Rebecca Adlington, the former Olympic swimmer, has shared a deeply emotional moment as she revealed her grandmother passed away the same day she gave birth to her “rainbow baby.” After enduring two painful miscarriages over the past three years, the 37-year-old gave birth to her daughter, Thea Joy, with husband Andy Parsons.
Rebecca, who also has a son, Albie, 2, and daughter Summer, 8, from her previous marriage to Harry Needs, reflected on her emotional journey and the bittersweet timing of her baby’s birth. In a heartfelt post on Instagram, she shared that she named her daughter Thea Joy, with “Joy” being a tribute to her late grandmother, Joyce.
Rebecca explained the rollercoaster journey leading up to Thea’s birth: “Three years, two miscarriages, 39 weeks carrying our magical rainbow girl, and 87 hours in hospital.”
Thea Joy arrived on February 28th, the same day that Joyce passed away. “A true full circle moment of life. Joy is a nod to her, and we know Thea will bring us all so much joy,” Rebecca wrote, sharing a mix of happiness and sorrow.
Rebecca’s post was accompanied by a beautiful first photo of baby Thea resting in her hospital cot, surrounded by the love of her family. The moment was captured as Rebecca and her family formed hearts with their hands around the baby girl.
Fans and fellow celebrities were quick to congratulate Rebecca. Olympian Greg Rutherford sent his best wishes, as did Kelsey Parker, widow of Tom Parker, and fellow Olympian Jazz Carlin, all praising Rebecca’s new arrival.
But behind the joy, Rebecca has faced immense heartbreak. Last year, she bravely opened up about the pain she experienced following her two miscarriages. The second miscarriage, at 20 weeks, was especially tough, with Rebecca sharing the emotional impact it had on her body image and self-esteem.
During a candid appearance on This Morning, Rebecca spoke about how her second miscarriage led her to feel angry at her body for “letting her down.” “I hated my body, I fell out of love with my body,” she said, recalling how difficult it was to see herself still looking pregnant despite the devastating loss.
Her husband, Andy, shared the emotional toll it took on him as well, saying that it was difficult for him to process and that men often lack adequate support in such situations. The couple sought counseling through Petals, a baby loss charity, which helped them work through their grief.
Rebecca’s journey with miscarriages and Thea’s arrival serves as a powerful reminder of the strength and resilience of women facing heartbreaking struggles. She shared her hopes for others still waiting for their rainbow baby, sending love and support to those in similar situations.
Rebecca’s experience with molar pregnancies, where abnormal cells grow in the womb instead of a healthy fetus, has raised awareness about this condition, which affects around one in 590 pregnancies in the UK. The brave athlete is now using her platform to share her story and offer support to others dealing with similar losses.
