Gemma Atkinson has sparked a debate online after sharing a photo of her son Thiago sleeping, with many of her fans leaping to her defence – calling on others that it should be ‘whatever works for baby and mum’.
Gemma, 38, is engaged to Strictly Come Dancing star Gorka Marquez, with whom she shares two kids – a three-year-old girl called Mia and son Thiago, born in July this year.
The actor and radio presenter loves sharing the ups and downs of family life with fans on Instagram, having candidly shared her post-partum body a couple of weeks after welcoming Thiago, saying it involved 'breast pads’, a ‘swollen tummy’ and an ‘industrial size sanitary pad’.
“All the things postpartum we go through,” she wrote in the post, which featured a short video of her showing off her small bump to the camera.
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“It’s very common for tummy’s to stay swollen after pregnancy and they usually stay swollen longer after a C section due to the inflammation and abdominal swelling from surgery. So don’t worry if you feel you still look pregnant as I do here. IT'S NORMAL!”
Gemma said she wasn’t expecting to look like her ‘old self’ for a few months, and wanted to be ‘mindful to rest as much’ as possible to aid recovery down the line.
“Despite broken sleep for 2 weeks I feel really good,” she added.
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“Upbeat, and ready to take on the day.”
And it looks like Gemma’s been taking her new life as a mum-of-two in her stride, having since posted adorable snaps of the family enjoying their time as a foursome.
At the weekend, she said baby Thiago finally met her old radio pal Mike Toolan, sharing a smiling selfie of the three of them.
“When Thiago met Toolan!” she wrote.
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“Tools came round today and he gently leaned over the sleeping beauty to a welcoming sound of wet fart.
“As usual Tools ate half the contents in the fridge and left with more food boxed up for his tea. Someone’s gotta look after him.”
A second snap showed Mike looking over Thiago in a bassinet as he slept – an image that some people found fault with.
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“Please put him to sleep on his back to prevent SIDS [Sudden Infant Death Syndrome],” one begged.
Another commented: “There was a significant reduction in SIDS when the guidelines changed to put baby to sleep on back Vs front since '90s.
"I fully respect any decision the parent makes (and some babies indeed hate being on their back). However the evidence does strongly recommend that babies are placed on their back - and Gemma has a large following so I don't see an issue with people expressing some concern.”
The NHS website references sleeping position as a way to reduce the risk of SIDS, saying it’s best for the baby to sleep on their back.
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“Place your baby on their back to sleep from the very beginning for both day and night sleeps,” it explains.
“This will reduce the risk of cot death. Do not put your baby to sleep on their side or tummy. Once your baby is old enough to roll over, there's no need to worry if they turn onto their tummy or side while sleeping.”
However, some fans came to Gemma’s defence, with some pointing out that they were watching over Thiago as he lay in his bassinet.
One said: “Both my babies slept on their fronts, my eldest had club foot and struggled in his boots to sleep on his back. Plus this is the middle of the day, so if mum is watching what’s the problem?!
"People like to comment on things when it’s nothing to do with them.”
Another wrote: “When I had my first, forty yr ago. We were told to put them to sleep on their front. Thirteen months later, it was their side. Now it's their back.
"You're a good mum and like you say, not your first rodeo. You have to trust your instincts and looks like you're doing an excellent job.”
A third added: “Oh Gemma there's always one who thinks they know better... all three of mine slept on their tummy when I sat watching them. And never slept during the night on their backs or side.... then when they could move around they slept on their tummy with bum in the air... mum and baby know best.”
A fourth agreed: “I understand concerns of sleeping positions but my 3 babies once they reached 10/12 weeks loved a belly sleep, they are in their late twenties and thirties now and are still belly sleepers… I never left them unsupervised so each to their own whatever works for baby and mum.”
Others pointed out that Instagram wasn’t the place for unsolicited advice for new mums, even if it came from a good place.
“Why is it when you become a mum everyone feels the need to tell you how to parent!” one fan fumed.
“It was my pet hate and I vowed to never do it to another mum who is trying her absolute best. You do not need to explain yourself to anyone and you already have a little girl that is thriving. They are two very lucky children.”
The Lullaby Trust lists back-sleeping as the ‘safest sleeping position for all babies unless there is medical advice saying something different’.
“The best way to make sure your baby sleeps on their back is to do this from day one, and keep putting them to sleep on their backs for every day and night time sleep,” the website says, adding: “You should not sleep your baby on their front unless you have been advised to do so by a medical professional.”
Tyla has reached out to Gemma Atkinson for comment.
Jess Hardiman