Atomic Kitten star Liz McClarnon has shared the first heartwarming photographs of her newborn son, marking the joyful conclusion to a challenging years-long fertility journey that included eight IVF cycles.
Emotional Instagram Reveal
The 44-year-old singer took to Instagram on Thursday to post a series of touching black-and-white images featuring her baby boy, explaining that the day marked his original due date. The photos capture intimate moments including Liz cradling her son in a hospital bed shortly after giving birth, and another showing her husband Peter Cho carrying their newborn home in a baby carrier.
One particularly sweet image shows the new mother embracing her little boy, who wore a personalised cardigan bearing the portmanteau 'Baby McCho' - combining McClarnon and Cho's surnames. The black-and-white aesthetic added to the emotional weight of the long-awaited reveal.
Challenging Birth Experience
In her candid caption, McClarnon opened up about the 'overwhelming' birth experience that began unexpectedly early. 'Today was our little bun's actual due date. (No, bun isn't his name). I can't believe he came so early, over ten days ago,' she wrote.
The singer described waking at 4am when her waters broke, and the situation becoming 'a bit scary' when the baby's heart rate dropped. She was quick to praise the NHS staff at their chosen hospital, saying they 'whipped into action' and 'blew us away with their professionalism and care' during the overwhelming experience.
Long Road to Motherhood
McClarnon's journey to motherhood has been particularly difficult, involving eight IVF cycles over three years with her husband Peter Cho, whom she met four years ago. The couple began their fertility treatments early in their relationship, conscious of Liz's age - she was 40 when they met.
The path included significant setbacks: three failed embryo cycles in 2023 followed by two miscarriages the following year. McClarnon previously revealed the mental and physical toll this took, admitting to The Mirror: 'By my third cycle, it was obviously very different. When that one didn't work, I was really quite sick and I was in a dark hole.'
She described putting on weight from the hormone medications but not wanting to explain why, saying 'I didn't want the IVF to become my identity, my whole personality.'
Joyful Pregnancy Announcement
The couple finally received their happy news in May, when Liz shared an emotional Instagram clip revealing her pregnancy. The sweet video showed her turning to reveal her baby bump while sitting on a park bench, telling fans: 'I've been keeping a secret from you... After years of sometimes quite painful IVF and dark times, I'm pregnant! We feel like we've been given the world.'
Her announcement was met with overwhelming support from celebrity friends, including former Atomic Kitten bandmate Natasha Hamilton, who wrote: 'Literally couldn't be any happier for you both! After all you've been through, this little miracle is everything.'
McClarnon married Peter Cho in June 2023 in a Lake District ceremony, though she kept his identity private from followers until their first wedding anniversary. The fiercely private singer had previously shocked fans with a surprise engagement announcement in 2022, referring to her then-mystery fiancé as 'the most beautiful human I've ever known'.
Prior to meeting Cho, McClarnon was engaged to Blue singer Lee Ryan in 2003, and later had a long-term relationship with Harlequins rugby star Ryan O'Neill from 2012 to 2014. She previously commented on her decision not to have children with previous partners, saying: 'I think I've been quite strong about not having babies with the wrong people.'
The new mother signed off her Instagram post with a touching note about the significance of the hospital departure photo, writing: 'P.S. I had to put the customary partner-with-baby-carrier-walking-out-of-hospital picture at the end - We've waited a long time for this.'
