Love Island sensation Olivia Bowen has bravely revealed the terrifying details of her daughter Siena's traumatic birth, confessing she genuinely believed she was going to die after losing a catastrophic amount of blood.
In an emotional and exclusive interview, the 29-year-old reality star described the harrowing complications that turned what should have been a joyous occasion into a life-or-death battle, praising NHS medical staff for saving her life.
'I Was Losing Litres of Blood'
'It was the most terrifying experience of my life,' Olivia recounted, her voice still heavy with the memory. 'I remember feeling this overwhelming sense of panic, and then everything started to go blurry. The doctors were shouting, and I could see the fear in my husband Alex's eyes.'
The new mother suffered a severe postpartum haemorrhage, a dangerous condition where a woman experiences heavy bleeding after childbirth. Olivia estimates she lost 'litres of blood' and required immediate emergency surgery to stop the bleeding and stabilise her condition.
A Husband's Terror
The ordeal was equally traumatic for her husband and fellow Love Island alum, Alex Bowen. He was reportedly ushered out of the room as a team of medics rushed in to tackle the crisis, leaving him fearing the worst for both his wife and their newborn child.
'He thought he was going to lose me,' Olivia shared, highlighting the immense pressure and fear placed on partners who witness such medical emergencies.
The Long Road to Recovery
While baby Siena was born perfectly healthy, Olivia's recovery has been physically and emotionally gruelling. She has been open about the profound impact the trauma has had on her mental health, experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the event.
'You're supposed to be in this blissful newborn bubble, but I was dealing with this overwhelming fear and the physical aftermath of what happened,' she explained. Her candid discussion sheds light on the often-silent struggles many new mothers face after a difficult birth.
Raising Awareness for Maternal Health
By sharing her story, Olivia hopes to break the taboo around speaking about traumatic births and raise awareness about the realities of postpartum complications. She aims to encourage other women who have had similar experiences to speak up and seek support.
'It's so important to talk about it. I felt so alone at first, but now I know so many other mums go through similar things. We need to be honest about how hard it can be,' she stated emphatically.
Despite the terrifying start, Olivia and Alex are now utterly besotted with their daughter and are focusing on their future as a family of three, forever grateful to the medical team that brought them through the crisis.
