Former Strictly Come Dancing star Kristina Rihanoff has revealed her “shock” at finding out she was pregnant with daughter Mila, who is two this year.
The professional dancer told the Daily Mail’s Weekend magazine that she and boyfriend Ben Cohen hadn’t planned their pregnancy, which was announced live on Celebrity Big Brother.
Kristina, 40, famously broke the news she was expecting just a few days into her Celebrity Big Brother experience back in 2016.
“The pregnancy wasn’t planned so it was quite shocking news. I had a big project in front of me. I was supposed to be on the road with my dancing partner Robin Windsor for two and a half months on tour,” she recalled.
Read more: Helen Flanagan shares pic of moment she told Scott Sinclair she’s pregnant
“You start thinking, ‘Oh my God, what do I do now?’ Well, it’s happened. There’s always going to be another tour.”
Kristina told the magazine she had a fairly uneventful pregnancy and hoped for a natural birth, but when she went into labour, everything didn’t go as smoothly as she anticipated.
She described how she pushed for seven hours without any drugs, before being told forceps were needed to help the baby out. Her alternative was a C-section, which she didn’t want.
“I thought, ‘After all of this I’m not going to let them cut her out. I have to push.’ That’s how she was born. It was very painful. It’s something you can never prepare for.'”
Kristina added that motherhood has “changed [her] forever”.
The star, who now offers private dance and choreography lessons, has spoken in the past about her difficult labour.
She told Hello! magazine the entire process lasted 19 and a half hours.
Ben told the mag: “Every time Kristina pushed, the cord was pulling the baby back. There comes a point when it is not happening and you do worry.”
Kristina added: “I was squeezing his [Ben] hand so hard that I thought I might break it. I can’t even begin to describe the pain, but it’s an incredibly proud moment when you see your baby for the first time. It’s an incredible feeling of love.”
Aww.
Kristina, who was paired with Ben on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013, recently said the two will marry at some stage, but it’s not a priority just yet.
Don’t miss out: Three steps to ensure you see all ED!’s latest news on Facebook
She told The Sunday People: “Marriage and another baby is some time in the future – we both like to take it one step at a time.
“We’re Virgos, we focus on one thing and execute it in the best possible way.”
Ben is also dad to twins Harriette and Isabelle with ex-wife Abby.
Do you miss seeing Kristina on Strictly? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!