Peter Andre's wife Emily tearfully reveals she had emergency surgery after suffering rare complication while giving birth to third child and admits 'awful' experience has cemented their decision to not have any more kids
The NHS doctor, 35, and husband Peter, 52, share children Millie, 11, Theo, eight, and Arabella, 15, months, together while Peter is also dad to Junior, 19, and Princess, 18, from his marriage to Katie Price.
The couple have since ruled out having any more kids in the future, with the Mysterious Girl singer admitting earlier this year that he was working up courage to get a vasectomy.
And Emily has now revealed that their decision not to expand their brood was 'cemented' by her 'awful' experience giving birth to Arabella last year, as she broke her silence on the ordeal.
Speaking to Giovanna Fletcher on her Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast, she explained the birth caused her to develop a serious bowel condition, that medical staff said was so rare that none of them had ever encountered it before.
Emily teared up as she described how she suffered severe pain and a 'really slow recovery', but admitted that the 'worst part' was being apart from her newborn daughter.
The NHS doctor, 35, and husband Peter, 52, share children Millie, 11, Theo, eight, and Arabella, 15, months, together while Peter is also dad to Junior, 19, and Princess, 18, from his marriage to Katie Price (pictured all together)
The couple have since ruled out having any more kids in the future, with the Mysterious Girl singer admitting earlier this year that he was working up courage to get a vasectomy
She said: 'I haven't really spoken about her birth and what happened afterwards because it was so hard and awful. It was tough. I was really unwell after she was born, there was quite a lot of complications.'
She choked up as she recalled: 'I had to go back for emergency surgery. She was a week old, so that was the worst bit, I had to kind of hand her over and go in for another operation.'
Emily explained she'd developed a rare hernia - which is when internal part of the body pushes through a weakness in the muscle or surrounding tissue wall.
She said: 'I developed a really rare type of hernia that was quite large, basically part of my bowels were kind of in the wrong place.
'And the type of hernia that it was can strangulate quite easily and then that ends up being an emergency.
'All the consultants I've seen have said, 'We've never seen this in our whole career' and then I think, 'For God's sake, why did it have to happen to me?'
'I knew things weren't right after she was born because I had a big, huge lump in my tummy sticking right out.'
She explained after a week she was sent to see a surgeon, saying: 'And the surgeon looked and said 'You need to come into hospital now'. They scanned it and they could see it was my bowels that had come out basically.'
Emily admitted she was stunned by the news and asked to go home first to prepare, saying she was consumed by the thought she couldn't be with Arabella.
She said: 'I just didn't expect it. I was breastfeeding so I thought 'My God, I'm going to have to express milk. How am I going to feed her if I'm on the operating table?' So they let me go home and I could do all of that.'
She was rushed to surgery the following morning, and confessed that despite being in 'really bad pain', the 'worst' part was handing Arabella off to her mum, saying: 'I was a right mess, it was really hard.'
But she recalled the 'one thing that made me smile' and 'took my mind off it' was the porter revealing she was in the same theatre where Peter had been operated on by Emily's urologist father - which is how they first met.
She explained: 'The way Pete and I met was my dad operated on him. We were then friends for years and it was in the same theatre.
'I was lying on the table and the porter that got me across was so lovely. He said 'You know, I brought Pete here into this theatre. This was exactly where he lay and this is the room where he met your dad'. It was just such a nice moment and it was something that took my mind off it.'
Emily added: 'Then the recovery from that was quite awful. I was in hospital for probably two or three days and then the recovery was really, really slow. They had to do quite a lot of stitching up and moving things around so the pain was quite bad.'
However, a year on, she said she felt as though she 'was pretty much back to health now' as she voiced her gratitude to Peter, her parents and all the medical staff for being 'amazing'.
But she admitted that she may still be dealing with some psychological aftereffects, as she revealed she has not spent a night apart from Arabella since her surgery.
She said: 'It was the handing her over, that was the worst part of it' as she explained how she felt 'really lucky' that she was able to recover on the midwife ward so that Arabella could stay with her.
Emily said: 'Otherwise she would've had to be at home and I'd have been separated from her. That was all I was thinking about, 'Don't take my baby away from me'.'
'I do find it really hard [to be away from her]. I've got quite good at the daytime, but there's something about the night and putting her to bed...'
While she stressed that the traumatic ordeal has underlined her desire not to have any more children, stressing that she was '100 per cent no more!'
She added: 'It's a definite no from me, we're not having anymore. It's absolutely cemented now. We always said it would be the last anyway. Five's enough, we don't have any more bedrooms in the house for starters.'
Peter first hinted that Arabella's birth had been difficult in May, as he said it had been a 'very scary time' during his own appearance on Giovanna's podcast.
The reality star revealed that Emily had suffered 'serious' complications and echoed his wife's admission that the experience had cemented their decision not to have another baby.
He said: ''Emily had a real complication with Belle [...] And I don't know if she's ever talked about it, but the complications that happened after were very serious.
'Emily had a real complication with Belle... And I don't know if she's ever talked about it, but the complications that happened after were very serious.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
14 minutes ago
- The Independent
Manufacturers given 18 months to cut sugar and salt in baby food products
Baby food manufacturers have been given 18 months to cut sugar and salt in their products, to address concerns that infants' development is being harmed by poor diets. Accompanying new guidelines to clarify labelling on baby food will help parents make informed choices about what they feed their children, the Department of Health and Social Care said. Manufacturers will be challenged to change the recipes for their products to reduce levels of salt and sugar, without the use of sweeteners, which are not permitted for use in commercial baby food. For example, baby desserts and breakfasts such as rice pudding, custard and ready-to-eat fruity porridge should contain less than 10g of total sugar per 100g, while baby meals should have no more than 60mg of salt per 100 calories or 100mg per 100 calories if cheese is included in the recipe. The guidelines will also tackle misleading labelling that often conflicts with official feeding advice. For example, some products labelled as snacks for babies from seven months on directly contradict government recommendations that children aged between six and 12 months do not need snacks between meals, only milk. Manufacturers will also be told to stop using misleading marketing claims that make products appear healthier than they are, for example products with labels such as 'contains no nasties' when they may be high in sugar. The move comes as data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, published in June, shows that more than two thirds of children aged 18 months to three years are eating too much sugar, while more than a fifth of children aged four to five years are overweight or living with obesity in England. High sugar intake in children's diets is a significant factor contributing to high rates of childhood obesity in the UK, which is among the highest in western Europe. Obesity rates have doubled since the 1990s, including among children. Obesity costs the NHS £11.4 billion a year and is one of the root causes of diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Public health minister Ashley Dalton said: 'Every child deserves a healthy, happy start to life. But babies' development is being harmed by poor diets and unhealthy food, holding them back and piling up pressure on the NHS. 'Too often, parents are bombarded with confusing labels, disguising unhealthy foods packed with hidden sugars and salt. 'Our plan for change will tackle this, giving parents the information they need and providing children with good nutritious food. 'I'm determined to make it far easier for parents to keep their children healthy. 'From working with influencers to get children exercising, to banning junk food ads near schools, our 10-year health plan will help kids today be part of the healthiest generation of children ever.' Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said: 'For too long, commercial baby foods have been promoting high-sugar products disguised as 'healthy options', using misleading packaging. 'These new guidelines put the industry on notice: this practice must end. 'Making it easier for parents to buy healthier products is a baby step in the right direction – but what's really needed is a giant leap. 'It should not even be possible to sell baby food that goes against official feeding guidance, and the public agrees, with three in four people supporting a ban on high-sugar baby foods. 'If the industry fails to act quickly, the Government must step in with mandatory rules to set children up for a lifetime of good health.' Dr Kawther Hashem, head of research and impact at Action on Sugar, said: 'Our research has consistently shown excessive levels of sugars in commercial baby foods. 'These long-overdue voluntary guidelines are a step in the right direction, but they must not be the final word. 'Consuming too much sugar on a regular basis means children are taking in excess calories that, if not used for energy, are stored as fat. 'This increases the risk of weight gain and, if it starts early, that excess weight is often carried into adolescence and adulthood, raising the risk of overweight, obesity and agonising tooth decay. 'If we're serious about protecting our youngest children, these guidelines must be made mandatory. 'We urge the Government to closely monitor progress and act swiftly if companies fail to change.' Professor Simon Kenny, NHS England's national clinical director for children and young people, said: 'I can't overstate just how important good nutrition is during these formative months for babies' health in the long term, and you can't beat fresh foods. 'Reducing the salt and sugar levels in shop-bought baby food is a really important step, and these new guidelines alongside clearer labelling will help empower busy parents to make nutritious choices that give their children the best possible start in life.' Dr Hannah Brisden, head of policy and advocacy at the Food Foundation, said: 'Giving every child the best start in life begins with good nutrition. 'Today's announcement on commercial baby foods highlights the need to protect families from aggressive marketing and end misleading claims on sugary products. 'Our research found up to 43 claims on a single baby snack, despite many being high in sugar. 'The industry has been warned to clean up their act with voluntary guidelines, but to truly protect children, mandatory standards are needed. 'We urge the Government to monitor progress closely and be ready to step in if companies don't act.'
The Independent
14 minutes ago
- The Independent
Not drinking enough water causes greater biological response to stress
People who do not drink enough water have a stronger biological response to stress, according to a study. Researchers found those who habitually drink less release greater levels of the stress hormone cortisol, despite not feeling any thirstier than people who drink more. Keeping a water bottle nearby during stressful periods could be beneficial for long-term health, researchers suggest. The study, led by experts at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), included 16 people who drank under 1.5 litres of water a day, along with 16 people who regularly met daily recommended guidelines for fluid intake. Researchers used the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) guidelines, which recommends men should drink 2.5 litres of water a day while women should drink two litres. In the UK, the Eatwell Guide suggests adults should drink between six and eight cups of fluid a day, which is roughly 1.5 to two litres. However, people may need to drink more when it is hot, if they are very active, if they are recovering from an illness, or if they are pregnant or breastfeeding. Researchers monitored hydration in both groups over seven days using urine and blood samples, after which they were invited into the lab for a stress test. The test involved an impromptu job interview, for which each individual was given 10 minutes to prepare for. After that time, they were invited into another room where a fake camera was set up and asked to do the interview to a panel of three people dressed in white coats. Following the fake interview, individuals were then asked to do a mental arithmetic challenge which involved subtracting numbers as fast as they can. Professor Neil Walsh, of the LJMU School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, described the test as 'really flustering'. He told the PA news agency: 'We know that people who have a low daily fluid intake, who don't meet the recommendations, are likely to be poorly hydrated. 'But what we didn't know was whether, when you then stress those people under controlled conditions, they would have a greater stress hormone response.' Researchers collected saliva samples from the group before and after the stress test to measure cortisol levels. Cortisol, known as the stress hormone, is produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress and also plays a role in immune response, metabolism and blood pressure. The team found cortisol levels were higher in those who drank less. Prof Shaw noted that stress responses such as increased heart rate, sweaty hands and dry mouth were similar between the two groups. 'Both groups felt equally anxious and experienced similar increases in heart rate during the stress test,' he said. 'But the people who were poorly hydrated, because they were not drinking enough water each day, had much greater cortisol responses.' The low-fluid intake group did also not report feeling more thirsty than those who drank more, according to Prof Walsh. He added: 'Cortisol is the body's primary stress hormone and exaggerated cortisol reactivity to stress is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and depression. 'If you know you have a looming deadline or a speech to make, keeping a water bottle close could be a good habit with potential benefits for your long-term health.' Prof Walsh said further research is needed to better understand the findings, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, and to see if increasing water intake in those who do not drink enough can reduce responses to daily 'micro stressors' like traffic jams or presentations at work. 'We'd like to think that meeting the water intake guidelines could be one of a number of things you could do to blunt that cortisol response day to day,' he added.
The Independent
14 minutes ago
- The Independent
The new technology for prosthetic legs that could reduce NHS waiting lists by 50%
A new technology could reduce NHS waiting lists for prosthetic legs by half, a study has found. The software personalises prosthetic leg fittings based on data from previous patients. The data-driven fittings for below the knee prosthetics were, on average, as comfortable for patients as those created by highly skilled prosthetists, the NHS trial suggested. Technology developed by Radii Devices and the University of Southampton is hoping to halve the number of clinical visits for the fitting from an average of four to two using the software. The new technology is built to provide a personalised 'socket' using data from other fittings and a 3D scan of the residual limb to immediately generate a basic design. The CEO and founder of Radii Devices, Dr Joshua Steer, said analysing hundreds of previous sockets allowed them to 'identify trends' between different patient characteristics. 'We can then scan a new patient's residual limb and generate a personalised design recommendation based on features that have been successful for similar patients in the past,' he explained. The results of an NHS trial published on Friday in JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology suggest the new designs are on average as comfortable as those created by a prosthetist. Nineteen sockets were made for 17 participants, as two participants were double amputees, and all bar one of the sockets were above the 'NHS comfort score target', the Radii Devices CEO said. Of those 19 sockets, six of the new designs were reportedly more comfortable than normal prosthetics, while five were less and eight were very similar. Prosthetic sockets are personalised to ensure they are comfortable and functional, as they need to bear a person's body weight without damaging limb tissue or creating discomfort. Traditionally, a prosthetist makes a plaster cast of the leg and reshapes it to produce a socket which achieves the right balance, producing trial versions before settling on a definitive one. Radii Devices says the NHS currently tries to deliver a prosthetic in four clinical visits roughly a month from their first appointment, while the new system can aim for a 'gold standard' of two appointments. Alex Dickinson, Professor of Prosthetics Engineering at the University of Southampton – who helped to develop the new method, acknowledges that it has limits. He said: 'Only a highly skilled prosthetist can identify things like bone spurs and neuromas, and know how to tweak designs to avoid causing pain or damage at these sensitive areas. 'We developed the data-driven socket design approach to save prosthetists' time by giving them a solid base to work from so they can use their expertise where it is most valuable, in making precise adaptations tailored to their patients' specific needs. 'The method effectively helps prosthetists to learn from each other.' Another co-author, Professor Maggie Donovan-Hall, said it was 'surprising and encouraging' that the data-driven sockets performed so well in a test designed as a 'worst case' scenario where they received no additional input from prosthetists. Nearly 100 people have now had a prosthetic leg designed this way, across multiple centres in the UK and the USA. The study has now moved into its final stage where the new software is developed alongside clinicians to see how it can be best incorporated into their practices.
