Summer House's West Wilson Says Meeting Lindsay Hubbard's Baby 'Changed Everything' About His Opinion on Kids-quang

The journalist, 30, tells PEOPLE about meeting his costar's first child just weeks ago

Lindsay Hubbard's baby Gemma has brought out West Wilson's softer side.

In late April, the Summer House star exclusively told PEOPLE that he'd met Gemma for the first time a few weeks prior. But for Wilson, 30, the experience was life-changing: He held the 6-month-old for 45 minutes and "almost cried twice."

"I have not had a lot of good baby experiences in my time. They just always cry or there's been a disconnect with the babies that I've met ... but Gemma was so personable," he said. "She just locks eyes with you and makes faces and reactions ... I just had the best experience."

Previously, Wilson didn't "love" babies. "I was just like, ' Okay, cool, it has to have a job one day and be normal,' " he quipped.

But meeting Gemma — who is Hubbard's first child with boyfriend Turner Kufe — "pivoted" Wilson's "POV on babies."

"I felt — not like a father — but I feel like I connected with her specifically and it changed everything," he said. "That's probably the dumbest thing I've ever said, but it was awesome. I just had a great time."

Hubbard and Kufe welcomed Gemma in December 2024, six months after she announced she was pregnant with her first child. In a series of emotional Instagram Stories from the hospital, Hubbard called her daughter's birth "the happiest most love overflowing moment of my life 🥰🥺."

Throughout season 9 of Summer House, which filmed last summer and is currently airing on Bravo, Hubbard has been chronicling her pregnancy journey. While nothing has been confirmed about casting for Summer House season 10, Hubbard has shared that she's open to returning — with Gemma — in a more limited capacity.

Wilson confirmed that Gemma is invited to the friend group's Hamptons summer house this year.

"Of course," he said. "Always welcome."

While Wilson isn't looking to have children of his own anytime soon, there could be a potential new furry friend in his life.

Wilson — who spoke to PEOPLE about his partnership with Pedigree's Drizzlers, a mealtime sauce for dogs — said that he's currently traveling too much to get a pup of his own. But once he settles down, he could see himself getting a pal for his family's farm dogs in Missouri.

"I live in Manhattan — so my apartment is just a tight squeeze — and I'm traveling a lot. My family at home, they're farm dogs, so every day I get to watch them get in the truck with my dad and go literally roam pastures," he said. "I feel like if I got a dog in New York and he met my dogs at home, they would tell him that they have way more space and way more fun."

He continued, "I'm waiting for the right moment, but once I start traveling less, we'll get serious."