Indianapolis Colts’ Camryn Bynum Welcomes First Baby with Wife Lalaine: ‘Feeling Extremely Blessed’ (Exclusive)

Camryn Bynum is a dad!

The Indianapolis Colts’ safety, 26, and his wife Lalaine welcomed their first baby together, daughter Laila Glo Bynum, on Tuesday, May 6 at 1:05 p.m. Their baby girl came into the world weighing 7 lbs., 12 oz. and measuring 20 inches long.

“As first-time parents, we are feeling extremely blessed, [and] a little sleepy, but our hearts are so full having our sweet baby girl here to love on,” the newly minted mom tells PEOPLE. “Everything is still so new, but we are all adjusting together.”

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The arrival of their little girl didn’t come without it’s own challenges. The couple, who tied the knot in May 2023, originally planned to have a home birth. However, after being in active labor for nine hours, they made the decision to go to a hospital.

“It was unexpected and longer than I thought it would be. Our plan was to have a natural water birth at home. But God had other plans for us,” Camryn says. “After being in active labor and pushing for 9 hours at home, pain and exhaustion put us at a standstill. The baby’s positioning got funky, which made the pain increase, and the baby was no longer moving down.”

“Laine listened to her body and knew that for the sake of her and the baby’s health, it was best to transfer to the nearest hospital,” he explains. “Shortly after arriving at the hospital, the baby’s heart rate began to fluctuate and drop to the point where something had to be done quickly. She ended up having an emergency C-section. The pain from the surgery and trauma that her body had to go through is real, and she’s embracing the healing process and reminding herself that she doesn’t need to rush to go back to reality.”

The professional football player tells PEOPLE that postpartum recovery is “essential” for the new family of three.

“She can take her time healing physically and emotionally. It was a true testament to our faith and trusting in God’s plan over our own,” he says. “We started with the plan of having a natural birth, but everything took a complete turn, and God knew what was best for our Family. Laine and the baby were completely healthy and ultimately the process in itself was one of the biggest blessings ever.”

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As the Bynums settle into their new normal, Camryn notes he feels prepared for this new chapter in his life.

“Growing up around so many babies my whole life has prepared me for these moments of being a first-time parent,” he tells PEOPLE. “My Instagram algorithm has also been a huge part of preparing me for fatherhood.”

He describes the adjustment to being a family of three as “beautiful,” even though the sleep schedule for the new parents has been challenging.

“It’s been a beautiful adjustment from it being just the two of us, and now we’re a family of three. The sleep schedule is tough sometimes, but the happiness of it being my own baby makes it impossible for me to be tired,” he says, jokingly adding, “But then again, I’m not the one breastfeeding and burping Laila every 2 hours in the middle of the night.”

As for Lalaine, she agrees with Camryn, saying that the transition into motherhood has been a “major adjustment.” However, she tells PEOPLE that she is surrounded by support from her family.

“The first couple of weeks have been a major adjustment, but being able to give birth to our daughter in California and being surrounded by our family to help us with Laila has been such a huge blessing and made it a lot easier for both of us,” she says.