Lauren’s baby will help heal years of secret heartache

As Lauren Goodger gears up for motherhood after her whirlwind romance, Closer’s psychological therapist, Emma Kenny, believes the star’s turbulent past will help her be a great mum

SHE’S GOT SO MUCH LOVE TO GIVE AND WILL BE A BRILLIANT PARENT

She’s long been open about her desire to become a mum, and last week Lauren Goodger announced the happy news that she was expecting a baby with her boyfriend of four months, Charles Drury.

Welling up on Instagram, Lauren, 34, told followers, “It’s now out there, it’s official, me and Charlie are having a baby, it’s a beautiful gift, we’re so happy and excited and I’m so happy to share it with you all.”

Celeb pals sent in their congratulations on social media, with former TOWIE co-star Gemma Collins writing, “So happy for you”, and Ferne McCann adding, “Congratulations darling”.

DIFFICULT UPBRINGING

Lauren’s exciting news comes after previously speaking out about her desire for a loving family life, partly as a result of a difficult upbringing. She revealed that she felt “abandoned” as a child, after her mum left her with her dad at just four years old because she couldn’t cope – but kept her older brother and sister. The reality star – who heartbreakingly revealed in September that she hadn’t spoken to her mum, dad or sisters during lockdown – admitted last week that she hadn’t told her dad about her pregnancy, saying, “The more effort I make, the more I feel like I’m being set up to fail.”

She’s also had a tough time in her love life. Viewers watched her turbulent relationship with her boyfriend of 10 years, Mark Wright, play out on TOWIE in 2011, and have followed her subsequent relationships over the years, which include failed romances with Jake McLean and ex-jailbird Joey Morrison.

When asked about the link between her childhood and her relationship problems, Lauren said on Celebs Go

Dating, “I can only think it’s