The Bachelor’s ‘baby’ announcement: Locky Gilbert and Irena drop hints

The Bachelor‘s Locky Gilbert has sent fans into a frenzy after dropping a not-so-subtle hint that he and Irena Srbinovska are expecting a child together.

The 31-year-old shared an update to Instagram on Thursday, right after the finale aired, and it didn’t take long for his followers to notice his odd choice of words.

Locky made a reference to Irena being his ‘baby mumma’ and didn’t clarify that he was speaking about future family plans.

He shared a photo of himself of Irena, 31, from the finale, and wrote: ‘I have always listened to my heart and it has lead me to this point.

‘As hard as it was to say goodbye. I was also saying hello to my future wife, baby mumma and best friend. 

‘I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you. Here is to one crazy adventure and so so many more with you babe.’

The fact Locky didn’t preface ‘baby mumma’ with ‘future’ – which he had done when calling Irena his ‘future wife’ – prompted a flurry of pregnancy speculation. 

However, it’s likely he was just speaking about their family plans for the next few years.

The couple told The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Friday they were planning a five-month hike around Papua New Guinea and the Americas as soon as international borders open.

Such a task would be very difficult if Irena were pregnant.

During Thursday night’s gut-wrenching finale, Locky told both Irena and Bella Varelis he was falling in love with them – but then had the tricky task of sending one home.

He broke down in tears as Bella arrived to face the music, telling her he ‘fell in love’ the first day he saw her, before coming up with a rather feeble excuse to end things.

‘I know you don’t, like, sort of see where your future is at the moment. I think I need just a little bit of certainty,’ he said, as Bella looked at him in utter disbelief.

‘I just don’t know if I can see us working,’ he added, to which the brunette replied: ‘I just don’t get it. Yesterday, you told me you were in love with me.’

As Locky tried to explain himself, a furious Bella stormed off and snapped: ‘My God… Can I leave? I’m going.’

She later told producers: ‘Who does that to someone? Who tells them they’re in love with them and then… I just want to get out of here.’

After this emotional break-up, Locky composed himself then professed his love for Irena, telling her he ‘couldn’t wait’ to spend the rest of his life with her.

‘Irena, every time I’m with you, I feel so safe and protected. It’s weird, because I’m a pretty big dude, and not many people can make me feel like that,’ he said.

‘But just when I’m with you, I feel so calm and comfortable, and it’s a pretty new feeling for me. I know you’re going to make a beautiful girlfriend, wife, mother, everything. You’re the whole package.’

Locky teased another blindside when he admitted to Irena that he’d had his doubts about their relationship.

‘However, my biggest fear is that you’re not going to be able to put yourself first, or tell me no. And in my partner, I want drive and ambition,’ he said.

‘And I think you’ve got that in spades,’ he added, much to Irena’s relief.

‘When I think about our future together, I’m so excited and I can’t wait to just travel the world and make all your dreams come true.

‘Irena, I’m so in love with you. And I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.’

‘I love you too!’ she replied, as swelling music and a sweeping camera shot marked the dramatic end of Locky’s journey to find love.

The couple are still together two months after filming the finale, and Irena has packed up her life in Melbourne to live with Locky in Perth.