Sophie Ellis-Bextor: Any mum of three boys could take on the world!
Filed under: Celebrity
Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor is mum to Sonny, eight, Kit, three, and Ray Holiday, three months, her children with The Feeling bassist Richard Jones.
She tells us why could fill the house with 100 babies, and how she got through pre-eclampsia and two premature births...
Ray has just turned three months, and you have two older boys, what's a typical day like for you?
Kit is my alarm clock, he is up at 6.30am every morning. We normally hang around in bed together and watch some CBeebies and then once we're all up and about we're ready for the day, out in the garden or doing whatever we have planned that day. I have a wonderful nanny who has been with us since Sonny was born, my mum down the road and of course Richard. I couldn't do it without them all.
How much sleep do you get?
It's not bad actually, I'm the nocturnal one! If I'm in bed by midnight it's a good night. Kit is up a few times in the night but goes straight back down.
You suffered pre-eclampsia with two pregnancies and Sonny and Kit were both premature, how did you get through that?
I had fantastic care and both cases were spotted and treated early on, which meant both boys and I got through it. Sonny and Kit were both two months premature and were each in hospital for a month after their arrivals. It was a tough time but we got through it and it certainly hasn't affected them.
What's your advice for other mums and dads in similar situations?
Remember you are fortunate and we have amazing care and support in the western world. Look at the positives - that your children are here and safe.
Sonny had meningitis at four months, how did you get through that?
Again we were so lucky it was caught early. I remember him waking up and being very hot. I called an ambulance and I think they knew what it might be. It's weird to look back on it as it was such a scary experience but so long ago.
What are your plans for the summer with your kids?
Sonny has broken up from school and we're just going to be having lots of fun with music and play. I've teamed up with Persil to encourage families to get messy with music this summer, whether that's by going to family festivals or making instruments and dressing up as your favourite pop idols at home. It's all about having fun, getting stuck in, and then Persil can take care of the mess!
Sophie and Richard during Sophie's pregnancy with Ray. Pic: PA
You and Richard are both in music, are the boys showing any interest?
Yes, but I think all small children like making music as it's the one time they are encouraged to make as much noise as possible! Enjoying music together is great fun and it encourages creativity.
Do your children go to a lot of festivals with you?
Yes, and so many now are family friendly, like Camp Bestival. It's such good fun and can be an inexpensive way to enjoy the summer together. I did festivals when I was pregnant too as I didn't really stop working when I was expecting. After having Ray I started working again six or seven weeks later, but it was bits and pieces, not Monday to Friday 9-5.
What's your favourite thing about being a mum?
Watching them grow and change and become who they are. There is a great quote in Lost in Translation that sums it up: "Your life, as you know it... is gone. Never to return. But they learn how to walk, and they learn how to talk and you want to be with them. And they turn out to be the most delightful people you will ever meet in your life."
What do you find the most difficult?
Probably not having as much time to myself, but I knew what I was signing up for. I'm from a big family - there's six of us - so I knew what I was letting myself in for!
Would you like more children?
I've just had a baby and I'm full of new mum hormones, so I could say I could fill the house with a 100 babies, but I think we'll see how it goes! I've never had any preference about having girls or boys, but once I had Kit, I had a feeling perhaps they would all be boys.
I think any mum of three boys could take on the world!
Sophie Ellis-Bextor has partnered with Persil to encourage families to get messy with music this summer and launched the first ever Persil 'Mosh & Wash' stage at Camp Bestival in Dorset. Visit Facebook.com/persiluk for the chance to win a family festival in your home town!
More on Parentdish:
Kym Marsh talks about baby Polly's early arrival
Philippa Forrester talks about raising her three boys, and Sarah Beany tells us about her house of four (plus her husband!).
Celebrity birth stories
- Kate Winslet<p> Kate's first baby, Mia, was delivered by C-section in 2000. The actress says that she felt “traumatised” because she hadn’t given birth naturally. “I felt like a complete failure. My whole life, I’d been told I had great childbearing hips. There’s this thing amongst women in the world that if you can handle childbirth, you can handle anything. I had never handled childbirth, and I felt like, in some way that I couldn’t join that ‘powerful women’s club.’”</p>
- Kate Winslet<p> So when Kate was pregnant with her son, Joe, in 2003, she had her heart set on a vaginal delivery. “It was an amazing feeling having Joe naturally, vaginally,” she says. “I was in labour 24 hours and he came out completely beautifully. Fourteen hours with no drugs at all, but then I had to have an epidural because I was so tired. I honestly thought I’d never be able to do it. It was an incredible birth. It laid all the ghosts to rest.”</p>
- Dannii Minogue<p> Dannii had hoped for a home birth with Ethan in July 2010, but ended up having an emergency C-Section. She says: "We discovered he wasn't in the correct position... So, after 20 hours of excruciating labour, my plans for a home birth went out of the window and I ended up having Ethan in hospital... Because Ethan was in a posterior position, meaning his back was in line with my back and his arms and legs were moving freely across my tummy, I was in absolute agony.” She adds: “But when I held Ethan for the first time, the pain and worry melted away... It was wonderful."</p>
- Catherine Zeta Jones<p> The Academy Award-winning actress and mum-of-two has revealed that giving birth was easier the first time around. Catherine had her first child, Dylan in August 2000, and her second baby, Carys, in April 2003. She says: "I was OK with it the first time. It was the second time that was a different experience. I think I was more scared because I knew what was coming. I was like, 'Oh God, I know how painful it is'. First time I just went and did it."</p>
- Jools Oliver<p> The mum-of-four had an epidural with her first baby, Poppy, born in March 2002. "It was about three days' worth of drama,” she recalls. “It wasn't a natural birth, which is what I'd wanted originally. I had an epidural, but I was happy with the end result. I really enjoyed Poppy's birth because I didn't feel any pain. I didn't want an epidural, but I didn't realise the pain would be so powerful. In the end I just thought, 'Bring it all on'."</p>
- Angelina Jolie<p> Angelina, who had a C-section in May 2006 due to Shiloh being in a breech position, described the delivery as “fascinating.” She recalls: “We were in this little hospital in Africa when Shi was born. It was lovely, very personal. We had an American doctor with us, who had met the Namibian doctors, and they worked in tandem. I didn’t find it a sacrifice and I didn’t find it a painful experience. I found it a fascinating miracle of what a body can do.”</p> <p> </p>
- Thandie Newton<p> The actress opted for a water birth with both her daughters, Ripley, born in 2000, and Nico, born in 2004. She describes the experience of birthing in a pool as "very challenging in the best way possible.” She continues: “Every fibre of your being is alive. It’s like you are conducting electricity, literally creating something. I’d like to give birth every year if I could, just for that experience."</p>
- Gisele Bundchen<p> Supermodel Gisele Bundchen had a “tranquil” home water birth with baby Benjamin in December 2009. "My delivery was in a bath tub, in water,” she says. “I wanted to be very aware and present during the birth... I didn't want to be drugged up. So I did a lot of preparation, I did yoga and meditation.” She adds: "The whole time my mind was focused in each contraction on the thought 'my baby is closer to coming out'. It wasn't like 'this is so painful'. So I transformed that intense feeling into a hope of seeing him."</p>
- Jessica Alba<p> Jessica had her first baby, a girl named Honor Marie Warren, in June 7 2008. She describes feeling totally calm throughout the birth. "The labour was more like meditation. I did yoga breathing. I was focused. I didn't scream, “ she says. “It was really Zen." According to husband Cash Warren, "She didn't make a sound. It was amazing." Jessica is expecting again, so let’s hope the second birth goes just as well!</p>
- Christina Aguilera<p> The singer had an elective C-section with her first child, Max, in January 2008 as she “didn’t want any surprises.” She adds: “Honestly, I didn’t want any [vaginal] tearing. I had heard horror stories of women going in and having to have an emergency C-section [anyway]. The hardest part was deciding on his birthday. I wanted to leave it up to fate, but at the same time I was ready to be done early!”</p> <p> </p>
- Britney Spears<p> Britney also had a fear of giving birth vaginally, so had an elective C-section with Sean Preston in September 2005 and again with Jayden in September 2006. Prior to the birth, she told Elle magazine:“My mom said giving birth was the most excruciating thing that she’s ever gone through in her life. So if a caesarean doesn’t happen, I’ll be like, ‘Epidural, please!’”</p>
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