Four-time Olympic swimming champion Rebecca Adlington OBE revealed in September that she is expecting her third child, which she has called a “small miracle”. After experiencing two heartbreaking miscarriages in the past three years, the BBC sports presenter said that she and her husband Andy Parsons are “cautiously overjoyed” and just “trying to take each day as it comes”.
Rebecca, 36, is already a doting mum to Summer, 10, who she shares with ex-husband Harry Needs, and Albie, four, her son with Andy. Here, she candidly opens up to us about her anxiety after suffering baby loss, why sleep is so important to her, and the challenge of taking more of a backseat this time around.
Congratulations on your pregnancy, Rebecca. How are you feeling?
My daughter Summer is so excited! My son Albie doesn’t really understand. I’m like, “It takes nine months, Albie.” And he goes, “Is that a long time?” Summer also understands a bit more about miscarriage than my son does. I have spoken to so many different people during this pregnancy about anxiety. It’s about accepting it and going with our feelings. I don’t want to dismiss things – if I’m worried about something I know I can see the doctor and get support. A mother’s intuition is a good thing.
Are you going to try to take it easy?
I think women are naturally providers. We want to do everything, run at a million miles an hour all the time, so I’m trying to let my husband do a lot more and take a step back. It’s so hard, as you want to do everything and spend quality time with the kids but sometimes it’s just, “Mummy needs a half-hour sit-down.” It’s important this time around that I make sure I’m doing the right things by this little one. It’s just being a bit kinder to myself.
Tell us about Petals, the baby loss counselling charity that supported you following the loss of your daughter Harper in 2023…
I absolutely love the charities that I work with. I’m an ambassador of three different charities, they are all amazing and really close to my heart. When you do become pregnant again, Petals offer brilliant support. There is a counsellor for reconnecting during those periods.
How are you managing to fit in work around being a busy mum-of-two?
The BBC punditry isn’t on at the moment because there are no big games. But I get to work on amazing campaigns, and I also work full time in my learn-to-swim company, Swim Stars. It’s a little different as the owner of the company – I can work from home a couple of days a week. Everyone’s been really supportive.
What are the biggest challenges of being a parent?
First time round it’s the change and shift in your lifestyle and priorities. And sleep! I have always been sleep-orientated. It’s the athlete in me. When I was an athlete, sleep was the biggest form of recovery. Even now as a parent I need a lot more sleep than my husband. It’s just the way my body works. He can stay up until midnight whereas I’m fast asleep by 10pm.
Are your kids good sleepers?
Well, according to Hyundai research, 95% of parents struggle to get their kids to sleep at night! And with a four-year-old and a 10-year-old, it is two ends of the scale. I was one of those new parents who was very naive, thinking, “It is not going to be that bad.” You can prepare yourself for the first six months being bad… but it continues up until they are two, three, four years of age! Albie has always been a car napper, so that’s definitely helped us. We don’t live near our families so at weekends we’d arrange trips by nap times.
What is your typical nighttime routine?
We tag team it! My daughter reads to us whereas with my little boy, we read to him. We swap and alternate, and my daughter goes to bed a little bit after my little boy. So it’s not too bad.
A nd what’s the best part of parenting?
Even though you love your mum and dad and siblings, the love you have for your children is a different thing. Most people thought I wasn’t always the most maternal person. They’d say, “You are definitely going to be bad cop!” but I’m good cop all the time! Motherhood’s brought out a better side of me.
Retiring from sport was a challenge for you because of the lack of aftercare. Have things improved?
I retired 12 years ago and there was absolutely nothing – nobody I could speak to, no support. You have a national government body and you get a “happy retirement” email. I can’t speak firsthand to what it is like now, but I’ve heard it’s got better, which I’m pleased about.
There are people in place now who help athletes with courses and training and education. And help them with what they might want to do after sport. I’m sure a lot more can be done, but I literally had an email. That was it. You go from being part of the best team in the world, Team GB, to no team. It’s a really difficult transition to navigate.
You’ve done your fair share of reality TV. Any more in the pipeline?
I have always said I would love to do Strictly, but I can’t dance to save my life, I am the worst dancer so I would be booted off the first week. It looks like such an amazing show though, the make-up and the hair and the production! I think they would be able to twist my arm.