Rebecca Adlington has revealed the happy news that she's expecting another baby with her husband Andy Parsons.
Announcing her pregnancy in the sweetest way this Friday, the former Olympic swimmer - who recently voiced her fears about having another child in an exclusive interview with HELLO! - took to Instagram to share a cute family photograph from her trip to Disneyland Paris. The 34-year-old star wrote alongside the post: "Our own bit of magic. Baby number 3 on the way #pregnancy#disneylandparis."
© InstagramHer husband Andy and her two children Summer, eight, and Albie, two, were pictured placing their hands on her growing baby bump as they beamed for the cameras. Rebecca was rocking a Mickey Mouse T-shirt and posing in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle in the sweet snapshot.
Rebecca shares Summer with her ex-husband, fellow former competitive swimmer Harry Needs, and Albie with facilities managed Andy, whom she met in January 2018 on the dating app Bumble.
Congratulations soon came flooding in from her fans about the wonderful news, which is all the more special since Rebecca had previously suffered a devastating miscarriage.
The family appears to be having the best time in Paris despite the rain, with Gold medallist Rebecca uploading a number of images from their end of summer getaway to France. The trip also coincided with Rebecca and Andy's fourth wedding anniversary.
© InstagramWhat has Rebecca Adlington said about having another child?
In August 2022, Rebecca sadly miscarried and had to undergo emergency surgery, subsequently falling ill with sepsis. The miscarriage came as a total shock since the star had had no symptoms until attending her 12-week scan, and she says Andy in particular struggled to cope with the aftermath.
Rebecca told HELLO! earlier this year: "It was very unexpected for me and Andy, and everything just happened ridiculously quickly. We were told there was no heartbeat and that I had to have surgery the next day. I was like, 'Ok'. I never knew that it had to go down that route.
© Instagram"It was so hard because you're dealing with this heartbreak of losing a child as well as being really, really ill and we really struggled to process and understand it all. Andy was ridiculously sad, as he should be, but everyone just kept asking him, 'How's Becky' – and I do get it from an illness perspective, why people were asking if I was okay – but Andy was really upset. As a couple, you both deal with things very differently. We are blessed with two healthy children, but it doesn't diminish the fact that we are sad that it happened."
Rebecca spoke candidly about the possibility of expanding her family in the future, revealing that she has struggled to conceive due to suffering from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
"There are so many barriers [for us] so I don't want to be dead set on having another one because I'm just going to be disappointed if it doesn't happen. I'm probably being a bit too realistic about it and a bit too 'let the universe decide'," she told us.
© Instagram"Now it's at that stage where Andy would love another one. I'm a bit more… we've got two beautiful children, if it happens, it happens. I just don't want to get my hopes up because I think if we did have another, even if we got pregnant, I would be really nervous with the pregnancy. I think that's what happens when you've had a miscarriage.
Rebecca Adlington on co-parenting daughter Summer with ex Harry Needs
Rebecca also discussed co-parenting Summer with her ex-husband Harry, with whom she has remained incredibly close following their split in 2016 after two years of marriage.
"It's constantly evolving. Summer was very, very young when we separated so she's never really known us together anyway. She's always been used to it, to daddy's house and mummy's house. Obviously, she had lockdown in the middle of that, so we did three days each. As much as we get on – it's fundamentally the right thing to have our own space," she explained.
"The way it works is because we both have Summer's best interests at heart, and we try and make it work for her. She's so used to it. Honestly, I think adults have things to learn from kids because she adapts to change so well. And Andy's brilliant with her.
"Me and Andy got together when Summer was two, so she wasn't a 'baby' baby. For the first year, when she was aged two to three, he only met her a couple of times. I didn't want him to fully integrate into her life if it wasn't going to work, but since then their relationship has massively developed, and now having Albie, it works really well."
When did Rebecca Adlington marry Andy Parsons?
The couple planned their big day in just four months after stumbling across their dream venue while looking for summer holidays.
Rebecca and Andy exchanged deeply personal vows on 28 August 2021 at Scarlet Hall in Cheshire, a 12-acre private estate complete with a country home, an indoor pool, a rustic barn and expansive grounds.
A fun-filled reception for 80 guests followed, including a number of high-profile sportsmen such as Team GB swimming coach Bill Furniss, former competitive swimmers Steve Parry, Caitlin McClatchley and Fran Halsall, and Fran's husband, former England rugby league player Jon Wilkin.
WATCH: Rebecca Adlington shares emotional wedding video
Looking beautiful in a bespoke design by Turkish designer Zeynep Kartal, Rebecca ensured her children were front and centre of the ceremony, with Summer acting as flower girl and ring-bearer and little Albie on page boy duties.
