Chloe Madeley has revealed that she went back to work as a personal trainer just eight weeks after giving birth because she “needs the money”.
The trainer, who welcomed her daughter Bodhi with former rugby union player James Haskell in August, said while he has a “great income”, they do not share a joint account and her “pride” moved her to return to work.
However, she said that if she were to have another baby, she would “swallow my pride” and go on a longer maternity leave.
Speaking to The Mirror, Madeley, 35, said: “James obviously makes a great income and he’s my partner and that’s fantastic, but we don’t have a joint account.
“We’ve always had separate accounts and I think that’s a bit of a pride thing with me. Next time, if I get pregnant again, I’m absolutely not doing it.
“I will swallow my pride, I will jump in on James’ account and take at least six months.”
Madeley also reflected on how “lucky” she was not to have experienced postnatal depression despite having a family history of it, but said that going back to work so quickly after the birth was “quite intense”.
She carries out online Zoom workout classes and consultations “pretty must seven days a week”, she said, adding: “With the lack of sleep and the amount of people who are relying on you… that has been a lesson!”
“I’m lucky I haven’t had any mental health issues, but during this time when you’re very susceptible to it, take your time. If you’re self-employed it’s tough, but really take your time going back to work – that was a hard lesson for me,” she advised other new mothers.
Madeley and Haskell welcomed their baby girl on 10 August via an emergency C-section.
In a candid Instagram post shortly after the birth, Madeley – whose parents are TV personalities Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan – opened up about what she was most nervous about during her pregnancy.
She wrote: “It wasn’t the childbirth, which I was quietly certain would go to plan. It wasn’t the fact we were moving house at 37 weeks. It was breastfeeding, which I was absolutely certain would fall apart for me in a matter of days, if not hours, like it did for so many friends and family members of mine.
“What I learned throughout my pregnancy and what I’ve learned since in the postnatal period, is not to take your body personally (even though your visceral reaction will likely tell you to). Don’t do it.
“Don’t think that because you expect your body to do something, it will, and don’t think you should attach any kind of emotion to that whatsoever.”
