Having a baby at 50 will be hard, Naomi, …but wait till you’ve got a teenager at 65
I HAVE nothing but the hugest of congratulations for Naomi Campbell who announced this week that she had become a mother to a baby girl at the age of 50. But, wow, what a surprise.
Naomi, who turned 51 today, revealed the news on Instagram with a picture of her hand holding a baby’s feet and this message: “A beautiful little blessing has chosen me to be her mother. So honoured to have this gentle soul in my life. There are no words to describe the lifelong bond that I now share with you my angel. There is no greater love.”
Campbell’s mother, Valerie Morris-Campbell, shared the same photo, with a message saying: “I’m beyond thrilled as I’ve waited a long time to be grandmother.”
Clearly this baby is much longed for and will be loved and adored.
But of course the fact that Campbell had chosen not to reveal that she was expecting a child, and that she has said nothing about a father, has now prompted much speculation about whether she conceived naturally, or used a surrogate or adoption.
The fascination surrounding how she “got” this baby stems from her surprise announcement on social media about becoming a mother. As a result, enquiring minds will want to know.
If her gynaecologist is anything like as frank as mine, it’s unlikely she conceived naturally.
When I went to my gynaecologist recently she said I was still ovulating, at 52. When I joked this meant I could still have a baby she said, “Yes, in theory” but my eggs would all be “manky” — so if I wanted a baby it would be best to use a surrogate.
That sounds like a pretty compelling argument in favour of surrogacy to me, although I’m too stuck in my ways to have a child now. It takes a lot of time and patience and thankfully my kids are 22 and 25.
And that is the nub of the matter for me. Women of 35 are already termed as “geriatric mothers”. So, 50 is probably deemed ancient.
My mind is mainly just full of questions about how tricky it could be to become a first-time mother at the age of 50.
The main problem with having a baby later in life is you don’t have the energy you used to — and sleepless nights in your twenties is hard enough, in your fifties it is fairly unimaginable.
But I have had a very different life to Naomi Campbell who, until recently, was flying all over the world for her job as a model.
PERFECT SENSE
It makes perfect sense for her to have had a baby now, rather than when she was younger and so absent because she was working so hard.
I know how difficult it can be to work and try to raise a family — the guilt is overwhelming.
Also, when she was younger, Campbell had some very well-documented issues with anger management. Anger issues and newborns are not a good mix.
Who knows, maybe she was waiting to iron out whatever personal issues she may have had. She will clearly need to show a bit more patience and kindness with her daughter than she has done with her staff in the past — and I am sure she will.
But she will have a nanny and plenty of help if she wants, which will definitely help on the anger front.
Being a mum is my greatest achievement. So I am full of happi-ness for Naomi that she is getting to experience this. And I would never judge anyone, at any age, for wanting a child.
Also, you have to congratulate her on her timing. A year of lockdown was the perfect cover for her to quietly get on and have a baby.
A good lockdown for most of us consisted of staying sane, and not having put on two stone. For Naomi Campbell it meant having a baby, which is the best news.
I hope she takes to it like a duck to water. I am sure she will.
Although it’s probably best not to imagine the reality of having, at age 65, a hormonal teenager.
Duke of Haz-zard
IF the Royal Family’s motto is “never explain, never complain” then someone forgot to tell Harry.
Another week and another huge gripe about his family.
This time he is accusing them of “total neglect”, bullying and even conducting a smear campaign against his wife. His latest attack was aired on his mental health series for Apple TV+ whilst chatting with pal Oprah Winfrey.
He suggested Prince Charles had allowed his children to “suffer” when it came to the media because of his own negative experiences. Harry is using this five-part series to air his pain, but seems oblivious to the pain he is inflicting on his family as a direct result.
Look, I feel sorry for Harry – losing his mum when he was so young and his father was clearly not the warmest pops. But I’m not clear what he wants.
On one hand he says he wants privacy, but then doesn’t stop talking publicly about his life? He says he has issues with his family but then retains his royal title? Whatever issues he has, my advice is to resolve them privately.
Harry, my family gets on my nerves too sometimes, but I talk to them – I don’t call them out on Twitter!
Top jab, William
I LOVED the photos of Prince William receiving his first dose of coronavirus vaccine at the Science Museum jab centre in West London.
And just in case some people did not see it, the Duke of Cambridge tweeted this morning: “On Tuesday I received my first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
“To all those working on the vaccine roll-out – thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do.”
This is such a great example of a Royal Family member using his influence for the greater good (take note, over the Pond). This will surely have a huge knock-on effect when it comes to convincing people to get jabbed.
Good on you, William.
Hols? Put UK health first
THE only thing that anyone I know seems to be thinking and talking about at the moment is travel and holidays – and when they are going to get to go on one.
Yes, after the year we’ve had, of course we are all fantasising about swimming in the sea and lounging on beaches in the sunshine – God knows, especially when the weather is like it is at the moment.
But sitting on the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Coronavirus has given me another perspective entirely.
Every single expert we have talked to would NOT travel out of the UK on an aeroplane unless it was an absolute emergency, and even then they might not risk it.
When we ask them if they would go on holiday at the moment, they just look at us and laugh.
The problem is, an outbreak anywhere could quickly become an outbreak everywhere.
On the upside, a staycation in the UK, this year of all years, will be more fun than any other time if we compare it to lockdown.
So even simple trips to the beach, museums and restaurants will feel like riches compared to being stuck at home.
It’s just a year, so my attitude is, let’s make the best of it and let’s be realistic – none of us can face another lockdown.
If we would otherwise have to forfeit travel for another year, maybe it’s a small price to pay?
Classy move
FINALLY, a true silver lining of lockdown has been revealed.
Some school parents’ evenings will remain online, even when the world opens up.
My days of going to parents’ evenings are done. But I still vividly remember the hugely stressful process of getting to school on time.
It is so important for parents to have the opportunity to hear how their kids are doing – what they struggle in or have to try harder at.
But after years of panic-filled journeys and mad rushes to find a parking spot at the last minute, I find it hard to remember those evenings fondly.
So I’d choose a ten-minute Zoom slot – that cannot be delayed and can be taken wherever you happen to be – over a physical meeting any day of the week.
That sounds like the best outcome I can think of.
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Study facts
THE news that fewer than half of students at some English universities can expect to find professional employment or further study shortly after graduation might make some prospective students think again about whether uni is such a good idea.
And in my view that will be no bad thing.
I do not dispute that some subjects, such as engineering, dentistry, medicine and law, must be studied at university.
But many other courses . . . not so much.
And when you consider that the country is crying out for plumbers, electricians and other skilled tradesmen, I really hope this latest news inspires some young people to think about an apprenticeship before a costly uni course.