Bec Judd talks marriage and juggling four kids
A surprise twin pregnancy two years ago changed everything for TV host and lifestyle guru Bec Judd. Until that point, her life had been a carefully mapped- out exercise in “doing things properly,” but that all went out the window in the blink of an eye.
“We thought we’d have a third child ... maybe,” the 35-year-old mum-of-four says. “But then we were away on holiday and we tried literally one time, and before I could change my mind, I was already pregnant!”
To say she and her husband, ex-AFL star Chris, were stunned would be an understatement, with Judd admitting she suffered a panic attack on hearing the news they’d be parents for the third and fourth time in one fell swoop.
“I was in shock. I feel like I’ll be in shock every day for the rest of my life! How did this happen to me?”
With two kids already—6-year-old Oscar and 4-year-old Billie—things got a lot more chaotic for Judd with the arrival of twin boys Tom and Darcy, who will be 2 in September.
These days, her picture- perfect Instagrammable existence is a little ragged round the edges, but as she explains, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I can’t imagine my life without them.” So how does she make it work? WHO sat down with Judd at her Bayside home in Melbourne to find out.
When the twins came along, did it force you to re-evaluate everything?
Definitely. Big time.
How did you react to the news initially?
I was just swearing and sweating and shaking. And I couldn’t talk. I made the obstetrician call my husband and tell him. I was originally told there was only one baby, and then at the second scan, it was like, “Tricked ya!” You can often miss a twin in the first scan, because it’s so early and they are so tiny. They can often be one behind the other, so that’s what happened.
Chris wasn’t there?
No, because it was the second scan. You know, your husband goes to the first scan to see the baby for the first time, and we were both like, “Phew—one!” I was feeling so sick, and I never felt sick with the others. I said that to the obstetrician, and he was like, “It could be twins, so let’s just check.” He said there was only one, and Chris and I high-fived. Three weeks later, I said, “What’s that up there?” And the ob zoomed in and it was another baby. Even re-hashing that memory now makes me feel ... yeah.
What was Chris’ reaction?
All I could hear was f-bombs down the phone. We didn’t know whether we wanted three, let alone four. I mean, it’s the best thing that ever happened to us, but it was a big adjustment.
Because it affects every aspect of your life ...
I thought, “I’m going to have to be smarter with my time.” I have cut back on work hours a lot. After I had Billie, I took too much on, and I was like, “Oh my God.” Oscar had me 100 per cent of the time. I barely worked and it was Mummy and Oscar at the park and baby chinos all the time. Then Billie came and she got pretty good attention, but I was working all the time. Then the twins came and the attention is divided again, and they all want their attention at the same time. They all want their mum. And I think, “All the other kids are not getting what Oscar got.” Everyone who grew up in big families says it’s the best thing ever, but right now I just feel guilty the whole time. And they do compete for attention.
I was almost working seven days a week. And it’s like, ‘Why?’ I look back at that time, when she (Billy) was really little, and I can’t really remember it. I look at these photos, and it’s like, ‘All these memories! But I’ve totally forgotten them.’ Because I was whizzing through life so quickly. So this time, I have still got a lot on my plate, but I am trying to space them out more. I have made sure I have two days in my week every week, during the Monday to Friday, that I have got off that I can do life errands, chill with the kids, do a bit of exercise. So three days of work a week...When I resigned from weather a few years ago, I was working weekends - and I never want to work weekends again. I need to prioritise weekends.
And it’s safe to say there are no plans for more babies?
Definitely no more babies!
I just don’t want to split my attention any more. Are you where you’re supposed to be? Yeah. I wouldn’t change a thing. But I am in shock every day that I am a mother of four!
Read the full story in this week's issue of WHO, on sale now.
