Congratulations to Jennie McAlpine who has welcomed her second child into the world
Coronation Street’s Jennie McAlpine yesterday announced the happy news that she had given birth to her second child – a daughter named Hilda.
Taking to her twitter account, the actress, who plays Fiz Brown in the ITV soap, wrote that they had given birth to a healthy baby girl.
“Our newest addition arrived yesterday. Mummy and Daddy very happy. Bit brother very proud of his little sister Hilda. We’re all in love.”
Check out: how to get a good night's sleep with a newborn baby
How to get a good night's sleep with a newborn baby - SLIDER
1 of 5Keep your baby close
For the first six months of their life, it is highly recommended that you keep your baby in the same room as you. Invest in a bedside crib, ideally with a mesh panel so your baby can see you. Specifically designed to allow you and your baby to sleep next to each other, these cribs are particularly useful if you are nursing, allowing you to feed without having to leave the comfort of your bed.
2 of 5Power eat
With more than half (65%) of mums with young children having their sleep disturbed on a regular basis, it is often tempting to have a 'midnight snack'. However, too much refined sugar – found in processed foods or sweets – can in fact prevent you from sleeping well. Instead, try to pick foods containing high levels of sleep-inducing chemicals; serotonin, tryptophan, and melatonin such as bananas, almonds and cherries, to help you drift off to a more relaxed sleep.
3 of 5Introduce a bedtime routine early on
With almost half of UK mums stating that a lack of sleep means they are frequently irritable and short-tempered, it can be helpful to introduce a loose bedtime routine. If you do this from an early stage it can help small babies to differentiate the difference between day and night. To accomplish this, buy black-out blinds for their bedrooms, keep lights throughout the house off or dimly lit, speak in low and quiet tones, and keep the same bedtime routine for your baby every day.
4 of 5Say no to caffeine
We get it; the lure of caffeine is strong when you have small children. But however tempting it may be, indulging in your favourite coffee to help you stay alert during the day can have a negative impact on your sleep. Avoid drinking caffeine after mid-day and switch to drinks such as chamomile tea, or join your little one with a glass of milk - which is rich in sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan.
5 of 5Remember – sleepless nights won’t last forever
It may feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel, especially when you are regularly woken up several times a night. During these tough months, focus on self-care, introducing a relaxing bedtime routine for yourself such as: a hot bubble bath, relaxing music and a good book. As well as this, confide in family and friends, as well as expressing any worries via parenting forums and websites. The main thing to remember is that you are not alone, so seek support when you need it.
It’s thought that their choice of old fashioned name is an homage to one of the most loved Corrie characters, Hilda Ogden, who was played by Jean Alexander.
Jennie has been married to restaurant manager Chris Farr since last year, although they had maintained a low profile relationship since 2005. In 2014 they welcomed baby Albert into their lives.
Chris braved the limelight for his wife’s exit from the Jungle last year, after Jennie came fourth on I’m a Celeb, Get Me Out of Here! The couple are thought to have become pregnant during their emotional reunion after the show.
She announced on Twitter earlier this year (a timescale that would corroborate the jungle romp theory) that they were pregnant with baby number two.
“We’ve got a bit of news,” she wrote at the time. “Our baby boy is going to be a big brother later this year. We can’t wait to meet you precious one x”.
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The couple have always kept their private life under wraps, and shunned celeb tradition by having a low-key wedding at Manchester Town Hall, which Jennie marked with a simple photograph shared to social media of their clasped hands, wedding bands on display.
And she went to extra lengths to keep a pregnancy quiet before she left to go on maternity leave in September.
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"We started [covering the bump] with a mug, and then a handbag. I kid you not, last week they hid it with a Ford Fiesta," she previously revealed to the Sun. "They said, 'Can we just move that car back a bit?' I said, 'Is this for my bump?' They said, 'Yeah, we can see it a bit, but it's going to help'."