Bachelor in Paradise 's Raven Gates Details Her Exciting Pregnancy: 'I've Wanted to Be a Mom for a Long Time!'

It's been nearly four months since Raven Gates and Adam Gottschalk tied the knot — and now, their family is expanding!

"It's so exciting," gushes Gates, 30, who is expecting her first child in January. "We found out right after the wedding. I've wanted to be a mom for a long time. And I always imagined creating a family with someone I love so much. And expanding my love with Adam into a human, I can't even imagine!"

Gates tells PEOPLE that despite not experiencing any nausea, she has had "some food aversions."

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"And the lack of energy is probably what I've struggled with the most. It's tough," she admits.

For his part, Gottschalk, 31, who met Gates on Bachelor in Paradise in 2017, is equally thrilled about the new addition.

"It's all great and I'm excited, but I'm also glad the baby doesn't come right away," he says with a laugh. "I have nine months to get ready!"

"OVER THE MOON EXCITED TO SHARE THE NEWS! Our Honeymoon baby will be here in January! 🥰," Gates adds in her Instagram announcement Sunday. "I've loved you before you were in my womb!"

Raven Gates Instagram

They haven't yet found out the sex of their child, but Gates is preparing for a healthy journey, having recently completed a carrier screening with Invitae, an at-home medical genetic testing service. "Adam and I both agreed that we wanted to do genetic testing," says Gates. "We wanted to have as much knowledge as possible about issues that may come up or diseases we may be carrying. It's really important. And it was super easy."

The Bachelor fan-favorite also says she's even exchanged pregnancy notes with fellow Paradise alum Ashley Iaconetti, who announced that she's expecting her first child with husband Jared Haibon on July 15.

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"Ashley and I have been DMing each other about all things baby," says Gates. "We're going through different things. And we're not due that far apart!"

Gates was first seen on The Bachelor season 21, where she placed second. Gottschalk competed on season 13 of The Bachelorette. The pair then met and fell in love on season 4 of Bachelor in Paradise.