Lauryn Goodman:
Lauryn Goodman exclusively introduces her son to Closer and reveals why she’s kept his birth so private, how she’s coped with online abuse, and the joy her baby has brought after her fertility fears
“I never thought I’d be a mum – nothing can break me now!”
She gave birth over three months ago but, until now, Lauryn Goodman hasn’t released any details about her new baby, saying she needed time and privacy.
But opening up to Closer, she exclusively reveals her child is a gorgeous baby boy – though she’s still yet to name him.
Lauryn – who is a single mum but has named the father of her son as England and Manchester City footballer Kyle Walker – says, “As parents, we both knew the gender as soon as I found out I was pregnant [to her surprise, Lauryn found out she was five months’ pregnant at a routine kidney scan] in November. I was super happy because it was the first boy in my family – I come from a family of girls. And now he’s born, everyone says he’s the double of his father. His mum says it’s like looking at him as a baby – genetics are a crazy thing!
SCATHING COMMENTS
“I haven’t settled on a name yet. There are two names I absolutely love but I just need to decide which way round I would prefer his name to be. I haven’t registered him yet (the government are allowing extra time to register a child during the COVID-19 pandemic) so I have a bit of time to decide.”
Lauryn, 29, says she’s kept her son’s gender a secret until now as she felt she needed privacy, after receiving cruel abuse from trolls when she revealed Kyle – who already has three sons with his ex-partner – was the father of her baby. Since then, Lauryn has received nasty comments on online articles, despite it being reported that the pair conceived their son during a brief romance while they were both single last summer. While she won’t go into detail, Lauryn – who has been friends with Kyle for years – does admit she’s found it hard to read the negativity about her.
PETTY DRAMA
“There was a stressful period, but I chose just to concentrate on our little baby and ignore it all,” she explains. “Things like that always blow over and I certainly did not have time to entertain it. My sole focus is our baby – nothing else matters and I’m not letting anyone take this from me.
“I’ve waited until now to reveal the gender because I wanted to enjoy these special moments with my family instead of it being overshadowed by petty drama. But I don’t want people to think our son is a secret, because he’s not – I just wasn’t ready to share him with the world.”
For Lauryn – whose sister is CBB star Chloe Goodman – becoming a mother is extra special, due to the fact she thought she’d never be able to have children without medical help. The star suffers from endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and was told she wouldn’t be able to conceive naturally.
“I adore being a mother. I just honestly can’t describe the feeling,” she smiles. “Sometimes I look at him and I just cry in awe and say, ‘I can’t believe you’re mine. I’ve created you!’ I never thought this would happen in a million years.” Thankfully, Lauryn says her son’s birth was quite straightforward and she coped with early labour pains well, likening them to her previous endometriosis pains.
“I got to the hospital 6cm dilated. I guess suffering with endometriosis pains all of my life has its bonuses!” she says. “I didn’t even know I was in early labour all day until the evening, when the active contractions came
‘My sole focus is our baby – nothing else
matters’
thick and fast. When I got into hospital, I was taken straight to the labour ward and a few hours later it was time to push. Honestly, when he was born, I just burst out crying – nothing can prepare you for the feelings.”
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
Despite admitting coping on her own with a newborn has been exhausting, Lauryn says being a single mother brings her great joy.
“He relies on me for everything and I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved together. I’m a strong woman, but since having him, there is nothing that could break or faze me. I get all my strength from my son! It’s exhausting and the hardest part is the night shifts and the lack of sleep, but the best part is the unconditional love you feel. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. I wouldn’t change it for the world!”