Becoming a māmā has been one of Courtney’s biggest dreams – but it’s one she kept under wraps for a long time.
Having been an elite sportswoman and single for a few years, she wasn’t sure if motherhood was on the cards for her.
Courtney Tairi and Apirana Pewhairangi have been together since late 2024. Photo / Robert Trathen
“I honestly thought I might not be able to have kids,” she tells. “It was always in the back of my mind that I might not be able to get pregnant because of what my body has gone through as an athlete and it’s something that’s not really talked about. We push our bodies to the absolute limit and your cycle can become irregular – you can even lose it.”
In fact, Courtney’s cycle was so erratic, she missed her entire first trimester and didn’t realise she was pregnant until she was 13 weeks along.
“I didn’t have any signs that I was hapū,” she says. “I didn’t have any morning sickness or cravings – and I still haven’t, so I’m so lucky! But what tipped me off eventually was that I would usually fast in the mornings and all of a sudden, I couldn’t get through a morning without eating.
“Then at the gym, my body wouldn’t tone like it normally would – it didn’t respond like it had before. I was thinking, ‘What’s wrong with me?’”
Eventually she took an at-home test and to her immense surprise, it was positive. But the real shock came from her doctor, who informed her she was already in her second trimester!
“Seeing that baby up on the monitor was the biggest blessing for both Api and I,” smiles Courtney. “Although he was asking the doctor if they were sure it wasn’t twins and I’m like, ‘Do not even put that out there!’”
Courtney Tairi didn’t realise she was pregnant until she was 13 weeks along. Photo / Robert Trathen
Since then, the Sydney-born former netball star – who has played for the Southern Steel, the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic and the Northern Stars – has enjoyed a dream pregnancy, which has felt very short.
Courtney explains: “We waited a few weeks to tell my family, because they’re all in Australia and I wanted to do it in person. So between that and not finding out until later, as well as all the other tests we had to do to make sure the pregnancy was all good due to my age, it has seemed so fast for everyone!
“One of the best moments of the pregnancy so far was telling Api’s family – especially his mum Irene. She’s been quite sick with cancer, so it was a beautiful moment for Api to share the news with her. It’s such a positive, happy thing for her and his family when they’ve been going through quite a tough time.”
Courtney and Apirana – Coco and Api to their pals – have been together since late 2024, connecting through mutual friends. They’d actually already met briefly years before, but neither was in a position for anything romantic to blossom. However, the stars eventually aligned and Courtney realised quite quickly that Api, 33, was her person.
The couple share a deep love of sport. Photo / Robert Trathen
“I’d been single for a while and it’s because I was really happy alone,” admits Courtney, who’s of Tainui descent. “I wasn’t going to settle or sacrifice anything just for the sake of being in a relationship. But then Api came along and once I met him again, I knew instantly that he was someone I wanted to spend a lot of time with. We connected on the same values, especially around whānau and te ao Māori. He’s a good, good man.
“I was going through some big life changes at that point, especially with work, and he was so supportive. He told me to trust myself and back myself. It was so lovely to have that support in my corner.”
Of course, Courtney and Api share a deep love of sport, with her career in netball and his in rugby league, paving the way for their pēpi – a little boy – to inherit some epic athletic ability!
Courtney Tairi and Apirana Pewhairangi are focused on welcoming their new bub. Photo / Robert Trathen
They also jointly host their sport podcast Sharpen Up, which serves up a Māori take on sports, alongside All Blacks legend Piri Weepu. They’re keen to eventually produce a second season later this year.
“We’ll have to see how we’re going with baby, but we’ve loved doing the pod so much,” Courtney enthuses. “I’m just happy embracing this new journey, but at the same time, I’ve worked so hard and hustled for my own career. Two things can be true at once, you know, so I’ll balance the mahi when we get to that point. There are so many amazing women who juggle it all, so I have lots of great inspiration!”
In the meantime, she and Api, who has Ngāti Porou heritage, are focused on welcoming their new bub, with the gorgeous couple visiting both their marae – Maungatautari in Waikato for her and Pākirikiri Marae in East Cape for him – to make sure the little lad is connected with all sides of his whānau and his whakapapa, and to get some name inspiration.
“This baby is going to be so loved,” smiles Courtney. “He already is so loved. This really is everything I have ever wanted.”