Honestly, if you’ve been following the 90 Day Fiance universe for more than a minute, you know that Brandon Gibbs and Julia Trubkina are basically the couple that refuses to quit. Most people thought they’d crumble under the weight of Betty’s "mother boy" clutches or Julia’s intense homesickness for Russia. But here we are in January 2026, and the conversation around them hasn't just stayed alive—it’s shifted into high gear with pregnancy updates that have everyone refreshing their Instagram feeds every five seconds.
90 Day Fiance Brandon and Julia have always been a bit of a lightning rod for drama. Remember the "I go to Russia" era? Or the nightmare of living on Hummingbird Acres? Those days feel like a lifetime ago now that they’ve settled into their own place in Virginia Beach and started actual adult lives. But the drama didn't stop; it just evolved into something much more personal and, frankly, a lot more high-stakes.
What Really Happened with the Pregnancy Announcement?
So, let's get into the weeds of what’s actually going on right now. In August 2025, Julia and Brandon officially confirmed they were expecting their first baby. This wasn't just some random "leak" or a cryptic caption. They did the whole thing—a spread in People magazine, professional maternity photos, the works. It was a massive deal because, for years, they’ve been at odds about children.
Julia was the one pushing back. She famously didn't want the responsibility, and then there were the heartbreaking health hurdles. On 90 Day: The Last Resort and the subsequent Happily Ever After Season 9, we saw the raw footage of them dealing with infertility and a high-risk pregnancy diagnosis. Julia even admitted during a Tell All—which was filmed late in 2025—that she hadn't told her own parents about the pregnancy until the six-month mark because she was terrified of losing the baby.
"I wake up every day and I just try to feel kicking," she said. It was one of those rare, genuine moments where the reality TV facade dropped and you actually felt for them.
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The AI Photos and the Due Date Mystery
Here is where it gets weird. Around December 2025, some fan pages started circulating "first look" photos of Brandon holding a baby boy. People went nuts. But if you looked closely, it was clearly AI-generated or some very dedicated Photoshop work. Julia actually had to go on a mini-crusade on social media to tell everyone to stop.
As of January 17, 2026, there has been no official birth announcement. Wait. Let that sink in. Based on the timeline she gave during the Season 9 Tell All, where she was six months along, many expected a December birth. Some sleuths on Reddit found an Amazon registry that suggested a December 1st due date, but Julia later hinted that her calculations or the "TV timeline" might be slightly different. If she was six months in late summer/early autumn, we are looking at a January or even February 2026 arrival.
The silence is deafening.
Career Shifts: From Go-Go Dancing to Dog Boxes
While the baby watch is the primary focus, their life in Virginia Beach has become surprisingly stable. Julia, the "jill of all trades" who once claimed to have worked 15 different jobs, finally found her niche. She launched a business called Kingdom For Dogs.
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It’s a subscription box service, but she’s not just slapping labels on boxes. She’s out there in Hampton Roads, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach doing the deliveries herself. It’s a complete 180 from the girl who couldn't stand the smell of the farm. Ironically, she’s used the skills she learned from Brandon’s dad, Ron, to actually build something of her own.
Brandon, on the other hand, has had a rougher go of it lately.
- He’s been dealing with severe anxiety.
- The pressure of the show and the high-risk pregnancy led to a hospitalization.
- He’s still working his "real" job, but the stress is visible.
During The Last Resort, we saw a version of Brandon that was a far cry from the goofy guy who laughed about "tea" being a euphemism for sex. He’s been struggling to find his footing as a husband while dealing with the reality that his wife might actually move back to Russia if things don't go perfectly.
The "Mama's Boy" Factor: Is Betty Still the Villain?
You can't talk about 90 Day Fiance Brandon and Julia without talking about Betty Gibbs. The woman is a legend in the franchise for all the wrong reasons. But in 2026, the dynamic is... different.
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Betty and Ron helped them move into their house. They’ve tried to be supportive during the fertility journey. But there’s still that underlying tension. Julia is very vocal about the fact that her priorities are her own parents and her new family unit. The fear among fans is that once the baby arrives, the "tug-of-war" over who gets to hold the infant and who gets to set the rules is going to explode.
Julia's parents are still in the process of trying to get to the U.S. That’s been a massive point of contention. Brandon was worried their arrival would crowd their marriage, but he eventually gave her an ultimatum: he helps her parents, or the marriage is over. He chose the marriage.
Why This Couple Still Matters to the Franchise
A lot of 90 Day couples feel fake. You can see the influencer-aspirant energy from a mile away. But with Brandon and Julia, the mess feels lived-in. Their apartment in Virginia Beach isn't a mansion; it’s a house they’re renovating themselves. Their problems—anxiety, infertility, overbearing in-laws—are things people actually deal with.
They aren't trying to be the most "glamorous" couple. They’re just the couple that’s still there, five years later, still figuring out how to be adults.
Actionable Insights for the "Baby Watch"
If you’re looking for the most accurate way to keep up with them without falling for the AI-generated fake news, here is how you should handle the next few weeks:
- Ignore the Fan Pages: Any photo of a baby that isn't on Julia’s (@juliatrubkina) or Brandon’s (@brandongibbs90) verified Instagram is almost certainly fake.
- Watch the "Happily Ever After" Tell All: If you haven't caught the latest episodes, the nuances of Julia's health are explained there. It explains why they might be more private about the birth than other couples.
- Check Local Virginia Beach Tags: Julia often posts her "Kingdom For Dogs" deliveries in real-time. If she stops posting those, it’s a good sign she’s finally in the hospital or nesting.
- Wait for the People Exclusive: Given their history, they likely have a contract for the first official photos. They won't leak them for free on a random Tuesday.
The journey of 90 Day Fiance Brandon and Julia has moved from the farm to the beach, and now to the nursery. Whether you love them or find them exhausting, they’ve managed to turn a "90 day" visa into a six-year saga that is currently reaching its most emotional peak yet. Stay tuned, because the actual birth announcement is likely just days away.