“Not Fun”: Amber Marshall Reveals the Brutal Reality of Playing Pregnant on Heartland

If you watched Amy Fleming’s pregnancy on Heartland, you might have wondered if the actress, Amber Marshall, was actually pregnant in real life. The rumors were everywhere because the show felt so realistic.

But the truth is, Amber Marshall wasn’t expecting. Instead, she was spending long summer days in Calgary wearing a heavy, hot silicone suit.

The Reality of the Prosthetic Suit

During an appearance on the Hallmarkies Podcast, Amber spoke honestly about what it was like to film those episodes. When asked if she enjoyed the storyline, she admitted, “Fun would not be a word I would use.”

To look pregnant, Amber had to wear a thick prosthetic suit made of medical-grade silicone. It weighed about ten pounds, did not breathe, and trapped her body heat during 12-hour filming days in the summer heat.

When viewers saw Amy struggling to get comfortable or shifting her weight while working with horses, that wasn’t just acting. Amber was dealing with actual physical discomfort from the heavy, hot suit.

Researching the Role

Because Amber had not been pregnant in real life, she wanted to make sure she represented the experience accurately. She turned to her co-star, Michelle Morgan (Lou), and other mothers on the crew for advice.

Amber asked them about the details of pregnancy, including:

• How morning sickness actually feels.
• What a Braxton-Hicks contraction feels like.
• How a person’s balance and center of gravity shift when carrying extra weight.

She used this feedback to adjust how she walked, stood, and moved on set.

This extra effort is likely why the story felt so genuine to viewers. Instead of focusing on a simplified version of pregnancy, Amber chose to show the physical tiredness and daily challenges.

While it required enduring a lot of physical discomfort in a rubber suit, her dedication helped make Amy and Ty’s transition into parenthood feel believable to the audience.