Quote · We Need To Talk with Paul C. Brunson
Olivia Bowen: I Lost Myself After Giving Birth & What Love Island Never Showed
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Olivia Opens Up About Pregnancy and Postnatal Depression
At 1:23:27 · chapter starts 1:12:45
After years of telling herself she never wanted to be a mother, Olivia found pregnancy itself beautiful. It was what came after that broke her. Abel's birth was 38 hours long, ended with forceps after a near-caesarean, and he arrived not breathing having swallowed meconium. The contrast between the event-filled celebrity life she and Alex had built and the sudden, relentless reality of new parenthood was catastrophic. Alex, an only child who had grown up without a father, was equally lost. Olivia became consumed by baby-tracking apps, refused to be called 'mum', stopped speaking and getting out of bed. She identified the familiar signs — the same warning signals from when she was 14 — but couldn't stop the spiral. Her bad habits returned. Alex found out. [1] — Olivia Bowen "After Abel's traumatic 38-hour labour and forceps birth, Olivia spiralled. She became obsessed with baby-tracking apps, dreaded being calle…" 1:16:00
After Abel's traumatic 38-hour labour and forceps birth, Olivia spiralled. She became obsessed with baby-tracking apps, dreaded being called 'mum', stopped getting out of bed, and eventually the self-harm she thought was behind her returned. Alex was struggling too — and for the first time, neither of them could hold the other up.
Olivia's labour with son Abel lasted 38 hours, ending with forceps delivery after Abel was born not breathing having swallowed meconium.
When Alex found out about Olivia's self-harm relapse after postnatal depression, he didn't shout. He just held her. That silence and that hug became her turning point — the moment she realised this had to stop and they both needed therapy immediately.
