Tyler Baltierra has been an open book for a very long time.
The veteran Teen Mom OG star has never shied away from difficult conversations about his marriage, his struggles with mental health problems — or, on the latest episode of this MTV series, even his thoughts about other women.
In a new podcast chat with Us Weekly, Tyler addresses the semi-controversy that arose after he and wife Catelynn announced they were separating.
Is the marriage really over? With a baby due in March?!?
No, Baltierra explains below.
Scroll down to see how he expounds on the unusual set-up to which he and Catelynn have agreed…
We Love Each Other, And Yet…
Catelynn and Tyler were middle school sweethearts. They have been through A LOT as a couple, from giving up a child for adoption to suffering through a miscarriage to Catelynn spending time in rehab for having suicidal thoughts.
Tyler Has Been Open About It All
He hasn’t pretended as if the relationship is perfect… at all. “When does it ever turn around?” he asked some friends earlier this year. “When is it ever 50/50?! I’m saying this is what I need, awesome. If you can’t, let me know now. I don’t want to waste any time, let me get out of here. Marriage is a bitch.”
I Need a Break
Catelynn and Tyler announced they were expecting an unplanned baby in March, which is amazing news. But it didn’t mean that their marita woes were immediately solved. Tyler told his wife right afterward that he wanted to separate.
Huh? Really?!?!!?
“Getting pregnant was unexpected since we still have a lot of work to do on our relationship,” Catelynn said in a voice over on a Teen Mom OG episode, before opening up about living separately: “I was devastated at first, but now that I’ve started my own therapy, I’m more comfortable with the idea.”
Is This Really for the Best?
Tyler thinks so, but Catelynn told producers she was NOT “jumping for joy” over the idea of separating. “I don’t think any of us are. You took it kind of hard,” Tyler said in response. “The intention is not to bring up your anxiety or to make you feel any of your core wounds.”
Catelynn Gets Real in Response
“But in that moment it did trigger me. It did bring up wounds,” Catelynn said. “It was scary, it was sad, it was hurtful. Things that I’ve been through, like when people say they want to separate, they want to leave, it seriously does feel like somebody died.”
What is Actually Going on Here?
Catelynn says she texted to ask if Tyler wanted to see other people, to which he wrote back: “What the f-ck, do you think that I would cheat on you?’” Continued Catelynn: “And I’m like, in my heart of hearts, no, but it was just so blindsided. I feel like the separation thing for me is going to be hard, but it’ll be good for me in a way. Then I have time to just focus on me and Nova.”
Okay Then. Help Us Out Here, Ty.
Talking to Us Weekly very recently, Tyler tried to break down the whole NON-break-up thing, outling how this separation concept works for him and Catelynn.
How Does This Week?
“It’s funny because we actually don’t even call it separation anymore,” he says. “We say, ‘Let’s just do 30 days of self-reflection time. You get to focus on you, I get to focus on me. We’ll continue to do couples’ therapy…”
So They Still See Each Other?
Yes, they have date nights, but they also see each other professionally, so to speak, says Tyler: “We’ve got a great therapist who works really good with us, so [we’re] kind of following her advice on top of the separation, whatever you wanna call it.”
We’re Not Separated!
“We call it 30 days of self-reflection – just positive terminology here,” Tyler adds.
What is Happening with Nova Through This?
The three-year old has been going back and forth between her dad and her mom’s place and is handling everything fine because she sees both parents regularly.
Nova is So Cute!
That’s just a fact. Says Tyler of this daughter: “We’ve been letting her kind of doing whatever she feels like she needs to do. Sometimes she’ll come hang out with me for a couple hours then she’ll have to go home. We still eat dinner together.”
Chill Out, People
“When you say ‘separation,’ everyone’s like, ‘Oh my god, a separation?” It’s not like we’re seeing other people or we’re not talking at all or not spending time with each other,” Tyler continues here.
He Adds:
“I’ve been here at the house fixing stuff up while she and Nova have been here. Honestly [we’re] taking our space when we need it. Nova’s been really surprisingly taking it really well. She’s been really great with everything.”
He Does Not Have a Wandering Eye
On Teen Mom OG, Tyler’s dad outright asked if his son wants to sleep around. This is what he has to say about that now: “The main goal is to stay with my wife and live this life. We love each other. It’s crazy because when you do grow up with each other, no one can really understand the bond. There is no explanation for it. It’s hard for people like my dad, who’s been in prison his whole life and never really had a serious adult relationship, to relate. It’s different.”
Fair Enough, Man. Now Let’s Talk Your Next Baby!
Tyler and Catelynn are expecting a baby in March. It will be a girl and her name will be Tezlee.
Wait… Tezlee?!?
Tyler is here to explain again: “We were looking at names and we were just writing it down and I don’t know … I saw Lesley and I’m like, ‘No, not Lesley’ It’s kinda weird. We just put different words together, letters together.”
There is a Reason Behind It:
“We wanted to keep Lee in there ’cause of Novalee, so we just played around with it and then Tezlee [came up]. I sent Cate a whole list of different names, of ones that I looked at, saw or kind of combined myself and she took that one!
The Baby is Due in Very Late Winter
“I’m super excited,” Catelynn said upon confirming she was expecting again, gushing over her “rainbow” baby just months after her miscarriage.
Keep. Fighting.
Tyler just sent this Tweet to his followers. Inspiring, no?