Oti Mabuse Shares Her Emotional Journey Through Premature Birth and Motherhood
Oti Mabuse, the beloved I’m A Celebrity star and former Strictly Come Dancing professional, has shared an emotional account of her first child’s premature birth, describing it as a time when she was “at her lowest.” Speaking candidly about her experience, Oti revealed the trauma she endured after her daughter was born prematurely in October 2023, ten weeks before her due date.
Oti and her husband, Marius Lepure, welcomed their daughter on Christmas Day last year with a heartfelt Instagram post showing the couple in matching festive pajamas alongside their baby girl and dog, Leo. However, the joyful announcement came just 24 hours after their baby had spent six challenging weeks in neonatal intensive care, according to the Manchester Evening News.
“The pregnancy itself was beautiful,” Oti told Paul Carrick Brunson on his We Need To Talk podcast. “But I had a spontaneous birth where my waters broke in the middle of the street while we were shopping.” She admitted the experience didn’t feel traumatic at the time, but the reality of premature birth and the milestones her baby needed to achieve hit hard later. “The trauma came after,” she said.
Oti spoke highly of the nursing team at London’s University College Hospital, crediting them with saving her baby’s life. “They are absolutely brilliant,” she said. “Those nurses deal with babies this size, with organs that are this tiny. They give them such beautiful care.”
Recalling her first days of motherhood, Oti revealed her daughter had been unable to breathe or eat on her own and required an incubator. “She was really small. We couldn’t hold her for a week,” she shared, calling it “incredibly tough” and confessing, “I was at my lowest.”
Despite the challenges, Oti found joy in the act of giving birth, describing it as “a beautiful thing” filled with singing musical tunes through the pain. She praised the medical team for their support and their advice to “be patient, because good things take time.”
After six weeks in the NICU, Oti and Marius were finally able to take their daughter home in time for Christmas, calling it “the best feeling ever.” Reflecting on the experience, Oti said, “She’s a strong little girl… she’s safe, and she’s going to be OK.” Now, a year into motherhood, Oti describes herself as “more resilient, more sensitive, and more aware,” cherishing the unforgettable journey of bringing her daughter home.