‘We’re really excited – it’s lovely to expand our family’
Reality star Casey Batchelor reveals she’s expecting her third child in three years – and she’s already thinking about having a fourth!
We love a good catchup with Casey Batchelor and she has some exciting news to share. “Baby number three is on the way!” the 36-year-old tells us.
The fitness guru and former Celebrity Big Brother star revealed last year that she and businessman fiancé Dane Goodson had been trying for a third child. But Casey admits the news of her pregnancy came as something of a shock as she had none of the signs she did with their daughters Florence, two, and Sadie, one.
Casey says,“I don’t feel pregnant this time because it’s so different. It’s really weird!”
Here, Casey, whose baby is due in mid-June, tells us all about her pregnancy so far, how she feels to be expecting amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis and if a wedding could be on the cards soon...
Congratulations, Casey! How did you and Dane react when you found out the news?
We were so happy and excited to have another one on the way. We feel very fortunate we get pregnant so quickly and easily. We’re obviously very compatible!
How have you been feeling?
It’s been really weird this time because I’ve felt fine. I found out at the end of November –
I was nearly three months when I found out. Normally, when I get pregnant I know straight away because I’ve been really sick with the girls – usually I feel awful. This time, I had a light period and then I missed one. But after having two children my periods are all over the place. Then the next one didn’t come, so that’s when I took a test and it was positive. I forget I’m pregnant some days because I’m rushing around with the girls.
It came as a bit of a surprise, then?
Yeah. We were trying but we were just seeing what happened and we weren’t specifically trying on my fertile dates. We didn’t think I would get pregnant as quick as I did, so it was a shock in that way. But it’s a nice shock. It’s such a blessing.
You’re going to have three close together!
I know some people wait longer but we just think we’re in baby mode already and we’re in that tunnel, so what’s the point of coming out of it only to go straight back in later down the line? We’re used to the sleepless nights and the nappies. I also want the children to be close in age because they’ll be into the same things. I know it will be really tough, but we’ll get through it.
How’s Dane feeling?
He’s really excited. It’s going to be lovely to expand our family. We bought our family home a few weeks before the first lockdown, so now we can expand the family. It feels like everything has fallen into place.
Are you going to find out the gender?
Yes, we’re going to find out around Valentine’s Day. We thought that would be a nice present for us. We’re going to have a private scan just after I’m 20 weeks.
Are you both keen to have a little boy?
We’d be happy with either. It would be lovely to have a boy, as we have two girls. But three girls would be amazing. I said to Dane,“You need to work harder for when we go shoe shopping!”
Have you thought about names?
I find boys’ names a lot harder. I feel like there isn’t as much variety and most boys’ names are quite common.
How have you found being pregnant in lockdown?
I’ve found it quite nice because with my other pregnancies I would get massive FOMO [fear of missing out], because all my friends were going out. But no one is doing anything.
Has Dane been able to come with you to your scans?
Yes, we’ve only had one so far. We went for a private scan straight away just to check there is only one in there! We always get palpitations when we go for the first scan because there are twins in my family and Dane’s sister has twins. After the gender scan, going forward my scans will be with the NHS and they advise for your partner not to come, so I’ll just go on my own.
How would you feel if Dane wasn’t able to be at the birth?
I would be quite anxious. At least it’s my third and I know what to expect. I feel for any woman having their first who can’t have their partner with them. I think, for mental health, it’s important. My first birth with Florence was really traumatic and I don’t know
what I would have done without Dane there. Fingers crossed things should be better by June.
We hope so! What happened during Florence’s birth?
It was classed as trauma. It was awful. They had to give me a rapid birth and break my waters because her heart rate was going up and down. I had to have an epidural at 8.5cm because my body was going into so much shock. I was having fits and being sick all over myself, because I had no breaks between contractions. By the time they gave me an epidural I was past 9cm because I couldn’t stop moving due to the contractions. Because of that they punctured my spine, so I had an epidural drip and I had brain fluid leakage. It was lucky they gave me an epidural because they had to cut me and use forceps. I had a C-section with Sadie because I never wanted to go through that again.
We don’t blame you. Will you be having a C-section with this baby?
I’m definitely having a C-section. I was in so much pain from the first birth and not being able to hold my baby was horrible.
How did you find having a newborn during the first lockdown?
It was nice at first. When you’ve just had a baby, you don’t want loads of people coming round because your house is a mess and you feel like crap. But then it was hard because I haven’t been able to take her to soft
play or baby groups, so I feel like she’s missed out on a lot. I can’t even imagine how new mums have felt, because during the first lockdown even I felt depressed some days. I had a seven-week-old baby, nurseries weren’t open and I was on my own because Dane was at work and there weren’t bubbles then.
Given how hard it has been, did you think twice about having a third amid the ongoing crisis?
It’s so much easier this time, so I think it will be OK. My mum is in my childcare bubble and Florence is at nursery now. If nurseries had been closed this time I think it would have been really detrimental for Florence, because she’s quite behind with her speech. Since she’s gone back to nursery, it’s definitely helped.
You previously told us if you had a third, it would be your last...
I will never say never! I’ll be speaking to you next year saying, “The fourth’s on the way!” But if we were to go again, the fourth would definitely be the last.
You worked so hard to get back in shape after having Florence and Sadie. How are you feeling about having to go through that again?
I put on 5st with Florence and just under 4st with Sadie, and I’ve only put on a stone so far this time. I’m putting on less weight with each pregnancy and I know my Yoga Blitz programme works so well for me, and I know that it will work again.
You and Dane got engaged in 2019. Have you thought any more about when you might get married?
‘We feel fortunate we get pregnant so easily. We’re obviously very compatible!’
It depends if we have another baby or not. If we don’t, then maybe 2023 because I want to get myself back in shape. If we do, it will be 2024! One minute I’d love to get married in Italy, then I want a beach wedding, and then I want a proper English wedding with an enchanted forest theme. We probably will end up having it abroad. It will just be lovely to have the same name as all my children. It gets me that we don’t. I think I’d keep my name for work, but have Dane’s for everything else.