Loose Women panellist Stacey Solomon is mum to five children, three of whom she shares with her TV presenter husband Joe Swash, who she married in 2022.
Stacey, 34, and Joe, 41, share their son Rex, four, Rose, two, and nine-month-old baby girl Belle. Stacey is also mum to her sons Leighton, 11, and Zachary, 15, from previous relationships.
Former X Factor star Stacey regularly shares photos and updates on her home life with her Instagram fans, and has spoken about the births of her children in the past, too.
The Sort Your Life Out host experienced very different births with her five children – read Stacey’s birth stories below…
Stacey Solomon’s speedy home birth with Belle
Stacey and Joe welcomed their third child together, little girl Belle, in February 2023.
The couple announced their daughter's birth on Instagram, with Stacey gushing: "She's here. Our beautiful daughter born at home with all of your brothers and sister ready to snuggle you forever and ever. You literally flew into our world...
"And none of us can quite believe your thick dark head of hair that we just can't get over. We can't believe you're here. Welcome to the world beautiful girl, thank you for the last few months in my tummy, we can’t wait to love you forever and ever, we are so grateful we get to be your family."
Stacey gave her fans more detail on Belle’s arrival when she shared a photo of her sleeping newborn daughter on her chest.
Stacey wrote: "Thank you for all your lovely messages. Loads of you are making me laugh, you're like, 'Where did all that hair come from?' We don't know! I literally pulled her out and I was like, 'Joe, she's got hair! She's nearly got more hair than Rose – and it's really dark."
Stacey said of her baby girl: "She's just amazing. I feel really good. Thank you so much for asking – loads of you have asked how I feel and if I'm ok. I feel really good. I feel a little bit on a high, the birth was so nice. I feel so lucky.”
Stacey’s surprise home birth with Rose
Stacey and Joe welcomed their first daughter together, Rose, in October 2021, the very same day as Stacey's 32nd birthday – and the birth place was unexpected.
The TV star posted on Instagram: "She’s Here. Born at Pickle Cottage on mummy’s birthday. Our little girl… Happy birthday my darling daughter… We all love you more than you could ever imagine. Your brothers, your daddy and I are so in love. Thank you for the most incredible 9 months. Now we cannot wait for the rest of our lives with you…"
At the time, Stacey told her followers that she had initially gone to the hospital, revealing: "I woke up feeling a little twingey so I went to check in on her. She seemed happy as Larry and the contractions weren’t too strong, so I went home.
"But she decided she was ready to meet us immediately [laughing emoji]. So our community midwives came straight over with all the gas and air."
Stacey was joined at home by her sister Gemma and Joe who supported her throughout, though she did admit she had "regrets" about leaving the hospital. "Quickly regretted not staying in hospital and getting an epidural," she wrote.
Stacey’s early hospital birth with Rex
Stacey and Joe's first child together, a boy named Rex, was clearly in a hurry to meet mum and dad, as he arrived early in May 2019.
Sharing an image of an exhausted Stacey in a hospital bed with their baby resting on her chest, Joe said: "This morning. A lot earlier than planned I watched the love of my life bring a new life into the world. We are overwhelmed, overjoyed and apprehensive of what’s to come. Mummy and baby are well and resting."
Stacey had previously shared a photo of herself in a hospital bed while in labour with Rex.
In the picture, shared on Instagram, the star could be seen in bed administering herself oxygen while Joe held her hand. Stacey looked visibly in pain in the snap shared to promote her podcast, Here We Go Again, in which she talked about being a new mum.
Stacey’s quick birth with Leighton
Stacey welcomed her second child, Leighton, in 2012, with her former fiancé Aaron Barnham, and she experienced a fast birth in hospital.
Stacey's rep announced her baby news on Twitter, writing: "Congratulations to our lovely client @5taceysolomon who gave birth to a baby boy earlier today, both baby and mum are doing well."
“Labour was surprisingly wonderful,” Stacey told The Sun at the time.
“I had a really hard time with Zach, so compared to that, this was a dream. It was two-and-a-half hours. I got to Queen’s Hospital in Romford at 10am on May 5.”
She added: “Leighton was born at 12.30pm, weighing 7lb 7oz and perfect,” explaining that she was home and in her own bed that evening. “It was as if I’d just gone to the shops and come back with a baby,” she said.
Stacey’s long labour with first child Zachary
Stacey was 18 and not in the public eye when she welcomed her first child, Zachary, in 2008 with her then-boyfriend Dean Cox. Stacey auditioned for X Factor in 2009 when Zachary was one year old.
It was a long labour for the first-time mum at 37 hours, as she previously told The Sun.
Stacey also opened up about the birth to HuffPost, saying that her first experience of labour left her feeling vulnerable and questioning her mortality.
She revealed: “Up until that point I thought I was pretty invincible and I would never die, whereas I felt like the experience of birth made me feel like I was very vulnerable and, all of a sudden, very human – and at any time, anything could happen to me.”
Stacey added: “It is a pain that you’ve probably never experienced before in your life. If you can, find it in you to be empowered by that. By the fact that it’s a huge, huge, massive thing that your body’s about to do ... which is quite incredible.”