 The
babyworld/Sparks interview: Annabel Croft
 Former professional tennis player Annabel Croft
took a break from her sports presenting job to talk to babyworld about
life as a mum of three and how she balances work with family.
Involvement with SPARKS
As well as her work commitment, Annabel Croft has become
a patron of SPARKS, one of babyworld’s favourite charities, which is
backed by sporting personalities in order to raise money for research
into a range of childhood illnesses. (learn more about SPARKS
– Sport Aiding medical Research for KidS)
Annabel
says: “"I've been
involved in SPARKS events for a long time now – primarily supporting
their golf days and fundraising balls. As a tennis player and mother of
three I was naturally attracted to the work of a sports-led charity
raising money for children's medical research."
Annabel has three children; Amber, aged six, Charlie,
aged four and two-year-old Lily.
Annabel’s pregnancies
Two of Annabel's pregnancies were very smooth, but
four-year-old Charlie proved a little harder on his mum than his
sisters!
“The first and third pregnancies were very smooth
and I loved being pregnant, I found it a really special time and just
felt incredibly happy all the time. That is, apart from the morning
sickness, which was dreadful with Amber for the first three or four
months – I would feel sea sick all day.
“But once the sickness was over I felt very well and kept
playing tennis for quite a while. I found it extraordinary the way my
sense of taste
and smell changed. I read many many books –
I couldn’t stop reading books
about what stage I was at, what was happening now, what size the baby
was… I loved being pregnant!
“My second pregnancy was fine up until the last
stage then I had very bad back pains which I just had
to struggle through. I had all three babies naturally, although Amber
was a ventouse baby. The whole labour with Charlie lasted one hour 40
minutes, and
fortunately Lily was slower –
I was worried she’d come in about 10
minutes!
“Looking
back on my three pregnancies, I really appreciate how fortunate I was. I
know some mothers go through more distressing births and it is for this
reason that I wanted to support SPARKS, who endeavour to ensure a
healthier future for children."
Working and having children
Although she can afford a nanny to help juggle all the commitments of work and home, becoming a mum affected
Annabel in the same ways as all new mums.
She said: “You feel really alive when you’ve
had a baby and nothing else matters apart from them. When your baby is
born you look at nothing else, you don’t care about your surroundings,
you keep staring at your baby, I remember feeling so proud and not
caring about anything else.
“Your
time becomes very tight... It's given me more confidence to cope with
things. Children put a new whole perspective on your life, throwing a
new set of priorities in your way. Work may come and go now but I
wouldn't want to miss picking my children up from school.
“This is the first year I’ve started to turn
down work. My work has now become more focused into broadcasting,
presenting the Tennis Masters series on OnDigital, I’ve come out of
other commitments now unless it’s something I really want to do.”
Annabel is planning more presenting on OnSport1 and
British Eurosport, and is currently in Australia to cover the Australian
Open.
Where to next?
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