Beauty pageants, modelling and I’m a Celebrity…Amy Willerton has done them all. But she tells us her latest job is her best yet.
In January she gave birth to her first child, daughter Demi, with her fiancé Daniel Day and, while motherhood has had its ups and downs, Amy, 27, is thriving in her new role as a mum.
We catch up with the model, who was discovered by Katie Price on her show Signed in 2011, over a video call.
The family were on a skiing holiday in Switzerland when lockdown was announced, so instead of returning to London, they decided to head to Spain to be close to friends.
“We know people who have a farm here and we knew there would be lots of land we could just walk around on,” Amy says.
Not only does six-month-old Demi make herself known during our chat, but we are also interrupted by some of the other guests staying at the farm. “We’ve got three geese that are only one or two days old, so I’ve got my hands full,” says Amy.
Here, she opens up about becoming a mum, dealing with criticism and why she and Daniel have put their wedding plans on hold…
[https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/21047/479963/5f0e9b5199988/1594792473719.jpg]
Hi Amy. How are you finding motherhood?
I love it! I’m a very chilled-out mum. I’m very lucky I was able to give birth to Demi before corona hit, so I’m glad I didn’t have that PH worry. She’s not old enough to know what’s going on, so she’s quite happy as long as she’s got us keeping her entertained and happy. I’m just happy that me, my family and my little girl are safe – that’s all that matters.
What has been the most rewarding thing about being a mum so far?
It’s that love that’s indescribable. It’s very weird. I didn’t get it straight away – a lot of people said, “Oh, did you get that rush of it?” It took me a little bit of time to really adjust to that protective feeling or that undying loyalty that you have to your baby.
Is Dan quite hands-on with Demi?
Oh yeah, he’s amazing! Being a first-time mum is really hard work and it is a full-time job, so I am super lucky because of my Dan. If I want to go in the gym for an hour or go for a run, he’ll look after her for me and he gives me that time. To even have one hour a day, where you’re like, “This is my time” is so incredible and I’m aware that is rare, so I’ve got to keep appreciating the fact that I’ve got him. He is an amazing dad. I couldn’t ask for better.
You’ve spoken a lot about breastfeeding and how you only felt comfortable to feed in public when Demi was six weeks old. Why was that?
When someone gets their boob out, you don’t know where to look. Nobody is being mean, but you are kind of like, “Oh, I don’t wanna look.” There’s nothing wrong with it, but it’s almost how we’ve been raised – if someone gets their boob out, you don’t look. It’s a really silly taboo and it’s something we need to work towards, but I was certainly raised where I felt a little weird about it. However, it’s not weird, it’s natural.
What was your first experience of breastfeeding in public like?
It took me some time to say, “I can just do it.” It was my friend from New Zealand who helped me. We were at lunch at The Ritz of all places and I just whacked it out and it was great. I realised I just needed to not worry about that. I thought that if I was going to do it, I’m not going to cover it up or anything, I’m just going to go for it. It was the first time I’ve ever publicly whacked my boob out – it was scary.
Do you feel more comfortable breastfeeding in public now?
Weirdly enough, [the reaction] is more from women. You can see them making little comments and I just think that’s really sad, especially as a woman. But at the end of the day you can’t be mad at the way people feel about things. We’re all raised differently and I think judgment is usually through a lack of understanding, so that’s why I just have to take a deep breath.
You had your phone stolen the day you went into labour. That must have been a terrifying experience…
We were walking down Oxford Street and it had all my [maternity] notes in it. I’d done so much prep. I’d done all the courses, I’d read all the books, I had downloaded all of these birthing apps and I thought I was in control, so I just went into this absolute panic, thinking I didn’t have all my little things. I had recorded voice notes, I’d recorded songs, I had this plan and that all went out of the window when my phone got stolen. So, of course, several hours later, my waters popped and that was that.
[https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/21047/479963/5f0e9b5199988/1594792577769.jpg]
How awful. Do you think the stress brought on your labour?
I don’t know. I was 41 weeks so I was technically a week over, but I hadn’t had any signs and I was still very active.
You received some criticism for using a waist trainer soon after giving birth. What was your reaction to that?
I remember thinking, “Well, it’s up to me what I do.” A lot of people presumed it was for vanity reasons but, for me, it was because I ended up having a caesarean and the hardness of the waist trainer helped me feel like my body was coming back together and it made a massive difference for me in my recovery. People would ask me, “How are you getting up so quickly? How are you doing that?” and I said, “Because I’m wearing a waist trainer.” It was actually supporting my incision while it was healing, so it really did help my recovery. I’m not going to stop using it because people are telling me I shouldn’t be, because it’s helping me. Everybody’s journey is different.
Do you feel under pressure to lose your baby weight?
Honestly, I’m taking my time with it. I’ve got weight I want to lose for sure, but I definitely don’t feel pressure to lose it. I know it’s going to take time – it took nine months to have a baby. I’m healthy, she&rsquo...
In January she gave birth to her first child, daughter Demi, with her fiancé Daniel Day and, while motherhood has had its ups and downs, Amy, 27, is thriving in her new role as a mum.
We catch up with the model, who was discovered by Katie Price on her show Signed in 2011, over a video call.
The family were on a skiing holiday in Switzerland when lockdown was announced, so instead of returning to London, they decided to head to Spain to be close to friends.
“We know people who have a farm here and we knew there would be lots of land we could just walk around on,” Amy says.
Not only does six-month-old Demi make herself known during our chat, but we are also interrupted by some of the other guests staying at the farm. “We’ve got three geese that are only one or two days old, so I’ve got my hands full,” says Amy.
Here, she opens up about becoming a mum, dealing with criticism and why she and Daniel have put their wedding plans on hold…
[https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/21047/479963/5f0e9b5199988/1594792473719.jpg]
Hi Amy. How are you finding motherhood?
I love it! I’m a very chilled-out mum. I’m very lucky I was able to give birth to Demi before corona hit, so I’m glad I didn’t have that PH worry. She’s not old enough to know what’s going on, so she’s quite happy as long as she’s got us keeping her entertained and happy. I’m just happy that me, my family and my little girl are safe – that’s all that matters.
What has been the most rewarding thing about being a mum so far?
It’s that love that’s indescribable. It’s very weird. I didn’t get it straight away – a lot of people said, “Oh, did you get that rush of it?” It took me a little bit of time to really adjust to that protective feeling or that undying loyalty that you have to your baby.
Is Dan quite hands-on with Demi?
Oh yeah, he’s amazing! Being a first-time mum is really hard work and it is a full-time job, so I am super lucky because of my Dan. If I want to go in the gym for an hour or go for a run, he’ll look after her for me and he gives me that time. To even have one hour a day, where you’re like, “This is my time” is so incredible and I’m aware that is rare, so I’ve got to keep appreciating the fact that I’ve got him. He is an amazing dad. I couldn’t ask for better.
You’ve spoken a lot about breastfeeding and how you only felt comfortable to feed in public when Demi was six weeks old. Why was that?
When someone gets their boob out, you don’t know where to look. Nobody is being mean, but you are kind of like, “Oh, I don’t wanna look.” There’s nothing wrong with it, but it’s almost how we’ve been raised – if someone gets their boob out, you don’t look. It’s a really silly taboo and it’s something we need to work towards, but I was certainly raised where I felt a little weird about it. However, it’s not weird, it’s natural.
What was your first experience of breastfeeding in public like?
It took me some time to say, “I can just do it.” It was my friend from New Zealand who helped me. We were at lunch at The Ritz of all places and I just whacked it out and it was great. I realised I just needed to not worry about that. I thought that if I was going to do it, I’m not going to cover it up or anything, I’m just going to go for it. It was the first time I’ve ever publicly whacked my boob out – it was scary.
Do you feel more comfortable breastfeeding in public now?
Weirdly enough, [the reaction] is more from women. You can see them making little comments and I just think that’s really sad, especially as a woman. But at the end of the day you can’t be mad at the way people feel about things. We’re all raised differently and I think judgment is usually through a lack of understanding, so that’s why I just have to take a deep breath.
You had your phone stolen the day you went into labour. That must have been a terrifying experience…
We were walking down Oxford Street and it had all my [maternity] notes in it. I’d done so much prep. I’d done all the courses, I’d read all the books, I had downloaded all of these birthing apps and I thought I was in control, so I just went into this absolute panic, thinking I didn’t have all my little things. I had recorded voice notes, I’d recorded songs, I had this plan and that all went out of the window when my phone got stolen. So, of course, several hours later, my waters popped and that was that.
[https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/21047/479963/5f0e9b5199988/1594792577769.jpg]
How awful. Do you think the stress brought on your labour?
I don’t know. I was 41 weeks so I was technically a week over, but I hadn’t had any signs and I was still very active.
You received some criticism for using a waist trainer soon after giving birth. What was your reaction to that?
I remember thinking, “Well, it’s up to me what I do.” A lot of people presumed it was for vanity reasons but, for me, it was because I ended up having a caesarean and the hardness of the waist trainer helped me feel like my body was coming back together and it made a massive difference for me in my recovery. People would ask me, “How are you getting up so quickly? How are you doing that?” and I said, “Because I’m wearing a waist trainer.” It was actually supporting my incision while it was healing, so it really did help my recovery. I’m not going to stop using it because people are telling me I shouldn’t be, because it’s helping me. Everybody’s journey is different.
Do you feel under pressure to lose your baby weight?
Honestly, I’m taking my time with it. I’ve got weight I want to lose for sure, but I definitely don’t feel pressure to lose it. I know it’s going to take time – it took nine months to have a baby. I’m healthy, she&rsquo...
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New UK (Digital) - 1 Issue, July 13, 2020