THIS Morning star Sian Welby has been praised for opening up on her struggles as a working mum as she revealed secret trips to A&E with her baby daughter.
The presenter said she felt guilty for only sharing the glamorous side of her world on social media and wanted to set the record straight.
Sian – whose daughter Ruby with radio producer Jake Beckett was born in June – said her inbox was full of messages from mums asking “how do you do it all?”
The This Morning star and Capital FM presenter, 39, made an emotional video in which she admitted “I’m barely surviving”.
Looking directly into the camera, Sian said: “I know I’ve got a lot of parents following me, and I’m starting to feel guilt because I get a lot of DMS ‘oh Sian how do you do it, the early mornings, the red carpets, the celebrities and that kind of thing.
“And I’m scared that it reflects something that isn’t real life because my Instagram is glossy and showbiz.”
She continued: “The truth of it is some days I am at absolute rock bottom, curled in a corner wondering how I’m gonna survive the next day, wondering how I’m gonna go into work and I just don’t want to add to any parenting pressure, you know.”
Sian said she didn’t want her followers to compare themselves to her when her Instagram timeline was to show “my professional work, almost like a CV”.
She added: “I’m not showing you the, you know, 48 hours of no sleep and the A&E trips.
“And then the massive work commitments and then choosing, is it work? Is it children? Is it childcare? Am I a good mum? I’m a bad mum, what am I doing?”
Sian admitted the last few weeks had been “particularly tough” and said: “If you don’t hear me on the radio or talking in podcasts, then you might just think that it’s been a breeze.
“It’s more that I just wanted to be real with you all and say it’s been really hard.”
Her followers appreciated her honesty, and fellow presenter Kate Lawler said: “Sending you heaps of love Sian, thank you for being real and honest x.”
Another said: “Very honest and open post. It’s tough for parents especially this time of year. You can only do what you can do.”
Already a regular on the showbiz segment of This Morning, Capital DJ Sian made her debut as a This Morning co-host with Dermot O’Leary in January last year.
She can also be seen reporting from the red carpet and hosting big events for Capital FM.
Nottingham-born Sian was working at High Street fashion store New Look when she began auditioning for TV jobs.
In 2010, she landed her big break as the Channel 5 weather presenter after she was spotted in a telly advert.
She has since jetted round the world hosting Channel 5’s Formula E: Street Racers show about electric car racing in 2017, as well as Goodwood’s Speed Week for ITV alongside Dermot.
Sian is also a social media star whose comedy weather forecasts racked up 10million views.
Now on This Morning, Sian says the presenting team have taken her under their wing.
Sian told The Sun in a recent interview: “Cat Deeley and Dermot O’Leary treat me like a little sister — they’ve all looked after me and taken me under their wing.
“I remember the first week I presented with Dermot, he kept telling me to lead the interviews.
“Alison Hammond sends me the most lovely messages and voice notes, and she’ll always give me extra time if I’m doing a little segment. They’re just a lovely team.”
Cat and former This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby — who viewers have compared her to — are Sian’s TV “idols”.
She said: “I grew up watching both of them. Holly has always been so warm and friendly to me.
“When I was on This Morning with her and doing showbiz segments, she made me feel so at ease.
“I was nervous when I first started there because it’s such a big show.
“Holly is amazing for doing live TV day in and day out, so any comparison to her is an absolute compliment.”
