Springbok and Munster lock Jean Kleyn and his wife Aisling have welcomed their rainbow baby girl, Eljse-Mae Kleyn, born on 29 April at the Limerick Regional Maternity Hospital in Ireland. The arrival follows a deeply emotional journey that included IVF, pregnancy loss and the heartbreak of losing one of a twin pregnancy at eight weeks in late 2025.
Aisling shared the news on Instagram with a message that was quietly radiant in its relief and joy. “I will be forever in awe of how a normal day can end up holding the most extraordinary joy,” she wrote. “We are absolutely obsessed with our little sunrise baby. She is everything and more.”
The name Eljse-Mae — pronounced “L-sha Mae” — was chosen with intention. “Her name translates as God’s promise,” Aisling wrote, “and that is exactly what she is.”
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The road to Eljse-Mae
Aisling had been open with her followers throughout the journey. In 2025 she shared that the couple had conceived through IVF and had previously lost a pregnancy at eight weeks during their first round. The second round brought the news of twins — and then, in December, the devastating loss of one of them.
“We are absolutely shattered. After a tough start, we really began to believe our dream was a reality. The shock is numbing, and once again we try to accept another loss,” she wrote at the time.
Aisling had also previously shared the story behind a ring Jean gifted her after an earlier pregnancy loss — bought in South Africa following his Rugby World Cup win, worn as a reminder, she said, of how they fight together.
Jean and Aisling are also parents to a three-year-old son, Elijah. Eljse-Mae’s arrival completes a family that has earned every moment of joy it is now experiencing.
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Featured Image: Instagram
