TV presenters Angellica Bell and husband Michael Underwood have a son aged three and an 18-month-old daughter. Here, Angellica lifts the lid on life with two kids under four.
Pregnancy was a great experience. Both times I had a neat bump and didn’t put on masses of weight, but towards the end I did feel exhausted and just wanted to sleep. First time round I exercised until about six months, but with my second I didn’t have the luxury of sleeping as I had a toddler to look after, so it was a lot harder. Once, I woke up in the middle of the night with sharp pains and had to go to hospital: luckily it was nothing serious, but it was scary.
My pregnancies were quite close together so really amalgamated into one. Obviously, first time round it was all new but it was pretty much by the book. Second time was similar apart from my baby being slightly twisted to one side. The doctors were worried at first and wanted her to move around before I started pushing, but she was content so Michael told the midwife we wanted to go for it and she came out quickly and happily.
“I choose foods with lots of fibre to keep me regular!”
I tried to eat healthily. I choose foods with lots of fibre to keep me regular! I took Pregnacare by Vitabiotics throughout both pregnancies which I can’t recommend enough. I had low iron and had to make sure I ate iron-enriched foods constantly. One weekend in the early stages of pregnancy all I wanted to eat was Cheddar cheese sandwiches with white bread and Walker’s ready salted crisps. On another day I wanted Heinz tomato soup and never touched it again. Apart from that, no cravings!
“After a few months I went to Pilates and started walking on the treadmill”
I didn’t really think about exercise for a long while as the main priority was caring for my new baby and letting my body heal. After a few months I went to Pilates and started walking on the treadmill. I also followed the exercises that were given to me by the hospital. Before I knew it I was pregnant again. Now that I have two, I have tried Bikram yoga and I did the Great North Run last September.
It was just incredible seeing my new baby finally after nine months. Both children were good sleepers which helped, but Michael and I really worked together in the first few weeks and I had constant help from him. We used a week by week baby book as a guide and I helped to raise my two younger sisters so I used that knowledge. That helped the experience not be so daunting. I just got on with it.
“There’s about 18 months between them and they are such amazing little people”
We are very protective over our children. I don’t put their names in print and have never put a picture of them on any social network. I want them to grow up without any pressures and have us around them as much as possible. There’s about 18 months between them and they are such amazing little people. I’d say they were quite similar – very outgoing, will talk to anyone, cheeky, funny and kind.
To balance family and work we have to be super-organised. Michael and I always make sure one of us is with the children if we are working – we don’t have any help and like to be with them. If I go to the gym, I’ll go at 6am before they wake up. And if we go out in the evenings, it’s always after we have put them to bed.
>> WATCH ANGELLICA’S ADVICE FOR FUN NATURE TRAILS WITH YOUR LITTLE ONES
Angellica is spearheading a Good Stuff campaign that sees her providing tips for parents on fun ways to educate young children on where foods come from. For more information visit facebook.com/munchbunchdairy