Stacey Solomon has opened up about giving birth for the first time, saying she’s made her own mortality a question.
The TV personality, who is set to return to screens in a new series of Sort Your Life Out on January 25, spoke to HuffPost UK about her experience of birth when her eldest son Zachary was in his late teens .
Solomon, now 33, is set to give birth to her fifth child any day now, and was reflecting on her first birth — and what she can say to others experiencing it for the first time.
“I think there’s a fine line between saying woman Something that might scare them or something that might empower them,” she told HuffPost UK.
“I’ve always felt like honesty is the best policy, because when I had Zachary, I felt blindsided by people just saying: ‘Don’t worry, it hurts a little but it doesn’t matter. People do it over and over again and you’ll forget about the pain,’ and[being]dismissive of the fact that it’s a huge physical thing for your body to do.
The experience of being born for the first time made Solomon feel really vulnerable. “I remember when I did my first one, it was probably the first time I questioned my own mortality,” she said.
“Up until that point I thought I was pretty invincible and I would never die, whereas the experience of birth made me feel like I was very vulnerable and suddenly, very human – and that at any moment, anything could happen.” was meant to be for me.”
She warns that she would never give unsolicited advice to a woman who is about to give birth, “but if anyone wanted to know my personal experience and advice, it would be that your first time, it can be really scary and challenging.” Is.
“It’s a pain you’ve probably never experienced before in your life. If you can, find it in yourself so you can be empowered by it. The fact that it’s a huge, huge, overwhelming thing is what your body is going to do… which is pretty incredible.
She thinks it’s important for new parents to know that “you might not immediately feel love for the baby you just gave birth to, which is totally normal – which I didn’t know”. .
While you’ll often see this kind of representation on TV and in movies, that’s not quite the way it goes for a lot of new parents, who will need more time to bond. For many people, it is much more than a gradual process.
Birth can also trigger “a huge mix of emotions,” Starr said, encouraging prospective parents to “be prepared for that” — and not be afraid to talk about it, or ask anyone about it. .
Solomon is married to actor Joe Swash, 40, and has two children with him — Rose, 15 months, and Rex, three — as well as two other children from previous relationships: Leighton, 10, and Zachary, 14.
As many new parents — especially moms — can relate to, the TV personality urged “stick to your guns” during childbirth.
“I regret completely putting my birth in someone else’s hands because I was so scared,” she said.
“When you have your first child, you feel at the pity of every other woman or health professional around you because you don’t know what you’re doing and you’ve never done it before, but there will be parts of you whatever is the instinct.
“You may feel a certain way, you may want to stand a certain way, or move a certain way, or do something a certain way—and you know that, even though you’ve done it before.” Never done it, believe in yourself.”
Her message to fellow moms — especially as she prepares to give birth herself — is an empowering message to listen to your body and advocate for your needs.
“If you feel that someone is asking you to do something that goes against your body and mind that you should be doing, then stick to your guns,” she said.
“If someone tells you to sit or lie down and you want to get on the floor and roar, you just do what you have to do.”
Sort Your Life Out airs on BBC One and iPlayer from Wednesday 25 January at 9pm.
