Dr Zoe Williams, the ITV This Morning health expert, has spoken candidly about the challenges of pregnancy and becoming a new mother during the coronavirus pandemic. In an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, the 42-year-old, who gave birth to son Lisbon in March, admitted that lockdown forced her to rest more than she normally would have.
“Because of the timing of Lisbon being born, it was just as we were coming out of lockdowns and the world was opening back up,” she said. “I always try and look at things with a positive slant, so during my pregnancy, because the world was much smaller in terms of what we could do and where we could go, it did force me perhaps to rest more than I would have done.”
However, she acknowledged the downsides, including her partner Stuart being unable to attend appointments and the lack of contact with friends and family. “I didn’t see hardly any of my friends, and I didn’t see my family throughout my pregnancy,” she said. “I know often people complain about people coming up and putting their hand on your bump, and I almost wanted that to happen because nobody put their hand on my bump.”
The new mum also spoke about the guilt of returning to work, saying she struggles to find the right balance. “I feel guilty if I’m at work, I feel guilty if I turn down work,” she explained. “But I know I’m extremely lucky in that I’m currently on maternity leave from my NHS job and I’m able to pick and choose.”
Revealing why they chose the name Lisbon, Zoe said she and Stuart met in a bar in the Portuguese capital in 2019. They waited ten days before naming their son, holding a naming ceremony on his due date after he arrived early.
