Son of Tillie and Christopher Mair
Born on the 3rd of April 2012, at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital,
Weighing 9lb, Brother to Frederick (4) and Louis (2)
hris and I have been together since I was 18 years old. We met at a bar in Fulham. I was living in the Storm model house at the time – I worked as a model for Storm from 1996 to 2001 – and Chris had just finished his degree at Kings, and was passing the summer managing a bar. We moved in together after a week of knowing each other, and that was that. We went from Fulham, to Hampstead, to Italy for five years, and then back to London – to Chiswick, and then to Richmond, where we live now.
Finding out about this pregnancy was particularly special, as Chris was recovering from a rare brain disease. We’d always said that we’d like three children, as we’re both one of three; and after the trauma of Chris’s illness we decided to get going immediately. We were lucky, with both our second and third, to conceive in the first month, but it’s still a shock to see two lines on the pregnancy test!
As with all of my pregnancies, the first trimester was by far the toughest. This time I was hospitalised for two days, suffering from malnutrition and dehydration. I was given anti-sickness injections and lots of fluid through an IV. I left feeling heaps better, and with a prescription for anti-sickness pills. Initially, I was nervous about taking them, as there are always side effects with these things, but the doctors assured me that the benefits outweigh the risks, and that the most important thing for the baby was to get me eating and drinking again. It was plain sailing after that.
Arthur finally arrived nine days late, so I was very ready! I’d gone into the hospital for a check-up and a sweep to try and get things started – I was beginning to think he’d never arrive. I started getting pains in my back on the way to the hospital, so I called Chris and asked him to meet me there, since he only works around the corner. It was a good job I did, because the midwife told me to go home and get some rest because I’d probably be back in a few hours. She was right!
I got home, had a bath, and put the tens machine on. My best friend happened to be staying with us that night – we couldn’t have timed it better. Sarah and Chris took turns staying up with me, until I couldn’t cope with the pain anymore. At 3am I headed to hospital to get on the gas and air.
Arthur was born at 8.09am, very calmly, but emotionally. I thought it would be quicker and less painful as it was my third. Boy, was I wrong! It doesn’t get any easier the more you have, and it doesn’t get any less emotional, either. Seeing your baby for the first time is just incredible. There are no words.
Coming home as a family of five was pretty special. The boys had already met their little brother in the hospital just hours after he was born, and Fred was bursting with questions about how the doctor had got the baby out of my tummy! A stream of family and friends visited over the first weeks, and it was truly wonderful.
You really do forget how all-encompassing newborns are – you have to allow time for your body to recover; and learn how to function on snippets of sleep and do everything with one hand again! I have my own company and I have to shoehorn my hours in when I can. The majority of companies I buy from are small and run by mums, so if I have to wipe a bottom while I’m on a conference call, or settle a crying baby, they understand. I’ve done a few meetings breastfeeding Arthur, and no one minds!
