'Motherhood's a big change, I lost myself'

Love Islands Olivia Bowen tells New she's starting to get her mojo back after the traumatic birth of son Abel

- Olivia Buxton and Rhianna Benson

As Olivia Bowen’s son Abel approaches his first birthday, the first-time mum has opened up on her post-baby battle with body image, which left her feeling as though she’d “lost every part” of her former self.

The 29-year-old Love Island favourite welcomed her little boy with 2016 co-star hubby Alex, 31, in June last year following a traumatic 30-hour-long labour, which included a catalogue of complications, including when Abel temporarily stopped breathing.

And though her son made a full recovery and is now a happy and healthy 11-month-old tot, Olivia says it’s taken a long time to start feeling confident in her own body again, having been advised to rest for months following her exhausting experience.

“It was just a big change,” she tells new. “It was more me losing myself on the inside than dealing with how I looked on the outside. For me, fitness and working out are so important and I couldn’t do any of that. In turn, it made me really spiteful towards my body because I wasn’t able to move how I used to.”

Olivia continues, “I was definitely hormonal and up and down, but I think I was just coming to terms with everything and just struggling with the way that I looked. I had very sad days where I would cry all the time, and I had very happy days.