” she joked in her interview. “He’s just so special. With all that I’ve been through and the two years it has taken us to get to this point.”

“My favorite time of the day are his brief wake periods,” she said. “At this stage, newborns sleep most of the day, but the few short moments I get per day where he innocently stares at me are the best.”

The Bravo reality star goes on to say that despite the difficult IVF journey, her little one “is worth it all.”

“I really just thank God for everything and I fully accept my journey and my struggle because if any of the prior IUIs [intrauterine insemination] worked or IVF [in vitro fertilization] embryo transfers worked, I wouldn’t have this exact little boy, and he is worth it all,” she added. “He’s changed our lives and those around us for the better, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

And as we know, it definitely takes a village and Ihim has had hers surround her with as much help, love, and support she has needed during this time. She is especially grateful for having her mother. 

“I have been very blessed to have so much help, which has made everything easier,” she tells PEOPLE. “My mom came to town a few days before my c-section, and she hasn’t left my side since. Having her has truly made all the difference for me.”

Ihim and her husband, Dr. Ikenna Ihim, wed in 2021 and moved to Potomac prior to her joining the reality show in season 8.

Photo: Nneka Ihim Instagram