Jamie Oliver’s wife Jools has revealed she suffered a miscarriage during lockdown.
The mother-of-five, 46, candidly revealed that since giving birth to her son River in 2016, she has suffered three miscarriages, one of which was just weeks earlier.
Jools has spoken openly about the heartbreaking miscarriages she’s suffered during her 20 years of marriage to chef Jamie, and on their wedding anniversary last month paid tribute to the ‘five little stars in the sky’ they had lost.
Sad: Jamie Oliver’s wife Jools, 46, has revealed she suffered a miscarriage during lockdown (pictured in March 2016)
Speaking on the Made By Mammas podcast, host Zoe Hardman noted that Jools Jools – who shares kids Poppy, 18, Daisy, 17, Petal, 11, Buddy, nine, and River, three, with Jamie – had been ‘pining for a sixth child’ before her 47th birthday next year.
Jools then admitted: ‘I really do, I really do but I’ve just had three miscarriages since then and I’m thinking… and a recent one three weeks ago and I’m thinking: ”No,” I dunno. I do want to, but I’ve got to mentally check that it’s a good idea to do.
‘And also physically because I am 45 as I always say, nearly 46. So it’s a little bit dodgy.’
Tragic: The mother-of-five candidly revealed that since giving birth to her son River in 2016 (pictured), she has suffered three miscarriages, one of which was just weeks earlier
Jools continued: ‘Jamie is still up for it, kind of… not really. I haven’t got long, maybe another year and then I really will just shut that chapter off because I am very happy and I am pretty full up at the moment as it is.
‘But just that little baby, it’s a terrible thing to keep wanting something and you can’t help it.’
Jools went onto reveal: ‘I went to see the doctor the other day and he said, ”How are you mentally?” and I thought about it and I went: ‘Well, this is the fifth one now,’ I had two before River, and they’ve been early ones, the last two have been at 6 ½ weeks.
‘So I just feel… I’m really good at going ”Right, I’m pregnant but it won’t work so I’m just going to carry on,” whilst everyone gets really into it and I have really learnt to not because I’m kind of not very positive about it.’
Hard: Jools admitted she didn’t even tell her mum about her last miscarriage, and has been urged by her family to stop trying for another child (pictured at her wedding to Jamie in 2000)
Jools also admitted she didn’t tell her mum about her most recent miscarriage, saying: ‘I did have a pretty dangerous one, I think it was my second one which was really dangerous for myself so my family don’t want me to do it again.
‘They think ”You’ve got five, you’ve got healthy children, just be grateful.”
‘I understand because my life is more important so I sometimes may not tell the sisters because I don’t want to hurt their feelings, I’d rather just not say because they’ll be worried about me specially during lockdown…
‘Telling my mum, well, especially because I couldn’t see her, would have really upset her so I kept that quiet. She knows now, but, you know…at the time I didn’t tell her.’
Last month Jools also recalled her miscarriage heartache while paying tribute to husband Jamie on their 20th wedding anniversary.
Taking to Instagram, the author posted a beautiful video from their 2000 wedding at All Saints Church in Rickling, Essex, where they were seen dancing to Dusty Springfield’s 1963 hit I Only Want to Be with You.
In a lengthy and impassioned caption, Jools, who has been with Jamie for 27 years, lauded her ‘best friend’ while delighting in ‘creating five wonderful children’ while also lamenting ‘losing their five little stars in the sky’.
Doting: Their brood: Jools and Jamie share kids Poppy, 18, Daisy, 17, Petal, 11, Buddy, nine, and River, three (pictured in August 2016, outside Portland Hospital after River’s arrival)
She wrote: ’20 years married Today !! 20 exciting, happy, fun wonderful years married to my best friend… we were due to renew our wedding vowels this summer but that can wait!…
’20 years married but together 27 years my first true love… Yes I drive you Bonkers and you probably deserve a medal etc…
‘But being with you feels like home (and you know much I love to be at home)!!! I treasure the daily texts you send, you are romantic and constantly positive funny and a dedicated brilliant dad…
‘We have created 5 wonderful children and lost our 5 little stars in the sky. Thank you for loving me the way you do…
‘We did it, on to the next chapter x Was devastated to have lost out real wedding video in one of our house moves so this is cobbled together from home videos…
‘Truly the happiest day with the most wonderful memories. Still 20 years later my dance moves need updating. better sort that out for our next wedding xxx’.
Emotional: Last month Jools also recalled her miscarriage heartache while paying tribute to husband Jamie on their 20th wedding anniversary
In October last year, Jools discussed her heartache in a poignant Instagram post to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week, while she also spoke of their loss in May the previous year to honour International Day of the Midwife.
She wrote: ‘A beautiful wave of light to mark the end of an Always emotional Baby Loss Awareness Week. Thinking of all the families who have lost a cherished beautiful baby, either through miscarriage, still birth or neonatal death…
‘It is an absolute privilege to have come across some wonderful, strong brave women and families through Instagram who proudly tell their story of their own baby loss and through that support thousands of people going through the same thing…
‘Be it through a simple quote, their beautiful eloquent writing and frankly just their plain raw honesty, has certainly helped myself and many others just so wonderful xxx our light shines bright for little Archie as always and our two little stars.’
Speaking to Daily Mail, Jools candidly said: ‘I had a miscarriage at three months, which makes you so worried once you are pregnant again – it makes it impossible to enjoy the early stages of pregnancy.’
In April, Jools revealed she would like to add a sixth child to their brood by the time she turns 47 in November next year.
She said on new fitness podcast The Red Room: ‘I want to keep going until I can’t. I will probably think about stopping wanting another baby when I am about 47…
‘Jamie says, “You can’t put an age on it because you keep on talking about it” but just one more for River. I want to just stop bugging Jamie. But I feel like I don’t know. I think one more.’
On parenting her current brood, she said: ‘I am tired. I have got teenagers and a lot more to do,” she shared. “When I had Poppy I was 27 and I was focused on her…
‘I could stay at home and be a full-time mum and it was all very lovely. But as you get on, it changes. It’s a lot busier.’
Why do miscarriages happen?
The majority of miscarriages cannot be prevented and the cause isn’t usually identified
A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy during the first 23 weeks.
The main sign of a miscarriage is vaginal bleeding, which may be followed by cramping and pain in your lower abdomen.
If you have vaginal bleeding, contact your GP or midwife. Most GPs can refer you to an early pregnancy unit at your local hospital straight away if necessary. You may be referred to a maternity ward if your pregnancy is at a later stage.
However, bear in mind that light vaginal bleeding is relatively common during the first trimester (first three months) of pregnancy and doesn’t necessarily mean you’re having a miscarriage.
There are probably many reasons why a miscarriage may happen, although the cause isn’t usually identified. The majority aren’t caused by anything the mother has done.
It’s thought most miscarriages are caused by abnormal chromosomes in the baby. Chromosomes are genetic ‘building blocks’ that guide the development of a baby. If a baby has too many or not enough chromosomes, it won’t develop properly.
For most women, a miscarriage is a one-off event and they go on to have a successful pregnancy in the future.
The majority of miscarriages can’t be prevented. If you have the symptoms of a miscarriage, you’ll usually be referred to a hospital for tests.
Source: NHS