By 3 News online staff
Rachel Rasch and Tyson Hill may have walked away from TV3’s reality show The Block NZ empty-handed, but they’ll soon have their hands full following a surprise announcement.
The couple are expecting a second child, and told Woman’s Day magazine that it’s all because of The Block.
“I truly don’t think I would have got pregnant again if it weren’t for The Block,” says Rachel.
She says she knew she was pregnant after she started feeling nauseous, but a scan following the end of filming for the series confirmed that their six-year-old son Otis will be getting a sibling.
Otis is hoping for a new brother but both Rachel and Tyson think they will be having a girl – and they’ve already picked out a name. They say they would call a new daughter Emi-Sue, after both of their mothers.
Tyson says they didn’t make a conscious decision to try for a new baby during the show, but they were making the most of their time away from their everyday routine.
“Living with your in-laws and your son in a small house, there’s not much time to do anything!”
Rachel says it’s something she’s wanted for a long time.
“I’ve been waiting a long time for a second child.”
The couple admit they do have some worries about the pregnancy, especially since they have had three miscarriages since Otis was born.
But while the last three pregnancies were twins, this time there’s only one, and Rachel says that is helping them to feel more positive.
“Hopefully that means there’s more of a chance of it being a healthy pregnancy.”
The new pregnancy isn’t the only good news the couple have received following the end of The Block NZ. More than $14,000 in public donations was collected for the pair after they missed out on any profits.
In the final episode of the series their property sold for $798,000 – exactly their reserve – meaning they walked away with nothing for ten weeks' worth of work.
The couple say they were overwhelmed with the response and are planning to give some of the donated funds to charity.
Watch the final episode of The Block NZ on TV3 On Demand.
3 News