Alyssa Farah Griffin is sharing why she decided to wait to share her big news.

On Wednesday, Oct. 8, The View co-host, 36, announced she is pregnant and expecting her first baby with her husband, Justin Griffin. Alyssa, who is 22 weeks pregnant, tells PEOPLE that she endured five rounds of IVF and two years of trying to get pregnant, making her hesitant to publicly share the news.

“The other side of dealing with infertility is then it’s still a waiting game. So I think a lot of The View audience every day, they’re tweeting like milk bottles at me,” she said. “They have an idea I’m pregnant.”

“But the only reason I haven’t shared to this point is it was important to us to get through the 20 week appointment, which is the full anatomy, making sure everything’s developing right because you’re just higher risk, both with my age and with the infertility issues I’ve dealt with and [am] dealing with,” continued Alyssa.

Alyssa Farah Griffin and husband Justin Griffin

Alyssa Farah Griffin and husband Justin Griffin share their pregnancy news with PEOPLE.ABC/Michael Le Brecht II

“I also have a lot of friends too who dealt with it,” she continued. “Most of my friends sadly have dealt with miscarriages too at some point. So we wanted to feel like we were in a safe place before we got too celebratory.”

Alyssa also told PEOPLE that she told her co-hosts and the rest The View‘s core team prior to announcing her pregnancy.

“So I shared with the whole View hosts and our core team late last week. I had shared very early with Brian Teta, our EP, I honestly think literally as I got the news and it was important to me, everyone has an incredible supportive boss,” she said.

“I’d heard horror stories from friends of hiding their pregnancies late, and I’m very close with Brian. I was like, ‘I need you to know that this is what I’m dealing with,’” continued Alyssa. “And he’s been nothing but the most supportive.”

She went on to say she told Sara Haines shortly after that.

“And then I’m telling you, Whoopi [Goldberg]’s got a sixth sense. She didn’t ask this time, but she was just being strange to me. And then I told her right at the end of last season,” said Alyssa. “But all the women know and everyone was excited. Sunny [Hostin] was saying how fun it is to have a son first.”

Alyssa Farah Griffin and husband Justin Griffin

Justin Griffin and Alyssa Farah Griffin share their pregnancy news with PEOPLE.ABC/Michael Le Brecht II

During the Oct. 8 episode of The View, Alyssa shared she’s expecting a little boy, due in February 2026 — with husband Justin Griffin. Days earlier, the pair sat down with PEOPLE to open up about their baby-to-be after they posed for a sweet maternity shoot at their home.

“I’m so excited to be a boy mom, even though I’ll be outnumbered at home because we have two male dogs.” Alyssa said, joking that The View co-hosts will help “balance” things out. “But wanted a boy first. I grew up with sisters, and I’ve always liked the idea of a big brother looking out for the younger siblings (because we both want two kids).”

“I can’t wait to hold the baby, that’s going to be the most amazing thing for me,” said Justin. “And then, I’m excited to relive some of the most magical parts of my childhood through the lens of my own child. As someone who grew up with a big family and a very close family, the best memories I have are with my mom, my dad, my brother and our cousins. So I’m excited to create that environment for our son.”

“It’s like this blank slate of endless possibilities,” Alyssa continued. “And there’s an awesome responsibility attached to that, but I couldn’t think of a better person to be the partner in this than Justin.”