RTÉ presenter Claire Byrne has announced that she is expecting her third child with husband Gerry Scollan, as she told RTÉ LifeStyle: "I am delighted to confirm that we are expecting baby number three during the summer. It will be a busy household but we're really excited.
"It is business as usual with Claire Byrne Live and Saturday with Claire Byrne, I'm looking forward to the months ahead."
"I feel really lucky that this is the way my life has worked out,” she said in another interview. “I look at my children [Patrick, 3 and Jane, 2] and am constantly surprised that I have them, because I had reached a point where I thought that I really wouldn’t have children in my life.
"If this baby had not come along I would still have been very happy, but we thought it would be lovely if we had number three” Claire told independent.ie.
Although the presenter will have to do a little shopping as she gave away all her maternity clothes after baby number two but, as ever, she has a practical approach and will not be making any "big investments" in new maternity wear.
It looks like there is another exciting summer ahead for the family following Claire and Gerry's wedding in June last year. The baby is due this summer after the end of the current season of Claire Byrne Live.
Boy or Girl?
"We didn’t find out if it was a boy or a girl on the other two so probably won’t find out on this one. I enjoyed the surprise element of the birth. When you are in the midst of it all, just having a healthy baby is the most important thing."
"I didn’t really want a big family but Gerry comes from a big family and wanted a big family - the number in his head was always four - but I’ll stick with three as good compromise,” she said.
“Gerry is a great dad. He loves babies, loves children, and he can’t wait.”
How is she feeling?
Initially Claire said she had "brutal" morning sickness in the first three months of the pregnancy, but now it is "flying along" but will mind herself over the coming months.
"I am 41, I’ll take all the advice on not pushing it too hard. I’ll do my work but take my foot off the pedal with out-of-work engagements."
Work/life balance?
"Experience has taught me that in the early stages of motherhood it is easier for me to go back to work quickly. The problems start when the children are older and they need you more," she said.
"Gerry is generally at home with the children when I’m at my busiest in work. It is always going to be difficult. I might be busy, but it’s busy with two anyway".
Claire thinks she has a fairly obvious bump
She has a "fairly obvious bump" but hasn't told her wee ones that she is expecting yet: "I don’t want them to sit and wait for months and months to hear about a sibling that they can’t meet yet. Although my son did ask me the other day did I have a baby in my tummy, and I nearly fell over!"
