Charlotte Hawkins has introduced her newborn baby girl to HELLO! magazine in an exclusive interview and photoshoot. Alongside her husband Mark Herbert, the Good Morning Britain host exclusively reveals they have decided to name their much longed-for child Ella Rose.
And Charlotte, 39, added that becoming a mother was a dream come true. "It's all still a bit of a blur," Charlotte told HELLO! magazine.
"We both had tears in our eyes when they placed Ella Rose on my chest after the birth. Nothing prepares you for that feeling. All of a sudden, this tiny being that you've been carrying around for nine months is there with you. It's a very moving experience.
"From our point of view, she was a miracle baby, one that we had wanted for such a long time."
And Charlotte said that she hopes the early rises her job entails should help ease her into the lack of sleep motherhood brings.
"I've been getting up in the middle of the night for the past eight years, so I'm at an advantage," she said. "I'm used to having to function on just four hours' sleep a night and grabbing catnaps where I can. It's quite good preparation for having a baby. That's the theory, anyway."
In the interview, Charlotte also explained how Ella Rose has helped the family overcome the very recent death of her father, Frank, who suffered from motor neurone disease. "It would have been lovely if he'd been able to see Ella Rose, but the main thing was being able to tell him that we were having a baby because we'd been trying for such a long time. He was so thrilled – he had a tear in his eye," said the new mum.
She added: "And he is still here as far as I'm concerned. He'll be a part of her life and she will hear all about him. He's not forgotten. He is here every day and always will be."
To read more of the interview, pick up the latest copy of HELLO! magazine out now.
