Olympian Libby Trickett on her breech bub, emergency c-section and baby blues
Libby Trickett is not only a much-loved Olympic swimmer. She’s also a much-loved mum, welcoming her third little girl earlier this month after a very active but slightly complicated pregnancy and delivery.
Three is the magic number
Libby had been sharing details of the lead up to this birth on Instagram, revealing she was still lifting weights at 38 weeks and was also diagnosed with gestational hypertension in her third trimester.
Hashtagging an update to followers about her hypertension #threeofthree, Libby figured that the condition was a total thing for her, having endured it with all of her pregnancies. #Bummer
Gestational hypertension can lead to preeclampsia or result in pregnancy complications, but Libby was straight onto it, receiving treatment to keep it at bay.
That said, this new little person did arrive a couple of weeks early, and her baby’s birth continued to go according to … her baby’s plan.
Baby Bronte Rose was induced at Brisbane’s Mater Mothers’ Hospital. The little girl spun into breech position before being turned back to head first … and then delivered via a surprise c-section.
“Bronte wanting to high five our OB on the way out!” a clearly relieved and excited Libby joked on Instagram.
Surprise baby girl!
“We can’t believe how lucky and blessed we are to have brought another gorgeous little girl into our lives!” Libby wrote.
“Still slightly in shock as I was so sure it was a boy in there but as soon as she came out, we knew our little family was complete.”
Libby and husband Luke are also parents to four-year-old Poppy (aka Pops) and 18-month-old Edwina (aka Eddie), so it’s going to be very busy at Chez Trickett.
The now mum-of-three says everyone’s settling into this adjustment in their own way.
“We are so in love, Poppy is a ridiculously excited big sister and Eddie is still trying to understand what is going on!”
“Baby blues”
Updating fans on her progress yesterday, Libby – who experienced postnatal depression with her first baby – admitted that she was in the thick of those new baby feels.
“I cried today,” she wrote on Instagram. “I cried because we came home from the hospital and Bronte is already growing up too quickly.”
“I cried because as much as Pops and Eddie adore their little sister and are happy for us to be home, they are also overwhelmed and had a shit tonne of some of the worst tantrums either of them have had in a while.”
“I cried because Bronte’s neck folds are the softest thing in the world and I can’t get enough. I cried because I kept forgetting to take my pain medication and got excruciatingly sore. I cried because I finally did a great poo but turns out it was into a toilet that didn’t flush and had to get a bucket to dump the dump (ok I also had to laugh a little at that one.)”
“I cried because baby blues. Anyway, I cried today, and I know that all of that is ok. Tomorrow will be better I’m sure.”
She sent a shout-out to other mums who might be going through the same sort of things and dealing with big emotions.
“Thinking of anyone else who got overwhelmed by all the things – whatever they might be – and sending love.”