Helen Flanagan has been praised for her latest social media post as she shared intimate photos from the birth of her second child. The former Coronation Street star was reflecting on welcoming Delilah into the world ahead of her turning five this week.
Helen's middle child of the three she shares with her ex-fiance, footballer Scott Sinclair, was born during the family's time in Scotland. Actress Helen, who is famed for playing Rosie Webster in the ITV soap, moved from Manchester to Glasgow when Scott played for Celtic between 2016 and 2020.
Taking to Instagram, the 32-year-old tagged 'Scotland' as her location as she posted a picture of herself cuddling up to her then-newborn daughter. Helen appeared naked as she gazed down at Delilah who was enjoying some skin-to-skin contact with her mum shortly after making her arrival into the world.
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Other images showed Delilah sleeping on her mum's chest and snoozing in a bright pink pushchair. "My precious beautiful baby Delilah," Helen started the caption of the post to her one million followers. "5 this week. Even when your a wee granny and I’m way gone I’ll find a way to love you," the doting mum added.
And Helen's followers were quick to praise her for the post and coo over baby Delilah, particularly her Scottish fans. @kayel24 said: "What a beautiful sentiment - even when I’m way gone, I’ll find a way to love you." @jacquelinemccardle shared: "Can’t believe your wee Glaswegian baby is almost 5 years old."
@oliverwhitworth replied: "Beautiful pictures of mum and daughter that's life at work." @mervyncowdell4837 commented: "So lovely and inspiring Helen." @nevadahillon added: "Beautiful words."
It comes after Helen recalled the "horrible" time her daughter went missing. The former I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here contestant detailed how she got a "sinking feeling" when she couldn’t find her seven-year-old daughter Matilda in the supermarket.
She told New! magazine: “I must have turned my back for a second. I remember having this horrible, sinking feeling. I always keep an eye on my kids but I couldn't see her for about a minute. There's nothing worse than that, it's the worst, worst feeling ever. They are good with that but you need eyes in the back of your head."
Last month, Helen said she is 'not a superwoman' after her fans previously flooded her with praise for embracing life as a single mum. The former soap star confirmed the end of her relationship with Scott back in April after separating last July after 13 years together.
Bury-born Helen opened up about her split from her footballer fiance for the first time ahead of her stint on I'm A Celebrity... South Africa. She addressed speculation about her love life after rumours began to swirl earlier this year that she is now single. "We actually broke up in July," Helen told OK! Magazine about her relationship with Bristol Rovers' Scott, with whom she shares her three children - Matilda, Delilah, and son Charlie.
Helen and Scott, who dated from 2009 before he proposed in Disneyland Paris in May 2018 before they welcomed their second daughter Delilah the following month, are now co-parenting and Scott currently returned from enjoying quality time with his children and his mum on holiday in Dubai.
In an interview, she admitted that she's "no superwoman" despite praise from fans, and isn’t saying being a single parent is easy. But despite "running around like a blue-a***d fly" as she puts it, Helen says her new single family life is working really well. "I co-parent with my ex-fiancé Scott – we’ve got three children together, and we were together for 13 years."
Helen, who lives in Manchester, explained. "My friends help me with the children, because I do work nearly every day. I have a friend and we’re a girl gang together – I’m not superwoman! So that works nicely at home.
"Scott’s living with his mum at the moment in Bristol, and my children are really close to their nana, so it works really well. My kids just have a really happy environment, with me and my friend at home, and then they have a really nice happy environment with their dad and their nana."
The actress admits that although she misses her “babies” when they’re with their dad and nana, she is now making the most of her child-free time. "I had my children not young, but young-ish – I had Matilda when I was 24 – and I just feel like I spent all my 20s being pregnant and breastfeeding at home," she said.
"So it’s kind of nice sometimes to have that time, because I know they’re in the best hands with Scott’s mum, and it’s lovely that I can spend some time with my friends and concentrate on my work and have some fun. So it’s nice, it works well.
"Of course I miss them, they’re my babies, but I know they’re really, really happy with their nana and their dad, so I don’t have to worry. I do feel like the happier you are as a mum, the better it is for your child."
