Influencer Karissa Collins Responds to Backlash Over Miscarriage Video
Parenting personality Karissa Collins has addressed the backlash stemming from a video where her 11 children playfully hit her belly during her miscarriage.
“I apologize. When I shared that video, I was not considering what others might think,” Collins, 41, expressed in a TikTok video on Thursday, July 17. “It was a light-hearted moment with my kids. I honestly didn’t think anyone would even notice it.”
Earlier in July, Karissa had revealed in a now-deleted video that she and her husband, Mandrae Collins, were expecting their 12th child. Shortly after, she shared that she had experienced a missed miscarriage and preferred to let the fetal tissue pass naturally. At the same time, she posted a clip on TikTok of her younger children having fun smacking her belly. (All posts regarding Karissa’s pregnancy announcement and miscarriage have since been removed.)
“I don’t engage in clickbait. Controversy is not my aim,” Karissa said while addressing the criticism regarding her belly video. “I don’t share offensive content for followers. I choose not to attract those kinds of followers. I’m focused on sharing the message I believe God has given me—that you can trust God with your womb. … We encourage women to have faith in how many children they’re meant to have.”
The online creator provided further context for the now-viral video, stating her kids were “having a great time” and showcasing their own bellies after a family meal.
“I said, ‘Do you want to see a big belly? Here’s my belly!’ I’ve got a big belly. After being pregnant 15 times, I’m working off some extra weight,” she clarified. “I shared the video because my kids were laughing at my stomach. They were squishing it like slime and Squishmallows. It was such a joyful moment that I didn’t want to forget.”
Karissa mentioned that her 4-year-old daughter did hit her belly “a little too hard” during the fun.
@thecollinskids Apology and explanation. #family #faith #miscarriage
“I did say ‘ow’ in the video, but they were not causing me any pain,” she emphasized. “They weren’t harming anything inside me.”
In response to critiques of her large family, Karissa expressed her views in her apology video.
“If you haven’t had 11 children, I don’t think you have the right to claim it’s impossible or that you can’t manage it,” she said. “I used to think that when I had five kids. … I had no idea that God’s plan for us included a big family. We believe in living a life of faith and recognize that children are eternal and invaluable.”
Karissa further commented that she doesn’t understand how some individuals on social media can “demean other families” through their criticisms.
“That’s just clickbait, plain and simple,” she stated. “I won’t call anyone out on my platform. My goal is to share the messages that God imparts to me and showcase the blessings He has provided us, guiding other women to trust in Him and embrace the joys of motherhood.”
