BBC Breakfast presenter Rachel Burden has opened up about giving birth to her fourth baby at the age of 41.
And Rachel, who is now 49, has even gone as far as to claim her decision was “selfish”.
The BBC 5 Live star, who is married to journalist Luke Mendham, fell pregnant at the age of 41.
She later welcomed her fourth child, Henry, who weighed just 3lbs at birth.
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BBC Breakfast host Rachel Burden admits: ‘I really wanted a big family’
The BBC Breakfast star, who shares daughters Rose and Alice, and sons Sam and Henry with husband Luke, spoke to the Mid-point podcast with Gabby Logan about her pregnancy complications with Henry, now eight.
“I had three very sort of straightforward pregnancies. I made the terribly arrogant assumption I’d have a fourth baby and it would be fine and straightforward.”
I think sometimes when I reflect on it, I think it was a really selfish thing to do.
She added: “I think sometimes when I reflect on it, I think it was a really selfish thing to do. I came from a big family – I really wanted a big family.”
Rachel suffered pregnancy complications. She was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, which if left untreated, can be extremely severe.
The NHS website explains: “Pre-eclampsia is a condition that affects some pregnant women. Usually during the second half of pregnancy (from 20 weeks) or soon after their baby is delivered.
“It’s thought to occur when there’s a problem with the placenta, the organ that links the baby’s blood supply to the mother’s.”
Rachel developed pre-eclampsia
The presenter noticed that something wasn’t quite right during her pregnancy and doctors discovered she’d developed pre-eclampsia.
She went on to say: “I was 40 or 41 and I did get pregnant, and kind of said: ‘It will be fine, you will barely even notice it.’ As the pregnancy went on, something wasn’t quite right and I was kind of puffing up.”
Rachel ultimately delivered a premature baby, who only weighed 3lbs. Thankfully, baby Henry was healthy, despite his small size.
The TV favourite said: “Anyone who’s had a tiny premmy baby will know that their skin is so thin and fragile – they’re still supposed to be inside you.
“But we had amazing care and it took eight weeks for him to come out of hospital, to feed and grow, and get to the size he needed to be at, as in a newborn baby size.”
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