Alex Jones exclusive: ‘Motherhood at 40? It’s bloody hard!’
The One Show host Alex Jones, who became a first-time mum at 39, tells it like it is…
Bubbly TV presenter Alex Jones, 41 – who is married to insurance broker Charlie Thomson, 39 – had her first baby, a little boy called Ted, in January of last year, aged 39. Her book,
Winging It!, is all about that crazy journey.
Here, the bubbly Welsh native, who co-hosts The One Show alongside Matt Baker, speaks with admirable honesty about how tough, as well as magical, becoming a mum at almost 40 was - and how ill-prepared she was for the bone-crushingly exhausting task of looking after another (very cute) little human…
Hi, Alex. What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned about yourself since becoming a mum?
That a lack of patience was definitely one of my failings. So much so that it cropped up in our wedding vows. I had to promise Charlie I’d be more patient, because he’s laid back and I’m always on the go, so we decided to iron a few things out during the wedding vows.
What qualities have you inherited from your mum?
Everything I’ve learned is from my mum and dad. Mum moved in for three weeks when Ted was born. If she wasn’t there, I wouldn’t have had the first idea. It’s funny, you think, ‘I’m in my late 30s, of course I know how to have a child!’ But you actually don’t.
Are you a close family?
Very. Mum and Dad live in Wales, which makes things tricky as you can’t call on them last minute. But they’re tenacious, they make the distance disappear. We see them once every three weeks, if not once a fortnight.
Do you want more babies?
Definitely. Obviously, it’s a big question mark, because having children is a game of luck. I suppose I imagined replicating what my mum and dad had with my younger sister and me. But who knows?
Would you ever have IVF?
I think until you’re in that situation, you don’t know. I have friends who have been through it. I can’t pretend to have any idea how it feels or how tough it is. It’s not something I’d discount, but you’d have to be really sure.
You only took three months maternity leave – why?
That was a mistake. I was naive, I just didn’t realise the impact. You can have a baby and carry on with your job, but it’s bloody hard.
How has Charlie adapted to fatherhood?
He had this feeling it would be his thing – and he was right. We’re sharing responsibility as both of us work.
Do you guys still manage date nights?
It’s early days. We’ve managed
‘During pregnancy, you’re in awe of what your body does – and when you come out the other end, you’re not left with what you went in with’
dinner in the pub! A weekend break would be good. But because we don’t have Ted during the week, we’d rather be with him at weekends.
Has your relationship with your body changed?
Yes! During pregnancy, you’re in awe of what your body does – and when you come out the other end, you’re not left with what you went in with. But you genuinely don’t care, because you just made a human! Everything will always be a bit squishier and a bit tighter. But, so what.
Did you feel pressure to lose weight?
No. You’re up all night – it’s a permanent hangover! You want to eat sandwiches and toast because you’re shattered. Gradually, the weight shifts, because you’re running around so much.
How do you relax?
I’ve turned into such a middle-aged person, I’ve started liking garden centres. A day out with me, my mum and Charlie in a little garden centre with a nice cafe is bang on!
What would your perfect evening be like?
Being at home! These days, I can’t think of anything worse than going out and standing somewhere that’s freezing, waiting for a taxi. I’d rather be at home with nice food, Strictly, wine, friends, sitting talking absolute rubbish until the early hours.
What do you wish you could do more of?
I wish I could see more of my girlfriends in Wales. Sometimes at 4pm on a Saturday, they’ll say, ‘ We’re all meeting.’ I used to jump in the car and be there in two hours, but things aren’t as easy now.
What makes you happiest?
Being at home with my family. It sounds really boring, but that is it. At the end of the day, just closing the door, especially when my mum and dad have come to visit as well. That’s it really. It used to be such a different answer – but it’s all changed.