Stacey Solomon on motherhood, home schooling and her genius hacks

Updated on11th February 2022 at 11.30am

Presenter and singer Stacey Solomon has announced the name of her daughter with partner Joe Swash. Following the birth of her baby on Stacey's birthday and at home, the presenter took some time to think up a name for her new little pickle.

Sharing the name on her Instagram, Stacey also posted two adorable new photos of her daughter. She wrote: "🌹Rose🌹 Opal, Esmè Solomon-Swash. ♥️ Our beautiful flower - Our precious jewel - who is ever loved. It’s been the most magical week. We love you to the moon and back our little Rose 🥺🌹 We feel so so lucky to have you here… Thank you all for your loveliness, your kindness and just being there at 3am for a chat it’s been the best. Love you all 🌹♥️"

We love it!

Stacey previously shared that she and Joe had been trying for a baby for a while and had sadly experienced a miscarriage.

One of our favourite celeb mums to follow on Instagram, Stacey is well known for her Tap to Tidy's, morning montages, fun foody makes and of course regular healthy doses of reality. But who exactly is the Essex-born mum?

Who is Stacey Solomon?

Stacey Solomon is a singer and TV presenter who first appeared in the public eye in 2009 when she appeared on the sixth series of The X-Factor where she finished in third place. Stacey then went on to win the tenth series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

Stacey Solomon's kids

Stacey currently has four children. When she was 17, Stacey became pregnant by her boyfriend, Dean Cox. Unfortunately, the couple split up before the birth of their son, Zachary, on 21st March 2008. Stacey then gave birth to her second son Leighton with then-fiancé Aaron Barnham on 5th May 2012. On 23rd May 2019, Stacey gave birth to her third child with Joe Swash, Rex, at 37 weeks.

Stacey recently gave birth to a daughter in October, her fourth child and second with Joe.

Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash

Stacey has been with her partner actor and presenter Joe Swash since 2016 although the couple have been friends since 2010. They share a son together, Rex who was born in 2019, joining their family which comprises of Stacey's two sons from previous relationships and Joe's son.

Stacey Solomon on her first week as a new mum

Stacey bravely opened up about her first week as a mum to Rex and admitted the 'fog has lifted after uncontrollable sobs'. In the honest Instagram post, Stacey is pictured holding her newborn son, who arrived 'a lot earlier' than planned, admits life hasn't been 'rosy and glossy’. The 29-year-old penned, "Today is a smiley day, it’s been an interesting week. But it feels like the fog is lifting and I’m coming out of the fuzz. I’m so grateful to have our baby boy with us and be surrounded by my incredible family – my biggest privilege."

Fans praised her for speaking honestly out about her struggle to breastfeed, as she said "Hormone surges + really struggling to breastfeed + no sleep what so ever + engorged boobs + cracked nipples + absolutely anything as minuscule as somebody kissing my babies head = total meltdown."

Stacey also opened up about her experience with mum guilt how she feels upset that she wasn't 'enjoying every second' with her newborn.

The Loose Woman panellist said, "I’m really feeling happy today which is amazing, but I’m ready to accept any sobbing or sadness that sneaks up on me at any point. If it doesn’t hallelujah, but if it does I’m no less of a mother for feeling that way. And to anyone else feeling or who has felt that way, don’t ever let those feelings make you feel that you weren’t good enough, you were and you are. It’s ok not to be ok."

Preach it, Stace!

The presenter then reminded her 1.7m fans that there is lots of help out there for mums who are struggling. "Our community midwives, and the breastfeeding specialist who literally MILKED me for hours trying to bring my milk down from under my chest and armpits, and the Perinatal Parent Infant Mental Health Services in our area who have been so attentive and always there if we need them."

"Thinking of all of those who don’t have a support system around them. If you need someone to talk to there are people out there… please don’t hesitate to reach out."

If you need to talk to someone, check out our guide to PND, which includes all the symptoms to look out for, plus the helplines you need.

Stacey Solomon opens up about the 'painful' reality of post-birth

Stacey opened up about her heartbreak at her diminishing baby bump as she shuts down questions about her ‘post-baby body’ "I’ve lost it today,” she wrote on Instagram, alongside an intimate snap of Joe kissing her deflating tummy.

She went on to slam assumptions that new mums should be desperate to get their pre-pregnancy bodies back, writing, "The truth is I’m devastated that my belly is shrinking by the day. I wish it could stay around for a little longer. I feel empty and hollow. Not to mention like I’ve been punched in the vagina."

Of questions about her fitness regime now that the baby had arrived, she said, "I hate these questions. They’re pointless. And not important or relevant. No one knows how they’re going to feel and what we look like after birth is the very least of our worries. "I really miss my bump and baby being inside me. I don’t feel I appreciated it enough while I was pregnant and now it’s over."

This isn't the first time she has used Instagram to be brutally honest about motherhood - and people love her for it.

She also shared a powerful message about postnatal depression, saying that she didn't realise she was suffering from the condition until she had her second child, recently sharing that she experienced 'gut-wrenching mum guilt' after giving birth to her third child Rex in May.

But, remembering her pregnancy with her first son, 11-year-old Zachary, she admitted to struggling with mental health difficulties at the time.

Writing alongside a cute snap of the pair surrounded by sunflowers, she wrote: ‘Yesterday we went for a walk in the sunflower fields (Rex was asleep most of the time) because I wasn’t feeling myself (happens now and again).

‘When I had Zachary 11 years ago I really struggled with the way that I felt.’

Stacey added that a midwife helped her to accept she had been suffering from postnatal depression when she became pregnant with her second child, son Leighton, seven.

She added, "I was so anxious about giving birth and not loving him straight away. Depression and anxiety don’t discriminate.

"I feel so passionate about raising awareness and trying to get more funds to much needed mental health services."

In the post, Solomon told her fans about her collaboration with Scamp and Dude for their ‘swag bags with purpose’ campaign, which raises money for mental health charity Mind.

Quickfire questions with Stacey Solomon

Hair up or hair down?
Hair up.

Heels or trainers?
Trainers.

Instagram or Twitter?
Instagram.

Starter or dessert?
Starter.

Tea or coffee?
Tea!

Marmite or peanut butter?
Mamite! I didn't even have to hear the second one!

Stacey Solomon's genius hacks

£8.99 sandwich hack

Stacey Solomon has become something of a guru when it comes to nifty tricks, organisation and cleaning. Labeled jars for pasta? We've done it. Organising our entire home with handy storage solutions? What spring-cleaning weekends thrive upon. So, of course, we were all ears when she shared her tip that is a LIFE-SAVER for anyone currently home-schooling children.

Stacey showed her followers how she meal preps her son's sandwiches.

The cutters only cost £8.99 for a seven-piece set from Amazon and they will bring some much-needed joy to lunchtimes at home.

A shark-shaped sandwich? A dolphin? Perfect for developing a little one's imagination.

Stacey also revealed how she meal preps the boy's sandwiches for the week to save her time.

“I’m going to make sandwiches for the boys for the week and freeze them so I don’t have to worry on the day which makes a massive difference," she told her Instagram following. “I’ll put them in freezer bags, labeled and take them out the night before I use them.”

For anyone who's really into nailing the whole sandwich thing, the Loose Women panelist insists you should pick up two slices of bread instead of one, to ensure they match perfectly. Stacey said that it bothered her whenever she took out one slice at a time to make a sandwich because when it came time to put them together they didn't line up. "Just thought I'd share this absolute golden nugget of information with you," she wrote in the caption.

eBay hack to make your own crackers

Her latest tip involved the star making homemade Christmas crackers and she helpfully shared the process on her Instagram story. She also shared a snap of her finished crackers with the caption, "5 down 9 to go. Even if I don't get to spend Christmas with my family, they'll still get a cracker." What a cute gift idea!

Stace revealed she uses a cracker kit from eBay, which cost around £6 for 8. Alas, the kit is no longer available on site, but don't worry as we've found one very similar to buy from eBay.

Stacey Solomon chats to Mother&Baby

We caught up with Stacey for a good chinwag...

Pregnancy was a mixed bag for me

I don’t enjoy being pregnant, but I don’t not enjoy it. It’s so different all the way through, there are moments where, especially at the beginning, you feel flat out exhausted and can't do anything and then you get a pick me up and you think, ‘wow this is the best I’ve ever felt!’ and then you go back to the beginning where it feels like you’ve been pregnant forever! So a mix of emotions. I don’t think it’s ever one feeling.

Coming home from the hospital was a really surreal experience

I remember being really scared to put my youngest son Rex in the car seat because he was so small, he just didn’t feel like he fitted in the car seat. I remember sitting in the back and just staring at him the whole time. We got indoors and everyone was there, my in-laws, my sister, the kids, everyone and it was quite overwhelming. I think in hindsight, I would probably if I have any more children, come home to just the kids and not be like ‘Yeah, everyone come over!’ Straight after I’ve given birth!

No baby is the same

All three of my children have been entirely different. None of them have been the same in terms of birth, or routine or sleeping or personality. I’ve got quite big gaps between my children and when it came to Rex, I’d forgotten everything, it had all gone out the window. But then I have friends with 18 months between their children and they’re exactly the same and forget what to do. I think you get through that fuzzy, hazy patch of the newborn phase and you just kind of forget about it.

I love seeing my boys together

It’s been so lovely to watch my older sons fall in love with Rex, right from the very beginning. Not a day goes by where I don’t cry watching them together. It’s always an adjustment but we’re so lucky and privileged, they’re really good boys and they adore each other. I think the age gap helps in our circumstances as they’re not in competition with one another, their interests are different, and I can spend individual time with them doing different things. But at the same time, they love coming together and being a big family with everyone under the same roof.

The little things matter most

I feel a real sense of pride in the people that my children have become. Even little things, like if I hear from someone that they’ve been polite or kind to someone else, they’re the moments where I feel like I’m doing something right. In parenthood in general, you’re constantly trying to do the best and you’re questioning yourself all the time, it’s never-ending so when they leave the house and go somewhere where they represent themselves and you hear that they’ve been good people.

I remember Zachary’s teacher ringing me up after they’d visited an old people's home and she rang me up and she told me he was so polite and he danced with the old ladies and he was really making them laugh. It’s the little things like that where you think, I could moan and moan at them all day for not putting their dishes in the dishwasher or picking up their clothes and questioning myself all day long and then you get a call like that and you think, everything is going to be all right. And those are the moments I treasure, and I really hold onto. Motherhood is tireless and endless and it’s those moments where you think, this is what it’s all for, this is what it’s all about.

I’ll always feel guilty

Mum-guiltis a massive challenge for me. Genuinely not a day goes by where I don’t think: “Have I done too much of that today? Have I not done enough of that today?” Sometimes I’ll be sorting out bits around the house and I’ll think ‘Oohh, maybe I should be sitting there playing with all the kids, what a terrible mother!’ and then I think, but then I won’t be able to do the things they want to later on in the week because I’ve got other stuff! You’re constantly questioning yourself and feeling bad about the choices you make when ultimately, everything you’re doing, all boils down to your children. It’s all for them.

I can rationalise but it doesn’t stop the thought for entering my mind. I’ve come to realise it’s clearly a natural part of my existence and I’m going to question myself and those thoughts are going to come into my head, the best thing I can do is feel them, hear them, brush them aside and move forwards. Accept that they are there and flip them on their head instead of saying ‘go away, why are you doing this’? Because then you’re just beating yourself up even more.

We need more diversity

Everyone wants to be represented, I only represent one type of person. There are other types of people out there. It’s about diversity and being able to see lots of different ways of life and opinions. I think for a long time we’ve been told that one body is the ideal and I think that’s had a really long-term effect on people. A long time ago, I used to think, ‘Oh god, I’m so gangly and weird looking, I’ll just have to be funny!’ But after I had Zac and I had a couple of years to come to terms with my body and how it changed, I felt proud of what it had achieved. I’m just content and I think I’m really lucky to have a body well enough to have babies and run around after my children. I feel really grateful.

I think the same for men too. I look at my boys who have been raised on action men who have 12-pacs and muscles and I think you show these things to kids from when they’re four, it’s going to have damaging effects and it does give them a warped vision of what they should look like if they want to be strong or a hero and I think that’s been happening for too long. By showing people beauty in all different forms, not just this one ideal.

There’s no place for judgement in motherhood

Everything about motherhood in my opinion is a challenge. I genuinely think that most people out there say things from a good place but sometimes it doesn’t feel that way and you can feel judged. I think that’s a massive challenge. There are so many people with so many different opinions and that can sometimes take you off the path that your gut thinks you should be going down which is really difficult being able to stand your ground and say, ‘well actually, this is how I’m doing it.’ Most people get that whether it’s from a friend or family.

I really do think there’s a place for women to come together, especially when they’ve just become a mum, to support each other. No matter how they want to do motherhood or how they decide to raise their child. There are plenty of people ready to tell you how to do things and how to do them better but not enough people saying, ‘let’s get behind each other.’

I do feel lots of people feel like they get a lot about judgment about parenting in general. I definitely get my fair share of it for sure but I don’t think people think they’re being horrible and they’re just trying to let you know. But it can be really damaging for somebody when they’re really tired, looking after a baby, trying to raise other children or get away from guilt, only to then be told, ‘well actually, that’s not how you should be doing it, you should be doing it like this.’ And you think, I don’t wanna do it like that! This is what works for us and this is how it’s going to stay because this is all I can do at this point! Sometimes it can be really lonely being a parent, even when you’re surrounded my children. Because it’s thankless isn’t it? It’s not like your six-month-old can turn around and go ‘Cheers!’ You get nothing!

Stacey Solomon on home schooling

Stacey Solomon has opened up about her decision to homeschool her two sons in the past.

She opened up about her decision a few years ago in a column for Fabulous.

Stacey started to question whether school was right for her sons after she noticed Zachary was starting to change, and that he was losing some of her favourite parts of his personality.

She explained: "Before that, he was often cheeky and making jokes, he never worried what people thought of him. He was a happy-go-lucky child, always inquisitive and wanting to know EVERYTHING about everything."

But things started to change when he was in Year Two, writing: "He would come home from school embarrassed to make jokes and be silly and he became very quiet and a little sad.

"We spoke about this a lot and he explained to me that his behaviour was deemed naughty and disruptive by teachers and not cool by his peers."

He was even shamed by his teachers for asking questions: "He said when he asked questions, he felt they were silly. One stuck out for me in particular. They were studying the Egyptians and he asked, 'But where did the Egyptians come from?' He was told to ask a sensible question."

Stacey was keen to ensure people didn't think she was "teacher bashing," adding that teachers are "amazing, underpaid and overworked."

She revealed that homeschooling had always been "at the back of her mind" because "whenever I am with the boys and we are out in different environments their senses heighten and their enthusiasm to learn is at its best."

Stacey stressed that she was in a "very privileged and uncommon position" that many other parents weren't in which allowed her to homeschool.

She added: "It’s not easy. School is actually really convenient. You drop your children off and head to work and pay for the child care in between. Childcare is ridiculously expensive – it’s enough to make you consider not working because you have to pay so much."

She concluded by saying that she knew her choice was "controversial" and that "not everyone will agree with me," but that each parent should be allowed to make their own decision.

She said: "When it comes to raising your kids I firmly believe everyone should do it their own way and not judge what everyone else is doing.

"Ultimately, I have no idea how this relatively new step in our lives will pan out, but right now my children are happy and healthy, enjoying life and learning and that’s all I can hope for.

"Everything I have ever done and with my children is with their best interests at heart and I think that that is all parents ever do."