Valeen Montenegro, husband Riel Manuel welcome their first child

• Valeen Montenegro and her husband, cinematographer Riel Manuel, announced the birth of their baby boy a week after his arrival
• Their joint Instagram post featured black-and-white photos documenting the emotional moments surrounding the delivery
• Riel described their first week as both exhausting and incredibly meaningful
• He also praised Valeen’s strength during her 28-hour labor and expressed gratitude to the medical team who supported them

Valeen Montenegro and her husband, cinematographer Riel Manuel, have officially stepped into parenthood with the arrival of their baby boy. The couple announced the milestone on Sunday, November 16, a week after Valeen gave birth.

The announcement came through a joint Instagram post shared by Riel, featuring a series of black-and-white images that captured the moments leading up to and immediately following the delivery. The photos showed Valeen inside the delivery room, Riel keeping close by her side, and the heartwarming first moments with their newborn son.

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Riel revealed in the caption that their child was born at 6:47 p.m. on November 11. He reflected on their first week as a family of three, acknowledging that the experience was both overwhelming and deeply rewarding. “This was so new to us. It’s been an exhausting week, but also the most beautiful one yet. My heart has never been fuller,” he wrote.

He also took a moment to honor Valeen’s resilience throughout her labor, which lasted 28 hours. In his tribute, he said, “Watching my wife go through 28 hours of labor showed me what real strength looks like. She’s my hero. The bond got stronger.”

Riel further expressed appreciation for the medical team who guided them through the birthing process, noting that their support made the experience safer and more comforting.

Valeen Montenegro is a Filipina actress. She started her acting career as one of the talents launched by ABS-CBN's talent management arm Star Magic in 2006. Her first acting role was in a one-episode stint in the comedy fantasy series "Pedro Penduko." She played a younger version of Gloria Romero's character Maria.

In a previous report by KAMI, Valeen Montenegro and her longtime non-showbiz boyfriend, Riel Manuel, have finally exchanged wedding vows. The lovely couple tied the knot on January 12, 2024 at a beautiful church wedding ceremony. The gorgeous bride has been sharing on Instagram Stories photos and clips from her big day captured by those who witnessed the wedding. Mavy Legaspi and Lovely Abella were among those who took to social media to post about the heartwarming event. Furthermore, designer Carlo Angelo Niu published a stunning video of Valeen walking down the aisle.

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Last June, Valeen took to her social media page to reveal her first pregnancy to the public. In a reel posted on her Instagram page, Valeen compiled several clips showing her loved ones’ reaction to her pregnancy. The couple’s family and close friends were seemed thrilled and overjoyed when they learned about the terrific news. Along with the video montage, the soon-to-be mom delightfully wrote, “Been keeping a little secret.” The actress’ heartwarming post was flooded with congratulatory messages in no time.

Source: KAMI.com.gh