‘I want to get my butt back!’
This Morning’s Dr Zoe Williams talks about being a new mum, getting back to her workouts and having a second baby
She welcomed son Lisbon Lion in May and Dr Zoe Williams, who gave birth at her south-east London home with partner Stuart McKay by her side, is busy learning the ropes as a new mum.
But the This Morning star is also determined to “get her muscles back” – revealing that Lisbon is her secret weapon when it comes to working out.
And as if all of that wasn’t enough, Elastoplast ambassador Zoe is looking forward to continuing her work with Public Health England and The Royal College of General Practitioners.
Here, the GP, 41, opens up on the possibility of a second baby with Stuart, 40, and the pressure she feels as a first-time mum with a medical background…
Hi, Zoe! How’s Lisbon doing?
He’s just at an amazing age because every day he’s doing something new. Lisbon has always been a very active and strong baby – he was pushing himself up on his belly from pretty much birth and he rolled over when he was seven weeks old. Now he is trying to stand and take the weight on his legs. He is just a happy, smiley baby. We’ve reached a stage where sometimes I’m excited for him to get bigger and be more independent – but equally I want him to stay exactly as he is!
Do you find that there’s pressure from social media because you’re a GP and a mother now?
Yes, there is a pressure because people think that just because you are a GP, you’re an expert in parenting – and you’re not! You don’t learn at medical school how to be a parent. You learn how to determine if it’s something serious if a child is unwell, how to treat them and where to refer them to. But the parenting of a well child is not something that we learn, so I’m doing it all for the first time, like everyone else. I think all mums feel pressure from social media because there’s something about having a baby that everyone feels they have a right to share their opinion and what they feel is the right way. If Stuart is taking a picture, I do find myself saying, “You can’t take a picture of that,” or, “You can’t take a picture if that is in the background,” because someone will say we aren’t doing it correctly.
What did you find most difficult about post-birth healing and what advice do you have for other mums?
I think having a baby has really highlighted to me how little support there is for women in the postpartum period. I think we plan and plan and plan for the birth of the baby but following the birth, for a lot of women, is the most difficult time of their life. You’re almost reborn as a person and it takes getting used to. And if you’ve had a C-section, there are the scars to think about as well. I’m the Elastoplast ambassador for 2021 and it’s great to see them always looking for new solutions. The Scar Reducer Patches are suitable for women who have had a C-section to help look after their scar and use polyurethane technology to aid healing.
You have recently started working out again. How’s that going?
I decided for the first 12 weeks that I wasn’t even going to think about getting back in shape. Now Lisbon is five months old, I feel I’m at the stage where I have the motivation to get my muscles back. I want to get strong again and I want to get my butt back! One of the things that always settles Lisbon is doing deep
squats while holding him. I have found it really helpful as a new mum to reframe things, so I think, “Lisbon is helping me to get my butt back!”
How has your relationship with Stuart changed since you became parents?
Stuart is the most amazing father and seeing him with Lisbon just melts my heart. I love him more than I realised I possibly could. There have certainly been times where I’ve had to bite my lip – but he’s the most incredible father and he has really taken on the role of looking after me as well as Lisbon. He’s been my emotional rock by just checking in all the time with how I’m coping. I think as women we are so tentative to the needs of our child, so I think we definitely have a rougher ride. I really value Stuart being such a support and rock to me. That’s not to say we haven’t had a few little arguments here and there!
Have you considered having another baby?
We’d be over the moon and delighted if we were lucky enough to have a second baby because I’m 41 and Stuart is 40 – but we’d really like to give Lisbon a sibling. It’s not something we are considering right now, but perhaps in a few more months it’s something we’ll revisit. The clock is ticking a little bit against us, so we will see.
Are you feeling the nerves of going back to work next year?
It’s about getting the balance right with working as I’m the main breadwinner in our household, so it’s important for that reason. But it’s also important for me because my work and what I do aligns with my identity. I wouldn’t thrive if I wasn’t working.
The Scar Reducer plasters in size XL, made by Elastoplast, are suitable for both old and new Caesarean scars