Tamara: “Sex is an effort now that we’re parents”

Heiress Tamara Ecclestone reveals the impact being a mum has had on her marriage and social life – but admits she’s a better person because of it

She raised eyebrows last week S when she confessed that she lets her four-year-old daughter, Sophia – who she still breastfeeds – sleep in bed with her and husband Jay Rutland. And Tamara Ecclestone – who first revealed that she embraced “co-sleeping” a year ago – admits to Closer that the controversial sleeping arrangement has unsurprisingly impacted on her love life.

She says, “My sex life has definitely been affected. We’ve only been married for five years and sex was never a problem before – but we have to make the effort now that we’re parents. When you have a family, life can get in the way. We have to find other times and other places to do it!”

LAUGHTER & TRUST

She adds, “Humour is the key to a great marriage – Jay and I are always messing around and making each other laugh. There are going to be times where it’s hard to laugh, but if you can keep each other laughing, then it will always work. You can’t bear a grudge. Trust is also a huge factor – I trust him so much and I never feel insecure in our relationship.”

Tamara, 34, finally found her happy ever-after when she married businessman Jay, 37, in 2013. A year later, she gave birth to Sophia – who Tamara affectionately calls Fifi. But the billionaire F1 heiress has hit the headlines in recent years for being an outspoken advocate for attachment parenting – admitting she suffers from separation anxiety when she’s apart from her daughter. She even once admitted that during the first three years of Fifi’s life, the pair only spent six minutes apart.

ANOTHER CHILD

She admits that Jay would love to add to their family, but she’s worried that another child would affect her bond with Fifi.

She says, “Jay wants a boy to play football with. I would too, but I’ve definitely thought about how having another baby would affect my relationship with Fifi. She’s so used to having all of me all the time and me always being there for her. It would be a big adjustment – it’s been the three of us for so long now, so it would be a big change.”

Having famous parents – Tamara’s father is Formula 1 legend Bernie Ecclestone and her mother is former model Slavica Radic – means she’s used to being in the spotlight. In her early twenties, she was a renowned “It” girl, hitting the headlines for her party girl lifestyle with sister Petra, and they were often papped stumbling out of clubs.

She was also famed for her lavish tastes, once saying, “Some people need crack cocaine, I just need shoes and Birkin bags.” She also showed off her extravagant expenditures on reality show Billion $$$ Girl, where she once spent £30,000 on a few bottles of champagne.

But Tamara admits that motherhood has shown her that the things that used to seem important, such as shopping and beauty treatments, are no longer priorities.

“Before I had Fifi, there were a lot of things that were important to me that just aren’t any more,” she says. “If Jay bought me a handbag, I used to be the happiest girl in the world. I used to adore shopping and take three hours to get ready whenever I went out.”

FAMILY VALUES

She adds, “I’d religiously get manicures, pedicures and blow-dries and being thin and perfect was a priority for me. Now, I still have manis from time to time, but it’s not that essential. I work out to feel good and have energy, not to lose weight. All I care about is Fifi’s health and happiness. Family and work are what’s important to me now.”

● Tamara’s baby and toddler care line Fifi & Friends is available at www.fifiandfriends.co.uk