Following remarks from well-meaning fans, BBC Breakfast host Nina Warhurst has defended her plans to return to work.
After giving birth to her third child, Nance, earlier this year, the 43-year-old has been sharing heartwarming updates about her life as a mother-of-three.
She later spoke about her ‘difficult’ delivery and ‘long’ recuperation, and she has now revealed her ambitions to return to BBC Breakfast.
Nina said she will be returning at work in ‘a couple of months’, when Nance reaches six months old, on her Instagram stories while taking her baby on a walk in the pram.
‘Same age that her brothers were when I went back, but they were pretty much weaned at that point,’ she said.
Nina then returned to the BBC to discuss her ideas for feeding Nance.
She said: ‘So the hours that I work, very early, sort of mid-late morning are when she would typically cluster feed, so I will need a pump that is a, really efficient and b, portable because I go away a lot with work, and c, one that doesn’t cost a million pounds, because they’re not exactly try on the shop floor kind of products are they.’
Nina went on: ‘Although while I’m here, if it doesn’t work out and she ends up on the formula 24/7, that doesn’t bother me at all.
‘She has formula every evening to settle her down so I can spend some time with her brothers and it’s great.
‘Formula babies and formula mothers are just as magical, squishy and beautiful as the booby sisterhood.’
In a separate clip shared on Instagram, Nina added: ‘Also, while I’m here, quite a few people have said to me, “don’t rush back”, and I understand that the intentions are really good there, spend more time with your baby, but firstly, some people want to go back, that’s up to them, that’s totally fine.
‘And secondly, most people I know go back for financial reasons and it’s brilliant for people who have the pot of money or their partner pays the mortgage to extend it, but that’s not the case for me or most of my female friends who have had children.’
Nina was hailed earlier this year for posting these adorable images of Nance when he was four weeks old.
She wrote: ‘4 snaplets of me and my Nance from each of the 4 weeks we’ve watched her slowly waking up to this world.
‘We’ve lost all sense of time as we’ve been feeding and snoozing and gazing and toe-stroking and head-smelling and marvelling at the absolute wonder of it all.
‘It’s been *haaaard* tho! A harder pregnancy. A tougher delivery and a longer recovery… maybe it’s being older… but also I’d somehow forgotten.’
Nina went on: ‘I’d forgotten the anxiety of labour moving from the plan.
‘I’d forgotten the swollen scars, bleeding breasts, mastitis fever, hormonal crashes, clots, constipation, codeine withdrawal, exhaustion…. And this time the added funk of a nose bleed (y tho?!)
‘But part of getting older is getting better aquatinted with your limits and letting go.
‘I’m better at stopping and saying no to visitors and yes to a messy house and yes to asking for help. (A turning point was full snot crying down the phone to the GP – resulting in a glorious prescription of kind words, antibiotics, painkillers and a follow up call about how I was coping ❤️).’
Nina concluded: ‘We are on the right track – for now – and enjoying life in the slow lane… usually with Australian MAFs & Italian red drinks… what a combo.
‘Women and their bodies (parents or not) are complex and resilient that it fills me with immense pride. I can’t wait to tell you all about it my sweet girl.’
Nina is also mum to two boys, Digby and Michael, and keeps her private life with husband Ted out of the spotlight.
BBC Breakfast airs weekdays from 6am on BBC One.
