Advertisement

Fearne Cotton Talks Awkward Breastfeeding Moments And Admits She May Never Return To Work

The TV presenter and former DJ opens up about breastfeeding in front of a Rolling Stone, life as a stay-at-home mum and why Holly Willoughby is her icon

Fearne Cotton may have left her job as a Radio 1 DJ last month, but she’s “content” with life as a stay-at-home mum, she admits. In fact, the celeb mum confesses that she may never return to work again.

Sorry, Fearne fans.

The mum appears hasn't announced her due date, but appears to be in her third trimester. [Red Magazine/Chris Craymer]
The mum appears hasn't announced her due date, but appears to be in her third trimester. [Red Magazine/Chris Craymer]

The 33 year old, who has a two-year-old son Rex and is pregnant with her second child, says she found returning to work after her firstborn’s birth “scary” – and dares any other mum to admit that they don’t struggle leaving their child while they head off to work.

“With Rex, it was scary going back to work,” Fearne told Red magazine. “I still find it hard. I don't know any working mum who says, ‘I'm 100 per cent happy leaving my kid.'

“That's why you talk to other friends who work and have kids, because they completely get it and give you an honest insight into their own personal turmoil.

“We're really lucky in this day and age, that women can go out and work, but with that comes this new generation problem.

“We still want to be the best mum we can and how on earth do we do that? You end up putting pressure on yourself.”

Fearne announced her second pregnancy in late February 2015. [Red Magazine/Chris Craymer]
Fearne announced her second pregnancy in late February 2015. [Red Magazine/Chris Craymer]

But despites the difficulties that come hand in hand with motherhood, it was exactly that which gave Fearne the “lioness confidence” to leave her job at the BBC.

“I’ve always had a plan, always known either ‘that’s what I want to do’ or I’ve been doing it,” she says. “But having a baby gave me a lioness confidence and a complete shift of perspective about how I looked at the business. I didn’t take it as seriously and I wasn’t as obsessed.

“I think sometimes the best decisions are the ones where people go, ‘why would you do that?’ I could stay there for five years, but why not just do it now, be brave and leave the show on a high, rather than (stern voice) ‘Fearne, please can you leave?’”

And now Fearne’s hit the pause button on her career, she doesn’t know when – or if – she’ll be back. “If an amazing opportunity came in, then I would do it,” she says. “But if there wasn’t anything really grabbing me, I would be very content being at home with the kids.”

Fearne and Rex, who will soon be a big brother. [Instagram/Fearne Cotton4]
Fearne and Rex, who will soon be a big brother. [Instagram/Fearne Cotton4]



Fearne definitely suits being pregnant. [Instagram/Fearne Cotton4]
Fearne definitely suits being pregnant. [Instagram/Fearne Cotton4]

Despite her seemingly down to earth attitude, Fearne definitely isn’t your average mum. As well as being close friends with TV presenter Holly Willoughby (who she says is “so perfect and so together”) she’s married to Ronnie Wood’s son Jesse. And she knows the rest of the Rolling Stone crew, too. In fact, she’s even breastfed Rex in front of Keith Richards. Wonder how many mums can say they've done that?

“We went on a bit of their tour in the States,” she Fearne. “I was breastfeeding Rex and Keith Richards was sitting there and I was like, ‘okay that’s sliiighly unusual.’ We took Rex to a few gigs and I kept him backstage, but when he is older we can say, ‘you were at that gig in California when you were 10 weeks old’.”

Fearne's interview is in the August issue of Red magazine, on sale July 2nd. [Red Magazine/Chris Craymer]
Fearne's interview is in the August issue of Red magazine, on sale July 2nd. [Red Magazine/Chris Craymer]



For further exclusive content, please visit redonline.co.uk.

[The Celebrity Breastfeeding Photos You Absolutely Have To See]

[It’s Official – Being A Working Mum IS Good For Your Children, Particularly Your Daughter]