Duck Dynasty‘s Bella Robertson and husband Jacob Mayo have welcomed their first child.
“Our rainbow baby !!!!!! 6 lb 8 oz of pure perfection — our girl, Merritt Presley Mayo,” Bella, 24, captioned an Instagram carousel of sweet snaps on Saturday, September 19. Among the images, the couple’s newborn daughter was seen cradled in her mom’s arms as Jacob, 27, kissed his wife on the cheek.
Additional snaps showed the couple embracing one another as Bella laid in a hospital bed. Further pics also showed each parent holding their baby girl against their bare chests as they bonded with her.
The happy news surprised fans of the reality TV series, which returned in 2025 for the spin-off Duck Dynasty: The Revival, who took to the post’s comments section to share joy over the unexpected announcement. “The sweetest secret EVER,” wrote one fan, while another wrote, “Best kept secret and best day EVER!!!”
Candace Cameron Bure also showed her support, commenting, “Bella!!!! Congratulations!!!!! 😮😭.”
The news comes after Bella and Jacob, who tied the knot in June 2021, spoke exclusively to Us about their infertility struggles in May 2025. “I think people just don’t know what they’re talking about or who they’re talking to,” Bella told Us at the time. “We share a story of infertility in the show and that’s something that we haven’t really shared publicly that much, but that’s something that others just don’t know. When you just look at someone on social media, you can’t know what anyone’s going through.”
Jacob added, “I think what we’ve learned in marriage … is that I wish getting pregnant and having kids was as easy as people act like it is. Just, ‘Oh, I can just pop out a kid’ or ‘If we want to wait, we get to choose to wait.’ It’s not that transactional of a thing.”
Bella echoed her husband’s sentiment, noting that “[when] people comment about us having kids, we’re like, ‘Trust me, you don’t have to ask us.’”
Duck Dynasty stars Mary Kate and John Luke Robertson are expecting — and even they admit the news caught them by surprise. “Absolutely thrilled to tell y’all we are welcoming TWINS to our family early next year!!! The most wonderful, crazy surprise blessing of our lives ha! Two new little Robertson girls!🩷🩷,” Mary Kay wrote […]
Bella’s mom, Korie Robertson, also took to Instagram on Saturday to share photos from little Merritt’s earth-side arrival. “The sweetest and most beautiful answer to prayer, beyond all we asked or imagined. We are in LOVE!” Korie, 52, captioned her carousel. “Just one day after @bellarobmayo birthday I got to witness her, my baby girl, give birth to her baby girl. There are no words to describe the gratefulness that we feel!”
Korie also took the opportunity to pay tribute to Bella and Jacob. “Bella, you are superwoman! Such an amazing mama. Watching you wait on the Lord and trust in Him even when it was so hard has been a beautiful witness, and now to watch you as a mama to Merritt, simply the greatest gift!” she gushed before turning her praise to Jacob.
“@jacobdmayo I love the way you take care of your girls. So much gentleness, prayers, protection, laughter and love,” Korie wrote. “You two are an amazing mom and dad, the best team.”
