'YOU NEED MORE OF A DEFT TOUCH WHEN CHANGING A BOY'S NAPPY'

BEST KNOWN FOR PLAYING STUART HIGHWAY IN EASTENDERS, RICKY CHAMP IS ADAPTING TO HIS NEW ROLE AS A FATHEROF-TWO. HE AND HIS WIFE SAMMY CHAT TO OK! ABOUT LIFE WITH THEIR NEW BABY SON

Becoming parents of a second child isn't without its challenges, but for EastEnders actor Ricky Champ and his wife Sammy, becoming a family of four seems to have been a seamless transition.

It was only five weeks ago that their son River arrived via C-section, but the couple have already found their rhythm, balancing the demands of a newborn while making sure their four-year-old daughter Beatrix gets plenty of attention too. And far from being the jealous big sister, Beatrix has doted on her brother - even helping to change his nappies.

"We feel incredibly lucky," says Ricky, who plays Stuart Highway in the BBC soap. "We're elated and tired like all new parents, but we're doing everything together and there are some beautiful moments as well as challenging ones. It's definitely a different dynamic and we are most aware of that for Beatrix because she's had our undivided attention for nearly five years and all of a sudden she's got to share it. But she's been wonderful." River arrived two weeks earlier than planned at 4.50pm on 23 June, weighing 7lb 3oz. Sammy had been booked for a C-section at 39 weeks, following advice from her doctors after she had an emergency C-section with her first pregnancy. But two weeks before she was due to go in for the procedure, her waters broke at 3am - a stressful situation that was made worse when Beatrix was taken ill and Sammy had to take a taxi to hospital alone while Ricky waited for his mother to come and look after their daughter.

Despite River's early arrival, everything proved to be smooth sailing. Sammy, who previously worked as a visual merchandiser for H&M, was soon back on her feet at home, as they enjoyed quality time together before inviting friends and family over to meet their new son.