Alyssa Farrah Griffin Missing from ‘The View’ as She Goes into Labor

Alyssa Farah Griffin is ready to be a mom!

via: People

Alyssa Farah Griffin was absent from The View on Tuesday, Feb. 10, for a very good reason.

At the top of the ABC daytime show, co-host Whoopi Goldberg revealed that the former White House Communications Director turned television personality wasn't at the Hot Topics table because she was in labor.

"She's at the hospital right now!" Goldberg, 70, said, to the cheers of the audience and fellow panelists Sara Haines, Joy Behar and Sunny Hostin. "And we are wishing her the best as she waits for her baby boy to arrive."

"Yeah, it's kind of fabulous!" Goldberg added, encouraging the applause. "Welcome that baby!"

Just on Monday, Alyssa had sat at The View table, joking about how Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show performance might put her into labor early.

Alyssa — who is expecting her first baby, a boy, with husband Justin Griffin — was planning to begin her maternity leave after the show on Friday, Feb. 13, though told PEOPLE last week she was ready to go anytime.

"I'm due Feb. 19, but my doctor expects he'll arrive slightly early, so it's keeping me on my toes," the conservative pundit said. "I'm ready for any scenario, really."

Of course, pregnancy is nothing new at The View. Co-hosts over the years like Haines, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Abby Huntsman and Meghan McCain have been pregnant on air before her.

"I’ve been really lucky and I felt really, really supported by the show," the 36-year-old said. “Everyone’s used to the rhythm of it here. It's old news!"

That support at work has included contingency plans to account for a range of health-related scenarios, like discreet camera adjustments if Alyssa feels nauseous or prearranged exit routes if she needs to step off set unexpectedly — none of which, luckily, anyone actually had to use.

But the preparation has also carried over to the Griffin home, where Alyssa's bags have been packed for over two weeks now.

"Oh, we're ready," Alyssa shared. "I'm a very risk-averse person. And after going through such a difficult IVF process, and being a higher risk pregnancy to being with, I've really leaned into trusting what my doctor's best recommendations. So I just went over my birth plan with my amazing OB-GYN and feel really happy about where we landed."

"The only fear I have now is, 'Am I going to be with my husband?' " Alyssa noted. "That's something every pregnant woman deals with. 'Are we going to hop in the car together and drive into the city? Am I going to be at the studio and he's working?' Those logistics are all up in the air. But it's all going to be fine."

PEOPLE helped break the news of Alyssa's pregnancy back in October. The happy announcement came after a long journey for the Griffin, who wed in November 2021 and tried for two years before conceiving after five rounds of in vitro fertilization (IVF).

During that span, Alyssa learned she had endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it, making it harder to get pregnant. "I went undiagnosed my whole life until I started this process," Alyssa shared at the time. "So that just added to the complications."

But all the struggles, they say, were worth it — especially when they found out they were having a boy.

"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)."

That's something Justin knows firsthand. "I grew up with a younger brother, and you have a built-in best friend," he said. "Even now — my brother, he's also my business partner. He beat me to the altar and now has lapped me in the delivery room with two amazing kids. And I've got to watch him grow into this unbelievable dad, balancing it all effortlessly, which is really cool. I'll definitely be looking to him, and my own fantastic father, as an example for the type of dad I want to be."

As for The View, they've got plans without Alyssa. Guest hosts will start filling in, beginning with Savannah Chrisley on Feb. 17.

Others announced to keep her seat warm include Amanda Carpenter, Sheryl Underwood, Whitney Cummings and former co-hosts Hasselbeck and Huntsman.