The Hallmark Project You Didn't Know Meghan Ory Was Pregnant While Filming

Meghan Ory became a household name when she starred as Abby O'Brien in the beloved Hallmark series "Chesapeake Shores." But something only the biggest fans probably know about "Chesapeake Shores" is that Ory was pregnant while filming the final season of the show in 2022. The actor hinted that she was pregnant with her third child upon informing her Instagram followers, in May of that year, that she was struggling with nausea. "#onset #acting like I'm not going to barf," Ory penned at the time. When she finished up filming in July, the Hallmark star took to Instagram again to share the pregnancy-related health issues Ory dealt with behind the scenes of "Chesapeake Shores" final season. 

"Well that is a wrap on #chesapeakeshores after 6 seasons! I started this season with #hyperemesisgravidarum and ended it with #covid — it has been quite the run!" she noted. "Thank you so much to our amazing cast and crew for having so much patience with me while I tried not to barf on anyone." Hyperemesis gravidarum is pretty rare, with only 0.3% to 3.6% of pregnant women experiencing the condition, according to a review study published in Science Direct. Avid royal watchers will remember that, while Princess Catherine's stunning pregnancy style made headlines, so too did the fact that she was suffering from this challenging condition during all three of her pregnancies. 

For those not familiar with HG (count yourself blessed), it's a severe form of morning sickness, where the mother experiences extreme nausea and vomiting that lasts throughout the day. This makes eating and drinking difficult and can lead to dehydration and malnutrition, per the Cleveland Clinic. Often, it needs to be treated in hospital. It's not clear if Ory ever had to be hospitalized, but she's a real trouper for working through it all.

There was a time when Meghan Ory wondered whether having kids would be a good idea. "My husband [John Reardon] and I have been talking about it, but I'm kind of terrified of children," she admitted during a 2016 interview (via YouTube). Naturally, Abby O'Brien, her character on "Chesapeake Shores," being a mom didn't help matters. "They [the twins who play Abby's kids] make me even more terrified," the actor explained, adding, "I love them, they're so fun, but they're so exhausting." It would appear Ory got over that fear, because as of this writing, she's a mom of three. 

Speaking to Parade in 2019, the Hallmark star shared how she relates a lot more to Abby since becoming a mother herself. "My mom life is probably looking a little bit more like Abby in her Chesapeake Shores time rather than in her New York days," Ory pointed out, adding that she often brought her then 2-year-old boy to set with her, where he received tons of love from especially the younger cast members. "I can tell you that the girls who play my television daughters are in love with my little boy, and they love to play with him and tickle him. They have lots of fun together when he comes to the set," she enthused.

In a 2025 Instagram post for Mother's Day, Ory celebrated moms far and wide, penning, "Mama's you are fierce and inspiring beings. I can't believe what our bodies go through." She expressed her admiration for all kinds of mothers, adding that she has a special place in her heart for those who yearn to have children but have not seen that dream realized yet.