Doctors STAR ALI BASTIAN TALKS ABOUT HOW SHE’S COPING WITH HER PREGNANCY
ALI BASTIAN TELLS ok!’s KAT ROMERO ABOUT HER PREGNANCY AND WHY SHE’S GLAD SHE WAS OPEN ABOUT HER MISCARRIAGE HEARTACHE
She revealed last month that she was expecting her first child with husband David O’mahony, but Ali Bastian’s journey to motherhood hasn’t been without heartache. The actress also revealed that she’d experienced a tragic miscarriage on New Year’s eve last year.
The 37 year old admitted that it had taken her a while to process the loss, adding: ‘I think I was a bit naïve about how fragile it all was.’ But she tells OK! that she and husband David, who stars in Mamma Mia! in London’s West End, have been keeping positive as they look forward to the birth in March.
Ali found fame as Becca Dean in Hollyoaks in 2001, leaving the soap in 2007 after a shock storyline that saw her stabbed to death while in prison. But despite her dramatic exit, Ali, who recently starred in Doctors as Becky Clarke, insists she’s stayed close to her former castmates, including Jodi Albert and Carley Stenson. She also came third on Strictly Come Dancing back in 2009 after being partnered with Brian Fortuna.
Here, the star opens up about pregnancy changes, the importance of being open about loss and grief and making friends for life...
How are you feeling?
I’m good – I’m feeling really happy and healthy right now, although my body clock keeps waking me up early, which is so unlike me. By afternoon I’m so tired and in hibernation mode!
How are you adjusting to your changing body?
It is a big change to see your body go through this whole new thing and to look different when you look in the mirror. But I’m also fascinated by the changes and
I find my growing bump a reassuring indication that everything is going okay. I started showing really early and my bump has grown so fast. My mum said that happened to her when she was expecting me. Although, a woman on my street pulled up to me in her car and asked me when my due date was. I had to admit that I was only a few weeks pregnant!
You bravely opened up recently about experiencing a miscarriage, were you nervous about doing that? It did take me a little while to feel ready to talk about the loss. But once I did, I found so many other women and friends of mine had been through it. I’m really glad that people are feeling more and more that they can be honest about this subject. There’s a lot of discussion around the unwritten rule about only revealing your pregnancy once you reach a certain stage. But I feel that only protects other people if something goes wrong and not the women who have suffered the loss and need support the most.
Has the miscarriage made you feel nervous during this pregnancy?
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel anxious and I particularly did in the first three months. What happened before definitely played on my mind. But David and I have tried hard to feel positive and celebrated every milestone we’ve reached. From the 12-week scan to the recent 20-week scan, every step has felt very important and special. I’ve also been taking hypnobirthing classes and they have really helped me to relax.
Your last episode in Doctors aired recently, will you be taking a break from acting once the baby is born?
I’ve slowed down my schedule a lot lately. Doctors has a long delay between filming and air date so I actually filmed my last episode before I fell pregnant. David and I knew we wanted to try for a baby and I had been working at such a pace. But once I slowed down, I fell pregnant pretty quickly. It was as if my body was crying out for a break.
You recently had a
Strictly reunion with Janette Manrara, Luba Mushtuk and Nadiya Bychkova. Are you still close to anyone
else on the show?
Yes, it’s a real family feel on Strictly. After the show, I did the live show Burn The Floor and became so close to Robin Windsor. We even lived together for a while after working together. He’s such a wonderful man.
Your Hollyoaks co-stars attended your wedding earlier this year, do you all still keep in contact?
Absolutely. There’s a gang of us who are so close. It’s me, Carley Stenson, Sarah Jayne Dunn and Jodi Albert. Those girls have known me since I was 19 so it’s pretty incredible how much history we have. They say once a friendship goes beyond seven years, it’s a friendship for life so I know they’ll be in my life for a long time to come.
‘i’d be lying if i said i didn’t feel anxious’