Laura Kenny and husband Jason have ten Olympic gold medals between them and countless more accolades including an OBE, CBE and a MBE, but what's about to come in less than 20 weeks' time is far more exciting – a baby. Speaking exclusively to HELLO!, 24-year-old Laura confesses this new adventure is full of wonderful milestones such as the first time she saw her baby in a scan or, more recently, when she felt it kick.
"For the first three months I was constantly questioning being pregnant, I would think, 'is this really happening?' Because until you see it it's hard to believe almost. So seeing it was a huge milestone but feeling it kick..." she said.
Laura Kenny is 24 week pregnant with her first child with husband Jason
Although the British track cyclist has previously admitted that she cannot deal with the nerves of watching Jason race, she is staying much calmer about the actual birth. "I'm going to go with the flow, I am going to go in open minded. I am not scared at all, not in the slightest. I just want it to be as natural as possible, I will have the water birth set up but I am not sure if I will use it," she reveals. "Jason will be my birth partner but he won't cut the baby's umbilical cord. We've talked about it and he is not keen."
The couple already know the sex of the baby, and although they are keeping it a secret they have already began nesting – with a second baby in mind. "We've starting doing the nursery. We're going with neutral colours, I want it to be grey, because if we have a second child it can still be used for both," she said.
Laura and Jason married in a private ceremony on 24 September 2016
Laura, who won two gold medals at the Rio Olympics in 2016, also revealed that husband Jason, who she married in September, is very excited about becoming a father and has been extra caring since the beginning, cooking her dinner every night and tending to her every need. But her biggest support has been her mum.
"We are really close but this has made us even closer. Just because no question is too personal, I feel like I can be so open with my mum," says the mother-to-be. "I've always had a good relationship with her, even going through school. For ages I didn't feel it kick and I was getting a bit worried and it's great that I can pick up the phone to my mum and she can reassure me."
Surprisingly, pregnancy has barely slowed Laura down. "I do two hours of exercise a day, whether it's a bit on the bike, a bit on the gym, I have also started swimming again. I am keeping quite active, the further I get with my pregnancy the easier I take it. It's good for me that I still work alongside my coach, he has children himself so he knows what to expect," explains Laura, who is working alongside Boots to help pregnant women manage their hayfever symptoms.
"I didn't realise that there are lots of things that you can do to help prevent hayfever symptoms.
They are things that sound so simple as well, such as wearing sunglasses when you go outside so it has been great for me to learn something as well. You don't have to be scared about having a summer baby!".