The secret bravery behind Stacey Solomon’s pregnancy joy

As Stacey Solomon reveals she’s expecting a baby girl to add to her tribe of three boys, her inner circle rally around her to ease her worries over postnatal depression

Updated on13th July 2021 at 10.30am

Grinning from ear to ear amid a sea of pink balloons, pregnant Stacey Solomon told fans she had “no words” as she revealed she and fiancé Joe Swash are expecting their first daughter.

Alongside a picture of the pair in pink outfits, with Joe affectionately cradling her bump, the star wrote, “I honestly have no words… Mummy, Daddy and ALL of your big brothers cannot wait to meet you, little one…We love you so so much already, darling girl.”

While the couple are thrilled, Stacey had previously admitted that the idea of a fourth child was daunting as she wasn’t sure she’d have enough love to go round, saying, “I want to be able to give every child the same amount of love. I’m not sure my love could split any more ways!”

And pals say that, although she’s ecstatic, the organising guru – who recently spoke about how “exhausting” she finds putting on a happy face on social media – is secretly understandably worried that her previous struggles with postnatal depression may return.

The hugely popular Loose Women presenter has won a legion of fans for her openness about her experiences following the births of her three sons. In April, the former Queen of the Jungle discussed the lingering guilt she still feels after she fell into a dark place following the birth of her eldest son Zach, 13 – whom she shares with ex Dean Cox – when she was just 17.

Stacey – who is also mum to Leighton, nine, from a previous relationship and two-year-old Rex, whom she shares with Joe, 39 – said, “Even now, I have moments with Zachy where I think ‘Oh, I wish I loved you from the very minute.’ Not that I didn’t, I’m sure I did, I just didn’t feel it and I didn’t get it. And it brings me tremendous guilt.”

Adding that she struggled with it after having all three of her boys, she said, “When I had Rex, I got exactly the same feelings – gut-wrenching, deeply unhappy for no reason... I’m so happy but deeply unhappy and uncontrollably sobbing.”

The star puts on a brave face on social media ©Instagram / staceysolomon

Posting a picture of her beaming while she held Rex as a baby, Stacey admitted all wasn’t as it seemed. She said she was “struggling” during that time and “not feeling myself” – but added that appearing positive helped her through her tough times.

A source says, “Stacey’s overwhelmed with gratitude and overjoyed to be expecting a daughter, but her friends wouldn’t be surprised if there are secretly worries in the back of her mind about how she might feel afterwards.

“She’s suffered after all three of her births, but she’s putting on a brave face and doing her best not to dwell. Joe and all her closest friends are helping her to think positively and that gives her a real inner strength. There’s a lot of love around her.”

Last month, Stacey – who has been praised for speaking openly about postnatal depression – bravely revealed she’d suffered a miscarriage while trying to conceive a fourth child. She also took a brief break from social media due to her crippling anxiety before she announced her pregnancy. And while the mum of three is known for her energetic personality, she also confessed how tough it can be to hide her anxiety.

“People say to me, ‘How could you have the energy to be so happy?’ And I actually find that, when I’m sad and struggling. I find that more exhausting,” she recently confessed. “It’s almost reprogramming your brain for [being positive] to be the neutral, which can take a long time.”

And after admitting she suffers from an “out-of-control” fear of death and from intrusive thoughts, she revealed the methods she uses to help combat her anxiety, saying, “I think that exercise, cooking, crafting, all of these things are just different forms of meditation.”

Closer’s psychological therapist Emma Kenny says, “A lot of women suffer from postnatal depression – some stats even suggest that around 80% of women suffer from a change in mental health after having a baby, often called ‘the baby blues’.

“There is a distinction though between ‘the baby blues’ and classified PND. PND is a diagnosed if there is a significant drop in the way you feel. It’s diagnosed by answering a questionnaire, which will give you a score on the PND scale – you can take this online or see your GP.

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