Janette Manrara has said becoming pregnant at 39 was ‘more complicated’ than she thought it would be.
The Strictly Come Dancing star, 40, and her partner Alijaz Skorjanec, 33, announced in July that they had welcomed baby Lyra, at London’s Portland Hospital weighing 7lb 7oz.
Appearing on Loose Women, Janette discussed the journey to welcoming Lyra into the world, admitting she was ‘so glad’ she didn’t have to go through IVF.
She said: ‘I was 39 and it is more complicated than you think. Don’t assume it’s going to happen as soon as you get off birth control.
‘We are so grateful we didn’t have to go through IVF. We have a book sazarina and I didn’t know how I was going to feel so I medicated in the morning and we danced and it was like a proper birthday and she was born to the song we wanted.’
Janette Manrara has said becoming pregnant at 39 was ‘more complicated’ than she thought it would be
The Strictly Come Dancing star, 40, and her partner Alijaz Skorjanec, 33, announced in July that they had welcomed baby Lyra, at London’s Portland Hospital weighing 7lb 7oz
Janette had planned on going through IVF but ended up getting pregnant naturally just before she was due to begin.
She explained: ‘We decided like 2 years ago now and then 2 years later we hadn’t got pregnant so went to the doctors and started IVF.
‘There was nothing wrong and we should have got pregnant naturally and then one day my period never came and I got moody before I had the injections and we got pregnant naturally.’
Alijaz left Strictly Come Dancing in 2022 after nine years and is now a stay at home dad to Lyra.
He said: ‘I’ve been convincing Janette for years I’ve always wanted to be a dad but it had to be right for both of us.
‘We can be away for months at a time and its perfect now because I can take a step back and be a stay at home dad. I have a new respect for who ever stays how it is a full time thing.’
Janette was then about to speak about the backlash she received for returning to work soon after Lyra’s birth but was awkwardly cut off as the hosts told her they were out of time.
Host Kaye Adams said: ‘Listen we are out of time but I think that’s a beautiful place to end because you enjoy your daughter the way you want.’
Appearing on Loose Women , Janette discussed the journey to welcoming Lyra into the world, admitting she was ‘so glad’ she didn’t have to go through IVF
She said: ‘I was 39 and it is more complicated than you think. Don’t assume it’s going to happen as soon as you get off birth control’
Janette was then about to speak about the backlash she received for returning to work soon after Lyra’s birth but was awkwardly cut off as the hosts told her they were out of time
Janette previously hit back at mum-shaming trolls who criticised her for returning to work four months after giving birth as she hosted the latest series of It Takes Two.
Speaking on BBC Morning Live, she said: ‘I was excited and I felt really empowered being a working mum for the first time.
‘But some people had other views. I have had a few negative comments on social media about going back to work.’
She then proceeded to read a few of the comments out with one saying: ‘I know mums have to work, but I personally think this is too soon’.
Another said: ‘I wish celebs wouldn’t normalise mums going back to work when their babies are tiny.’
The defiant new mum then went on to defend herself. ‘Comments like these do give me a strange sense of guilt because I do spend time away from Lyra,’ she said.
‘But I also think parents’ situations are all completely different and they must do what’s best for their children.
‘In my situation, it works in my family. But I don’t understand why some parents’ choices are shamed just because they don’t conform to parental stereotypes.’
