The Irish Mail on Sunday

Voice star Emma: Don’t judge ‘too posh to push’ mums

- By Padraic Flanagan

TV PRESENTER Emma Willis today wades into the controvers­y about the growing number of women having caesarean sections – and insists they should have the right to choose.

As she prepares to host a new series about midwives, mother-of-three Emma, 42, says that no woman should be judged – after new research showed that, worldwide, the number of caesareans nearly doubled in 15 years. Emma, herself the daughter of a maternity care assistant, says: ‘My only opinion on childbirth is not to have an opinion, and not to judge. ‘We’re all different and anything can happen when it comes to labour: you just don’t know until you get there.’

Emma tells how, after struggling to deliver her first daughter, Isabelle, who is now nine years old, she was ‘too scared’ to have another natural birth and had sections for son Ace, six, and daughter Trixie Grace, two. Breastfeed­ing is another tricky topic for women, says Emma, pictured left.

‘There’s this big push on breast is best and it absolutely is, but not everyone can do it. I struggled with it and

‘Anything can happen in labour’

mentally that was tough.’

Former model Emma, who has hosted The Voice UK and Big Brother, adds that midwifery is the ideal career for feminists.

‘It’s the greatest job for a feminist. It’s women helping women at a time when they’re thinking, “Am I going to get through this?”’

Emma’s new series, Emma Willis: Delivering Babies, starts on W channel on October 22.

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