PA
Model and TV stylist Abbey Crouch has spoken for the first time about how her relationship with footballer Peter Crouch was 'tested' because of the strain of having a new baby.
And in an exclusive interview with Fabulous magazine, the 26-year-old This Morning presenter spoke of her admiration for Victoria Beckham for always looking immaculate 'even with all those kids'.
She said: "Victoria Beckham always looks so polished even with all those kids and that huge empire she runs. I look like death after a flight. There are some weeks when I don't wash my hair for days! How does she do it?"
Abbey said that when she had her daughter Sophia 18 months ago, she was determined that motherhood wouldn't come at the expense of looking good.
"When I had the baby it made me want to make more of an effort because I think it's so easy as a new mum when you're tired to let yourself go," she said.
"For your own sanity it's good to make an effort, get your nails done, have a spray tan. I think it's important for yourself, and your relationship as well, to keep trying.
"Don't get me wrong, a lot of the time I look like a complete scruffbag round the house. But if you look tired and messy then you feel like that and it's easy for a new mum to get depressed."
But she admitted she wasn't prepared for just how much life would change and, desperate to appear like she was coping, hid the true extent of the struggle.
"It was a shock how hard it was because I saw my mum raising four kids on her own and she made it look so easy," she said.
"I've got a really good support team around me – my mum is there at the drop of a hat.
"It's still hard even with all that support, but you don't tell people that. I'd say the baby was sleeping through the night when of course she wasn't.
Having a baby really tests your relationship because you're exhausted all the time. There have been certain times when it's been hard when the baby's teething and screaming all night. Pete's got to go to training, I've got to go to work the next day and it's testing.
"But I think we love each other at the end of the day and we both wanted to have a little baby. I'd be lying if I said no one ever gets fed up, it's all perfect, everything's all happy. But everyone in the world has rows."
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