Oti Mabuse opens up for the first time about her baby's 'traumatic' birth as she reveals her daughter spent six weeks in hospital after being born 'very premature'

Oti Mabuse opens up for the first time about the 'traumatic' birth of her first child.

The Strictly Come Dancing star announced the arrival of her daughter in a Christmas post on Instagram, but has now explained that she gave birth in the autumn.

Oti explained that her daughter was born 'very premature' and had to spend six weeks in hospital before finally being discharged just before Christmas.

The dancer described her 16-hour labor and said her daughter was taken for tests immediately after birth.

Oti, whose husband is fellow dancer Marius Iepure, was diagnosed with sepsis during childbirth and as a result her daughter suffered infections, leading to a six-week stay in the NICU.

“She was very premature, she came very, very early – unexpectedly premature, which was a big, big shock,” she told the Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast.

“Going through the emotional trauma that you go through when you have a premature baby, and then being in the hospital with the little one for six weeks and then finally coming out and having her home with friends and family for Christmas, was a lot of fun.”

Oti said her baby – who was born in a British hospital last autumn – was in a “critical” condition during a “traumatic” first six weeks.

Despite an initially seamless pregnancy that left her feeling 'sexy' and 'empowered' and her skin looking 'smooth', she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 28 weeks, before premature birth.

“When I first saw her I was shocked that I had done it, and she was the most beautiful human being I had ever seen in my life – beautiful,” she said.

“That moment when you're so happy and you feel elated and it lasted sixteen hours, and then they're taken away.

'Because now, born very small, very small, they had to check for infections, whether her lungs are good enough, whether she can eat on her own, whether all her organs have developed and are good enough.'

While the birth itself was “incredible, serene and everything she wanted”, she added: “The last bit was not what I would have wanted, where you see your child for two minutes and then are taken away by a group of ten midwives and doctors .

Oti explained that her daughter was born 'very premature' and had to spend six weeks in hospital before finally being discharged just before Christmas (pictured last week with her husband Marius Iepure)

“That's when things start to change and things start to hit you and you can't get skin to skin, you can't hold your baby.

'I think we didn't hold her for about a week because she was still in an incubator with wires, with jaundice and so under blue light.

“She had infections because it turned out I had sepsis and that's something that has been overlooked or not tested for.”

However, she was very grateful for the care her baby received.

“The NHS, midwives, doctors and consultants have been amazing,” she added.

'To be in hospital and discover this new world, the neonatal world, which as a mother you never think you're going to be in until you're in it – my emotions were so high because it's Christmas time.

“It's not how you thought it would go. I was taken down in a wheelchair, you can't get up. The first thing you want to do is hold the baby, but you can't, you just have to look at it.

“And I remember crying because I couldn't get the wheelchair close enough to her bed and that was traumatizing and very emotionally exhausting.”

It's been a busy start to the year for Oti, who returned to her role on the Dancing On Ice judging panel just three weeks after announcing the birth of her daughter (pictured with Ashley Banjo, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean) .

The new mother has also candidly shared the reality of balancing parenthood with work, explaining in her regular Instagram updates how Marius is at home with their daughter.

Oti revealed how her 'very, very good friend Steph McGovern gave us her flat to live in, she gave up her house and said 'you and Marius can use this place for as long as you want. at home and not far from the hospital.'

Meanwhile, Oti's parents flew over from South Africa to support the couple and her sister Motsi Mabuse also spent Christmas with them.

“The last 10 weeks have been difficult, but life-changing,” she said.

“I haven't really talked about it publicly because it was something we went through and as hard as it was, there were so many learning curves and things to be grateful for.”

It's been a busy start to the year for Oti, who returned to her role on the Dancing On Ice judging panel just three weeks after announcing the birth of her daughter.

Oti has been impressing on the live show every Sunday night with a series of stunning looks as she voiced her criticism to the famous skaters.

The new mom has also candidly shared the reality of balancing parenting with work, explaining in her regular Instagram updates how Marius is home with their daughter during her DOI commitments.