Stacey Solomon has heaped praise on all working mothers, having returned to work during her maternity leave. Taking to her Instagram page on Thursday, the Loose Women panellist enjoyed her first "full day" back in the office in what appeared to be a photoshoot - but she wasn't alone as she brought two-month-old Rex along with her. Alongside a picture of her breastfeeding her little boy, Stacey wrote: "Did my first full day back at work today, so this is an appreciation post for all of those mothers who have to leave their babies and go back to work."
© Photo: InstagramStacey Solomon took baby Rex with her to work
"I felt really emotional today but the reality for me was that I was able to bring Rex with me, to a job that I absolutely love, doing something I really enjoy," she added. "I sat for a long time today just thinking about how lucky I am. And I couldn’t help but spend a lot of time thinking about women with really tough jobs, ones they may not even like doing." It's coming up to three months since Stacey welcomed her third son, and her first child with boyfriend Joe Swash.
READ: Stacey Solomon reveals she's not ready to leave the house without baby Rex
"Jobs that aren't understanding," she continued. "The jobs that don't allow you the chance to continue to work and also allow you to include your child in some way. Those people who don’t have understanding, compassionate colleagues and bosses. Those that are doing all they can to survive and don’t have a choice as to whether they "want" to go back to work or not."
Opening up about having her eldest son Zachary at the age of 17, Stacey recalled: "I remember having Zachary and going back to college when he was this age, then I'd be straight to the fish and chip shop after college and I’d only see him before I dropped him off in the college crèche and then when I got home about 10pm after my shift."
© Photo: Getty ImagesStacey welcomed little Rex with Joe Swash in May
The mum-of-three, now 29, welcomed Zachary with childhood sweetheart Dean Cox when she was a teenager; then four years later, Stacey gave birth to second son Leighton from her relationship with ex-fiancé Aaron Barnham. "I'm so lucky that that's not the case this time around (enter first child mum guilt)," she added. "But I know that that scenario and so many others are lots of people's current reality so basically I'm in awe of you all. You're [explicit] incredible."
MORE: Karen Clifton breaks silence on ex Kevin Clifton's romance with Stacey Dooley
The star then concluded: "You're raising super humans and doing a great job! P.S Rex isn't in this project I just stole a sneaky pic of the two of us while we were both there, and I was fully made up and dressed in actual clothes. P.P.S a little Insta vs reality in the swipe PHOTO BY THE INCREDIBLY TALENTED @pedonomou."
Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.
