In her first exclusive photoshoot and interview as a new mum, former Strictly professional Natalie Lowe tells how dancing with her new baby Jack soothes him to sleep. "I have taught him the waltz! He loves it when I dance with him. He is so easy to soothe," 39-year-old Natalie tells HELLO! magazine.
WATCH: Natalie Lowe and James Knibbs introduce their baby boy
In a remarkable coincidence, Jack’s due date fell on the weekend of the Strictly final, but the little boy arrived a week earlier, on 7 December, after doctors advised it would be best if he was delivered by Caesarean. "It was a lovely and relaxed experience. I wasn’t expecting it to be what it was," says Natalie. "We had my wedding playlist including The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. It was what I walked down the aisle to. Then, at the very moment Jack was born, the surgeon lifted him up and we had Ah Zabenya, the track from The Lion King, which we love."
Natalie and her husband James Knibbs, who are soon moving into their first family home with Jack and their cockapoo Cooper, reveal they had originally been told during an early scan that their baby would be a girl before finding out they were expecting a boy. "It was a surprise but we didn’t mind. We had such a tough journey to become parents, we were just happy either way. The hardest part was keeping a brave face during our difficult journey to parenthood. I urge anyone who's having a difficult pregnancy journey to reach out and talk to someone whether that be a friend, relative or professional for help and support. It made a huge difference to me."
The couple with their son Jack and their cockapoo Cooper
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She reveals in the interview: "My time now is to be a healthy mum and a great parent to Jack. Creating a human being for nine months is an incredible thing. You have to be kind to yourself, and not expect your body to go, snap, straight back to what it was before. I have put my body through so much over the years," says Natalie who moved from Australia to London to join Strictly in 2009. She also created dance fitness plan FitSteps in 2013 with Mark Foster, the ex-swimmer partnered with Natalie on Strictly in 2008, and her former pro partner Ian Waite.
Proud dad James gives Natalie a 10 out 10 in her new role as a mum - telling HELLO!: “I didn’t believe I could ever think Natalie was any more amazing, but seeing her with Jack and how she is as a mum adds a whole new depth of love.
Natalie gave birth to her first child in December
At the time of their baby's arrival in December, the couple revealed the news to HELLO!, saying: "Jack James Knibbs was born today, weighing in at 8lbs 8oz, all doing amazingly well." The dancer revealed her pregnancy in a touching Instagram post shared back in August, admitting it had been a "long and difficult" journey to conceive. At the time, Natalie explained: "It has been a rather long and difficult journey, as it is sadly for many but we are almost there and it's now really happening. I am 21 weeks pregnant." The Australian dancer added: "We are over the moon excited and can't wait to bring a little one of our own into this AMAZING world."
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Natalie and James were married in 2018, in a star-studded ceremony covered exclusively by HELLO! magazine. The happy couple became husband and wife in front of some of her closest friends, including professional dancer Ian Waite, and former Strictly contestants Judy Murray and Deborah Meaden. "I always dreamed of getting married here one day," she told HELLO! of the beautiful ceremony on 8th January at Balmoral Beach overlooking Sydney Harbour.
"Balmoral Beach holds a very special place in my heart. I used to work as a beauty therapist nearby and walk down to the beach most lunchtimes. It is such an incredible place – and what better time to get wed than the Australian summer? The whole day was filled with lots of laughter, singing and dancing." She later gushed: "I was completely moved by the whole day. From the moment I arrived to the last goodbye it was the most memorable and special day of my life."
To read the full interview with Natalie and James, pick up the latest copy of HELLO!, out on Monday