ITV and Capital Radio presenter Siân Welby has spoken candidly about a major personal regret following the birth of her first child, admitting she wishes she had taken a longer period of maternity leave.
The Tough Choice Between Career and Newborn
The 39-year-old broadcaster, who co-hosts Capital Breakfast and appears on This Morning, welcomed her daughter Ruby with fiancé Jake Beckett in June 2024. Despite the joy of becoming a mother, Welby has now revealed she felt pressured to return to work swiftly to maintain her professional momentum.
"That's the reality, isn't it? You have to make decisions in life," Welby told The Sun's Fabulous magazine. "I had momentum, and I thought: 'I can't totally let this drop because what a shame, I've finally got these shows that I want to do'." Her comments highlight the difficult balancing act many working parents face, torn between caring for a newborn and safeguarding hard-earned career opportunities.
A Call for Modernised Parental Leave
Welby didn't stop at discussing her own experience. She also addressed the systemic issues within UK parental leave, particularly the limited offer for fathers. She argued that the current two-week paternity leave allowance is outdated and doesn't suit all modern family structures.
"It's not always fair on dads that they get two weeks' paternity leave, and that's that," she stated. The presenter pointed out that in many households, the mother may be the higher earner, making it more practical for the father to take on a greater share of early childcare. "For some people, it suits them way more to have the dad at home. It might be that the mum is the one who has the better job."
Pregnancy Secrecy Stemming from Job Fears
This is not the first time Welby has been open about the anxieties surrounding motherhood and her career in the public eye. She previously shared on Giovanna Fletcher's 'Happy Mum Happy Baby' podcast that she kept her pregnancy a secret from many colleagues, including when she first covered for Dermot O'Leary on This Morning.
Her decision was rooted in a fear of being judged or overlooked. "When you first start a job, you think 'nobody knows what I'm actually like, that I'm trustworthy' and you have to prove yourself," she explained. "In the back of my mind I was thinking, 'If I tell them I'm pregnant, will this put them off getting me in again?'"
Welby believes this is a widespread concern, adding: "So many women must feel [the same way] in any job, especially if they're starting a new one. It's the fear that you're going to be immediately judged or dropped." Her story sheds light on the persistent workplace pressures that can overshadow what should be a celebratory time for expectant mothers.
