Sad Things That Have Come Out About Hallmark's Emilie Ullerup

Emilie Ullerup has been capturing viewers' hearts for over a decade now. From her leading role in the since-canceled Hallmark series "Chesapeake Shores" to her star performances in TV movies such as "Nature of Love" and "Retreat to You," Ullerup has certainly been a mainstay on the network. With any luck, she'll continue to be a fan favorite, as well. All of this success hasn't been without hardship, however.

Beyond her Hallmark roles, Ullerup has faced a number of personal challenges that reveal a more complex side to her seemingly sunny life. From dealing with a scary medical anomaly early in her career to navigating the emotional struggles of motherhood, Ullerup's journey hasn't always been a smooth one. Let's take a closer look at some of the most difficult moments she's faced behind the scenes ... and how she successfully made it out on the other side.

In the fall of 2007, Emilie Ullerup started noticing a persistent pain in her lower back. It couldn't have come at a worse time. She had just finished a stint on SyFy's hit "Battlestar Galactica" and was on the brink of a star-making performance as Ashley on future cult classic "Sanctuary" ... so, naturally, she brushed off the pain. She ignored it for the next year and a half, trying to put her career first and her body second.

As is often the case, ignoring the pain didn't make it go away — in fact, it only got worse. When she finally decided to get an MRI, the results were alarming: Ullerup was diagnosed with a tumor at the bottom of her spine. "There were moments of great frustration and fear and lack of control," she admitted to CliqueClack. In 2009, Ullerup underwent a major surgery that removed the tumor, her tailbone, and part of her sacrum. Although the tumor was benign, it still took five months to recover from.

Being one of several Hallmark stars to survive a serious health scare isn't the only thing Emilie Ullerup has gone up against in life. After becoming a mother, Ullerup openly shared her experience with postpartum hormones. While she found motherhood to be a wonderful experience, she admitted that pregnancy had its challenges. "I wasn't a huge fan of the pregnancy phase," she confessed to Parade. She was also hiding the pregnancy while filming "Nature of Love," which posed some additional obstacles. At four months pregnant, she needed a body double for wide shots to hide her growing baby bump. "You could make a drinking game out of the movie: any time you spot the bump, you drink!" she joked.

All joking aside, Ullerup was candid about the toll postpartum hormones took on her mental health. "The postpartum hormones are no joke," she said. "I think it's important we all talk about that, so new moms don't feel alone in it." For Emilie, finding support in her partner and other moms was key to navigating this emotional time. She said simple gestures — like her partner refilling her water glass while she was breastfeeding — made such a big difference in helping her through it.