After a difficult couple of years, Giuliana and Bill Rancic have announced that they're expecting their first child via gestational surrogate. The E! host and her husband have always been so public about their dream of becoming parents, and between Giuliana's miscarriage, IVF treatment, and cancer diagnosis, today's news that the couple finally has a baby on the way is a joy to hear.

The baby is due in late summer, which means the Rancics will have a crazy busy 2012. On top of Giuliana's existing E! and Fashion Police gigs, they're set to host a new dating series, and their reality show Giuliana & Bill is currently in its fifth season.

Naturally, cameras were on hand to capture the moment when they learned of their surrogate's pregnancy, and I can only assume they're gearing up for a season that's focused on their lives as new parents. Here's what I'm wondering, though: wouldn't it be better to step out of the limelight for a bit, once they've got a baby to focus on?

Don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge the fame and lifestyles they've created for themselves in the least. The way Giuliana and Bill Rancic have publicly shared their lives seems to have honestly come from a good place. Giuliana even stated today that she has no regrets about exposing their struggles to the world,

Especially with the news today, now more than ever I’m happy I went public because it shows there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If you hang in there and stay positive, God will give you good things.

(I'm not sure I love that statement, being as how plenty of people have bad things happen to them no matter how 'positive' they try to be, but I get what she's saying.)

Some reality stars are marketing-savvy PR masterminds using fictionalized reality to sell their own lifestyle brands and associated sponsorships, and some appear to be genuine people who are okay with being behind the camera. The Kardashians clearly fall into the first category, and I'd say Giuliana Rancic belongs to the second.

Giuliana & Bill debuted in 2009, and they've covered quite a lot of public ground as a couple since then. God knows they've had a hard road together, and I'm sure they have plenty of fans who would love to see this newest happy chapter of their lives unveiled on TV. Still, now that they're about to become a family, it would be refreshing to see the Rancics hang up their reality show hats.

I know reality shows aren't always all about engineered controversy and ratings-grabbing behavior, but even the tame, feel-good variety don't seem to offer the best environments for children. I mean, a baby may not notice a jumble of ever-present cameras, but a toddler eventually will. And then you have spinoff shows and rumors of family drama and kids acting out on TV and eventually the children become mini-Paris-Hiltons and AAIIIEEEEEEE.

I'm just saying, it seems like a great time to retire from the reality biz to focus on other stuff. Still, whatever they decide with regards to upcoming reality shows, the important news is that their long-awaited baby is finally on the way, and that's fantastic. Congratulations to the Rancics, they definitely deserved some happy news this year.

Do you think Giuliana and Bill Rancic should have a baby-focused reality show?



Image via Flickr/David_Shankbone