Gemma Atkinson has shared her hopes for the next few weeks as she prepares to welcome her second child.
The Hits Radio host, 38, announced she was expecting a son with fiancé and professional dancer Gorka Marquez in January. The couple are already proud parents to three-year-old Mia.
In an Instagram update on Wednesday, May 31, Gemma said she was 'very much looking forward' to some downtime with Gorka as he wrapped up the Strictly The Professionals tour. She also shared her hopes for her second labour, following a traumatic birth with Mia.
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Gemma shared a photo of Gorka mid-dance with her 1.8 million followers. She praised him and his fellow Strictly stars in the caption, writing: "Final show for @gorka_marquez and the gang today! I’m SO proud of him!
"If you’ve been lucky enough to see the show you’ll know how physically demanding it is on the pros to perform like they do. Sometimes twice a day. Mentally it’s just as tough learning the choreography, rehabbing and fuelling."
She added: "Dancers really are athletes & from me struggling weekly to learn just one 3 min dance each Saturday for Strictly, I take my hat off to them".
She then shared her hopes for her labour, adding that she is 'confident in her body and its capabilities.' Gemma previously needed an emergency C-section in 2019 when doctors realised her daughter's heart rate had dropped.
The Hollyoaks star almost died when she lost nearly a litre of blood after suffering from a haemorrhage. Continuing the Instagram post, Gemma wrote: "Very much looking forward to some downtime with Gorks (although I’m busy work wise these next two weeks) but then it calms down a bit and then it’s just a waiting game for as and when little man is ready.
"I was reading about how clever our bodies are in that once everything is relaxed as in jobs, work, stress levels etc… it knows it can go into labour. I know for some it’s not the case but I’m hoping for me it is.
"This time I’m confident in my body and it’s capabilities. I trust it. And I’m going along with it. If after everything it went through last time and STILL got Mia and myself through it. I know it can do it all again as and when it needs".
Gemma has since spoken out about having PTSD from her first birth, but told Steph's Packed Lunch in January last year that she was ready to give Mia a sibling. Following her first birth Gemma, from Bury, publicly heaped praise on the NHS 'angels' at Royal Bolton Hospital for their care.
This time around, Gemma has opted to enlist a private midwife so she can undergo regular checks whilst also having the midwife at the end of the phone. In a previous Instagram update, she explained: "I love our NHS but know how stretched they are and with the strikes still happening I felt uneasy at the thought of history repeating itself with not enough staff to help."
She added that she full supports the nurses strikes and said they deserved to be paid "a hell of a lot more for what they do."
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