EXCLUSIVE: Pregnant mum of two, Emilee Hembrow talks all things baby, fitness and life during COVID-19

When it comes to pregnancy the third time around, one might be forgiven if the tank had a little less in it than it have had with baby #1 or #2. But for hard working Gold Coast influencer and entrepreneur, Emilee Hembrow, life remains in the fast track, even amid a global pandemic.

“I’ve been too busy to be tired!” laughs the bubbly 28-year-old mum-of-two.

Life with four-year-old Aaliyah Snow and one-year-old Gabriel Storm is busy enough, but when you factor in a new house build, a brand new business getting ready to launch annnnnnnnd an ambassadorship as the face of pregnancy workouts for sister, Tammy Hembrow’s hugely popular Tammy Fit app, Emilee’s had a lot on her plate.

Emilee took some time out of her crazy schedule to chat with Bounty Parents about all things baby, business and life amid COVID-19.

At 29 weeks, Emilee is heading into the home-stretch of her third pregnancy, and has been “just trying to prepare as much as anyone can” as she awaits the arrival of her third child – a little boy – in August, just 18 months after having her second child, Gabriel.

“I’m lucky enough to have really nice pregnancies,” shares the beauty influencer who amassed over 1.1 million Instagram followers . “I haven’t been sick or anything, so I’ve been able to just really enjoy it, which is lucky because there’s been so much happening.”

And she’s not exaggerating. Amid the global pandemic that saw most the world halt life as it was known, model Emilee knows that she was fortunate enough that life didn’t change too much.

“We were in the middle of building a house and fortunately the trades were able to keep going with that,” says the busy mum, who also found herself mid-business launch when coronavirus struck.

Emilee and sister Amy are launching a brand new business venture, their very first boutique beauty clinic, SSKIN, on the Gold Coast.

“We had the shopfit to complete, and again we were lucky that trades were able to come in and complete that,” shares Emilee.

The pair have remained pretty quiet about what exactly will be on offer at SSKIN.

“I don’t know how much I’m allowed to say,” Emilee giggled as she revealed she was not even sure if Amy had divulged the exact location yet.

An Instagram video by the pair, however, revealed that establishing a reputable, clinical business is the top priority as they shared their plans to speak with experts such as doctors and drug representatives as they hone their craft.

“I’m so excited,” says Emilee. “I’m going to be there every day!”

As for a launch date, the sisters must now eagerly await the last of their equipment arriving later than expected due to pandemic shipping delays.

“It’s a bit up in the air, we’ve also got to wait and see how QLD’s social-distancing restrictions lift and then we’ll have a better idea about when we can finally open.”

As for her upcoming role as a new-baby mumma, Emilee seems relaxed as she takes pregnancy the third time around in her stride.

“We have a list of baby names picked out, but we’ll wait until we meet him before we decide,” shares the mum-to-be.

“We’re quite traditional when it comes to first names, we want names that people have heard before and can pronounce, but when it comes to second names we get a little creative and put our spin on,” she laughs.

Fitness throughout her pregnancy has also been high on the list of priorities for the busy mum.

“I’ve been fortunate that I prefer to workout at home anyway, so the gym closures didn’t impact my fitness routines,” says Emilee.

“I’ve been pretty energised, I’ve been working out and eating well and that all helps me sleep better so it’s been great.”

And while she might have a sweet tooth, the pregnant mumma has managed to keep her cravings under control by giving in and having small sweet treats to keep her going.

“I’m not talking ten chocolate bars,” she laughs. “Just a little bit here and there, I’ve got pretty good self-control.”

As the face of sister Tammy Hembrow’s ‘Tammy’s Pregnancy Program’ that will be launched in her exercise app, Tammy Fit this month, Emilee has extra motivation to keep moving.

“I love the at-home exercises on the Tammy Fit app anyway,” shares the proud big sister. “Tammy is always so supportive of everything I do, and I feel the same about her so there was no hesitation when she asked me to be an ambassador for the Pregnancy Program.

“If your doctor allows it, exercising during pregnancy is one of the best things you can do for you and your baby,” Emilee shares. “I love the lightweight, gentle stretches that really help with pregnancy and get your body ready for labour.”

But it’s not all slow, gentle stretches. The fit mum confessed that while she’s pretty good at keeping up with her workouts at home in her bedroom, living room and garden, filming the videos for the app with sister Tammy had her on the pain-train the next day.

“I was super-sore the next day, my thighs were killing me,” she laughed.

“But that’s what’s actually great about these videos and the app. Tammy is such a great coach, she was really there with me making sure I was executing each move correctly to get the most out of it, and I think that will be so great for people at home.

“It was good having her train me, and remind me to keep my back straight and focus on glutes when lifting up, instead of me just trying to figure it out for myself and doing it wrong. I told her she needs to train me more often!”

Some of the benefits of exercising during pregnancy include:

• A shorter, easier labour
• An easier recovery
• Increased energy

Mum-of two Tammy says, “I created the Pregnancy Program to give women insight into what kind of exercises I did while pregnant and how my fitness routine changed over time but was still important to do.

“During pregnancy you have to adjust your usual routine to accommodate your growing belly and to ensure the safety of you and your baby. This program is much less intense than the usual training program and can be done at home with little or no weights.

“It contains two weeks of workouts, the first week is designed to be done during the second trimester of pregnancy and the routine changes once you reach the third trimester.”

“It’s really important for me to stay active throughout my pregnancy,” says Emilee.

“There’s so little I can control when I’m pregnant but I feel like my health is the one thing I can. I feel so much better when I’m exercising and eating right.

“I sleep so much better too!”

WATCH: Tammy Hembrow reveals how to Keep fit while on lockdown with kids