‘It’s fantastic to go to the gym again’
Jess Wright on the realities of motherhood and the importance of me-time
The past 12 months have been a whirlwind for former TOWIE star Jess Wright. Not only did she finally get to walk down the aisle to marry businessman William Lee-Kemp last summer, she also welcomed her first child, Presley, in May.
But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Jess, 36. The couple’s wedding was delayed several times due to Covid before they finally got their dream day in Mallorca last September, surrounded by friends and family. And despite dreaming of motherhood for a very long time, Jess recently said that becoming a parent is a lot harder than she ever thought possible as she opened up about her postnatal depression.
Here, she chats bouncing back after a rocky few months…
Hi Jess! Little Presley is gorgeous! How are you finding being a mum?
It’s amazing – something you can’t put into words really. It’s an incredible and wonderful journey.
You recently spoke about your difficult start to motherhood. Do you still have tough days?
Sometimes, but my hormones are fine now. Originally they were all over the place and it was a crazy few weeks. But they subsided and thankfully I felt normal again. I hear from so many girls and some are still suffering a few months on – or even a year later – so my heart goes out to them. It’s not easy when you have a difficult birth.
Did you take anything to ease your hormones?
No.They suddenly balanced out. I think it was all the hormones from the pregnancy and the birth. I was induced but I had a C-section in the end, so there were many factors to it. Since then, Presley and
I have got to know each other and we’ve found ourselves in a lovely routine. We’re in a nice little bubble.
When did you start exercising again after the birth?
I went back to the gym at six weeks and I’ve been going ever since then. I feel great for it. It makes me feel alive and I’m so lucky I have my mum around the corner. She pops in while I go to the gym for 45 minutes. It’s fantastic to be able to go to the gym again.
How often do you get to go?
I go two to three times a week. I feel it also helps with my recovery because it makes me strong again. I have weighed myself and I’m on my way to getting back to where I was, but I’m not there yet. I think it will definitely take a while. I just want to be fit again.
Do you use this time away from Presley to focus on you?
I think it’s important to have a bit of the life I had before I became a mum, and for me that was going to the gym.They say a happy mother is a happy baby, so you need to take care of your health as well as the baby’s.
You will celebrate your wedding anniversary next month, and what a year it’s been. How will you mark the occasion?
We may go away for it with the baby, which we’re looking into at the minute. I can’t believe it’s been a year – it’s been crazy.
Jess has been working with Owlet. The Smart Sock Plus, from owletbabycare.co.uk, works from newborn to age five, tracking oxygen level, heart rate and sleep trends for peace of mind.