Fantastic pregnancy at 51
USUALLY, WHEN your biological clock says it’s time to bow out of the game, your body has no choice but to listen. That was not the case for politician and Olympian Juliet CuthbertFlynn, who gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl at 51 years old.
While most women run at the thought of having a baby at 40, Cuthbert-Flynn was anything but fearful to carry and deliver her miracle baby.
“I was fit, healthy and trusted my doctor when he said I could do it. When I got the go-ahead, that was it, we were going to do it,” she told Flair.
EN ROUTE TO ZARA
Meeting her husband LeVaughn in 2005, Cuthbert-Flynn had no thoughts of having a second child. She had her son Troy at 25 and was so consumed in athletics and building her career in politics that the idea of a baby never crossed her mind. Well, everything was about to change.
As the relationship grew, they slowly developed the desire to complete their family of three and were ready to face their challenges headon.
In 2010, the Flynns experienced the heart-wrenching trauma of losing a baby. This did not stop the determined workaholic, as with a little help from gynaecologist Vernon DaCosta and tons of support from her husband, Cuthbert-Flynn knew she could deliver her miracle baby.
“I had to do a lot of tests to find out if I was healthy enough, but working with Dr DaCosta for many years, he knew my body and saw that I was healthier than many women my age. If he had said it was too risky, I wouldn’t have done it,” she expressed.
THE SCARE
Transitioning from a talented athlete to the owner of a fitness studio, Cuthbert-Flynn has always been an energetic being who knows nothing but being on her toes. From the beginning of her pregnancy, her days consisted of yoga in the morning, training her clients, and then hitting the campaign trail. However, she admits that it is her fitness that allowed her to have a baby at 51. Her passion for being active and becoming a member of parliament (MP) forced her into bed rest seven months in her pregnancy.
“I got pregnant during the election. That was the scary part for me because I had to be campaigning and not telling anyone that I was
pregnant. I remember driving around the entire constituency with prime minister-to-be Andrew Holness for an entire day. I went home, called my best friend and started crying, thinking I had lost the baby. That was the only scare I had,” she said.
Being a risk taker, CuthbertFlynn pushed herself – a little too much, according to her husband. Even though Flynn was fearful for his wife, he was very supportive because he knew her desire to become an MP. He ensured that he played his part, packing a lunch kit for her days on the road, and reminding her to slow down and consume lots of water.
MIRACLE BABY
The road that may have been rough for others was smooth sailing for Cuthbert-Flynn. At 38 weeks, on Sunday, July 31, 2016, Cuthbert-Flynn told DaCosta that she was ready for baby Zara, and by 12:50 p.m., Zara was born – healthy, beautiful and normal.
“Zara is here and we’re loving her. She just celebrated her first birthday. We are very excited. We look at her and say ‘can you believe we really did this’. One day we will tell her how precious she is,” she said with a chuckle.