Ex-Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips has opened up about the judgement she faced from others as an older mum
Arlene Phillips is best known for her extensive dancing expertise that has seen her win many international awards, becoming world-famous as well judging one of our fave TV talent shows Strictly Come Dancing.
And whilst she generally keeps her personal life out of the public eye, the 74-year-old has now given a candid interview about her life as a mother.
Arlene gave birth to her first daughter, Alana, with her first husband Danny Noble, a fashion designer, at the age of 36.
When she met her current partner, Angus Ion, got together in 1985, Arlene was not thinking about having any more children.
And when she discovered she was pregnant with her second daughter, Abi, at the age of 47, she was completely overjoyed - as any mother would be.
But Arlene, who was awarded a CBE in 2013, has now confessed that she faced a lot of judgement from many people during her second pregnancy - especially from her DOCTORS.
Shockingly, Arlene was told by her doctor that she "should be a grandmother, not a mother" purely because of her age.
She told the publication: "I was told I was some kind of freak, that I would find it hard to bond with my baby when I could be the grandmother."
Arlene, who described herself as "vociferous", would not normally have stood for comments like that, but it wasn't the BEST time to be faced with criticism: "I was so vulnerable. I let all these remarks go by with tears in my eyes."
Arlene went on to add that being an older mother these days is actually quite common, and revealed how being an older mother can even be better: "When you let all those things go you see the absolute joy of having a baby when you're older. You really do feel like you've been given a gift."
Aww, you go Arlene!
If you're an older mother, have you ever faced nasty criticism about? Did you ever feel judged because of your age? We want to hear from you - get in touch via email or on Facebook and Twitter.
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