Teresa Giudice addresses 'unexpected' prison sentence

NEWARK, N.J., Oct. 6 (UPI) -- Teresa Giudice has addressed her upcoming prison stint.

The 42-year-old Real Housewives of New Jersey star broke her silence in an interview with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live. Teresa and husband Joe Giudice were sentenced to 15 and 41 months in federal prison, respectively, on multiple charges of bankruptcy fraud and mail and wire fraud conspiracy on Thursday.

"I was so nervous [at the sentencing] that I was shaking," Teresa recalled. "My nerves were pulling. At one point, I couldn't move my fingers. They were stuck. I couldn't open my hands. My nerves were shot. I've had sleepless nights. I, of course, was shocked. It was very unexpected. I don't know what to say."

Teresa will be imprisoned first, while her husband remains at home with the couple's four daughters. Joe will serve his time after she completes her sentence.

"My husband is a great father, a great husband, but I do everything with my daughters," the reality star shared. "I'm the one that's hands-on. All I've said to my husband was, 'Please take care of our daughters, that's all I ask. You've gotta do what I do.'"

The couple's children range in age from 5 to 13, and their eldest, Gia, made it clear she will help care for her sisters while their mother is away.

"She said it's going to be okay," Teresa related. "She was being strong for me, I could tell. She said, 'Mommy, don't worry about it. I'll be there. I'll help Daddy with the girls.' She said, 'That'll make me a better mom. That'll prepare me for when I'm a mom.' Oh my God, it broke my heart when she said that. She said the one person she was worried about was me."

Teresa and Joe Giudice's full interview on Watch What Happens Live will air Monday at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.