When we arrive at Sam Quek’s exclusive cover shoot for OK!, she’s already in the make-up chair, relishing her first bit of downtime since welcoming her second child a month ago – a beautiful boy called Isaac “Zac” Gregory Mairs.
Her husband of four years, Tom, is due to join us later with their two children, big sister Molly, 13 months, and baby Zac, giving Sam a muchneeded break as we catch up. And it seems this is typical of Sam, 33, and 36-year-old Tom’s parenting style, as they take it in turns to tag-team and find their feet as a family of four.
However, while the former Team GB hockey star is beaming and relaxed today, she tells us the previous four weeks have not been without their challenges, including Zac’s dramatic – and at times worrying – arrival.
In the early hours of the morning on Friday 11 March – just a day after Sam was on our screens hosting BBC One show Morning Live and a week before her due date – she began to experience the early stages of labour.
Sam says, “I was due to present my last show on the Friday. Everyone had said, ‘Looking forward to your last show, Sam. We’re going to miss you, but make sure that the baby doesn’t come tonight and you wrap yourself up in cotton wool because we need you to present tomorrow morning.’
“I laughed it off and said, ‘Don’t worry, I’m expecting him in a few more weeks, I think he’s going to be late like Molly.’ Then, at 2am Friday morning, I woke up and felt a bit of a twinge. Those twinges gradually grew stronger and stronger and turned into contractions.”
This story is from the April 18, 2022 edition of OK! UK.
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This story is from the April 18, 2022 edition of OK! UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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