Christine and Frank Lampard welcome baby son Freddie

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Christine Lampard has confirmed the birth of her second child with husband Frank.

Taking to Instagram on Monday evening, the Irish presenter, 42, revealed she has given birth to baby son Freddie – father of four Frank’s first boy.   

Captioning a photo of herself cradling the couple’s newborn son, she wrote: ‘Let us introduce you to our newest addition. ..Frederick (Freddie) George Lampard! We are completely in love.’  

It’s understood that Christine gave birth late last week after going into labour earlier than expected. 

The couple are already proud parents to daughter Patricia, two, while former Chelsea manager Frank also shares daughters Luna, 14, and Isla, 13, with ex Elen Rivas. 

Christine revealed in January that she was pregnant with her second child and admitted it was ‘strange and worrying’ during the pandemic. 

After announcing the arrival of her baby boy on Monday, Christine was flooded with well wishes and congratulations from her showbiz pals. 

Rebekah Vardy, Helen Skelton and Christine McGuinness all commended on the mum-of-two’s adorable post, saying ‘congratulations’ to the new family of four.

And Christine’s pal Holly Willoughby added: ‘Awww congratulations you beautiful mamma… huge love from all of us… can’t wait to meet little Freddie’. 

While actress Michelle Keegan penned: ‘Amazing news! Congratulations to you and your family xxx’

TV presenter Ore Oduba also left a kind message, writing: ‘Ahhh you did it!!!! Congratulations. Christine and the Lampard clan. Beautiful!!!’ 

Christine shared a snap of her growing bump dressed in a cosy cream jumper when she announced her second pregnancy, offering her support to fans who are pregnant during such a ‘crazy time.’ 

She wrote: ‘A new year and a new baby on the way for the Lampards! 

‘It’s been a strange and worrying time to be pregnant but we’re hoping and praying that cuddles from family and friends are not too far off. 

‘Sending all my love to everyone going through pregnancy during this crazy time.’ 

Christine also shared the struggles she has faced during pregnancy on Loose Women and admitted being pregnant during a pandemic has had its ups and downs.

The star gushed that the impending arrival provided a happy focus both for her and her extended family, especially as she is so far away from her parents back in Northern Ireland. 

‘It’s been lovely, a little bit of happiness in our family amidst the bleakness of this year. I have two parents back in Northern Ireland who just cannot wait,’ she said adding that the new restrictions enforced over Christmas meant she sadly hasn’t seen her family for months.  

‘Christmas was going to be that tiny little bit of light at the end of the year and sadly that didn’t get to happen at all so Mum and Dad haven’t got to touch the bump at all, they haven’t seen it in the flesh.’

‘Thank goodness for Skype and FaceTime and everything else. But it does feel a bit more isolating that your family and friends can’t just put their arms around you, you do miss that contact definitely. It’s been a big, big shift compared to the first time around.’

When her co-stars asked if she had any concerns about giving birth during the pandemic, Christine honestly answered: ‘I do, it’s the unknown. You just have to look after yourself as best you can.’

‘Hospital appointments have changed, you can’t bring people with you and stuff, and that’s fine…that’s what you have to do.

‘I am sort of thinking ahead to April and what will happen at that point, hopefully the world will be a much better place. Ideally, I would like Frank alongside me, I don’t want to do that on my own, and lots of women did have to do that the first time around.

‘There is just a lot of uncertainty and you are just trying to be overly protective. I really do try to be as cautious as I possibly can… but it’s a bit lonely going to hospital appointments on your own all the time.’

Christine also said the pandemic affected her decision to go public with the news, explaining: ‘It wasn’t a big secret. Most people I knew, knew. 

‘But it was a lot to do with everytime I went to do the little Instagram post, Boris [Johnson] would beat me to it and announce something dreadful on the news and it never felt like it was an appropriate moment to share a little bit of family happiness.

‘Suddenly another week went by and you know what I am like anyway, I am very cautious and bit kind of low-key and no fuss.

‘It sort of suited me to tick things along, to get to a point where you felt relatively safe, if you can do it at any point in a pregnancy. It just felt nice to get past the 12-week phase and then suddenly it was past 20 [weeks].’

As for her husband Frank, the football manager is ‘very excited’ to welcome his fourth child according to Christine. 

Christine and Frank married in a lavish ceremony at St Paul’s Church in London followed by a reception at The Arts Club in 2015 after six years together. 

In 2018 they announced they were expecting their first child together, and the Loose Women star gave birth to Patricia Charlotte Lampard in September of that year.

Their daughter was named after Frank’s mum, who passed away in 2008 at the age of 58. 

In September of this year, Christine and Frank celebrated daughter Patricia’s second birthday at home with a Peppa Pig-themed party.

Sharing snaps from the low-key celebration via Instagram, Christine gushed: ‘Our little girl is the big 2 already!

‘We mightn’t have been able to have a big party but we made up for it with a #peppapig cake, presents and plenty of balloons.’ 

The doting parents first crossed paths at the Pride Of Britain awards in 2009 – an event neither had planned to attend. 

The broadcaster previously told Lorraine: ‘It’s a strange one, because it is ten years ago that we met at them, it was one of those nights that neither of us were meant to go to.

‘It was a last minute thing for him and I arrived at the awards late because of work. We were sat on tables next to each other.’   

The TV personality went on to gush over Frank’s skills as a father to Patricia, as she praised: ‘He is very good, he has to be directed a little bit, I suppose, but he’s great. He’s so brilliant with her.’ 

In 2015, Christine spoke candidly about being a step-mum to Isla and Luna, saying that while it was a tough role to take on she was keen to dispel old notions of the ‘evil step-mother’.

Speaking to The Times she explained that building a bond with his children had been a careful ‘well-thought-out process’, as she said: ‘I’d like to think, if you asked the girls in ten years’ time, they would say that it was a well-thought-out process – I didn’t meet them for a year, on purpose.’

Wanting to be careful of disrupting their lives, Christine added that she and Frank waited until they were sure of their long-term feelings for each other, before introducing her into Isla and Luna’s lives. 

Of how she spent time with them during this period, Christine went on: ‘Frank’s away a lot, their mummy could be away, I have them on my own. 

‘It’s me going to violin recitals, me doing their homework, me doing the bathtime tonight and getting them to school in the morning – I’ve grown into that and we have our own little system.

‘They know I’m their little mate. I don’t want to be their mummy. That was never even a thought.’   

Christine has also previously said being a step-mum to her husband’s children helped prepare her for motherhood.

She told Lorraine in July 2018: ‘I have had the girls since they were four and two and they are 13 and 11 so I have been through all the toddler years, the primary and secondary school bit and teenagers are around the corner, that is preparation, although the baby years is all new to me!

‘So I’ll take it day by day really, like every other new mum. People are telling me, and I would like to think I’m like that anyway, but do your best to relax into it and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.

‘Don’t always be looking at everyone else and thinking, “It’s running perfectly for them, why isn’t it for me?” Give yourself a break. I’ll take it hour by hour!’