"I felt so sick": Carrie Bickmore's pregnancy struggle
When Carrie Bickmore revealed on social media yesterday that she was pregnant with her third child, the happy news came as a shock to many, including her co-workers.
On Thursday, Carrie appeared in her first episode of The Project since making the announcement and her colleagues were desperate to know how she concealed her pregnancy from viewers – and them!
“I want to know: It's obvious [your bump] today, but it hasn't been obvious before, so what have you been doing?" Hamish Macdonald asked.
Carrie’s growing bump was noticeable for the first time as she donned a tight gold dress.
She explained: “Haven't you noticed? I've been slowly lowering my chair and sitting like this [Carrie lowers her chair slightly so her bump is beneath the desk].”
“But it was getting to the point where I was just going to be like [Carrie lowers her chair to minimum height, her head peeking above the desk] 'Hi!'”
Finally understanding her clever trickery, Hamish confessed: “Every night this week they [producers] have been saying, 'Hamish, can you put your chair down a bit?’”
Peter Helliar was also surprised too and admitted: “Since you’ve announced it though, it [the bump] has gone pop!”
Earlier that day, Carrie also revealed another one of her tactics to keep the news a secret to Tommy Little on her HIT Network radio show.
“It's funny, I've been wearing lots of jackets and jumpers!” she said.
When speaking to Pete, Carrie explained that she appreciated not having to hide her secret anymore.
She said: “My stomach muscles have been like, 'Ah! Finally!' I've been sucking in!
“It's nice to feel better too. I've been sick as a dog! I'm surprised you haven't noticed me dry-retching next to you?
Taking a deep breath, she admitted: “It's nice to finally relax.”
Later in the show, Carrie recalled talking to her obstetrician when she first suspected she was pregnant.
“I was feeling so sick, I said to my obstetrician, 'There is definitely another one in there. You have to find it! I feel so sick.’”
On her radio show, Carrie revealed how difficult her first trimester had been.
“Until this week, I felt so sick – 24 hours a day, like I mean so sick,” she said.
“I didn’t even think I had the energy to work out ... to even get my head around what was happening.
“[Being] hungry made me feel sick, eating has made me feel sick, being awake has made me feel sick, sleeping has made me feel sick, coffee has made me feel sick, everything has made me feel sick.”
Luckily, Carrie said it was getting better: “I’m feeling 50 per cent better, which weirdly feels like completely better.”
Unlike her other two pregnancies, Carrie will not find out the sex of the baby until it’s born.
“I don’t know, I found out with Ollie, found out with Evie, and I’m thinking maybe I just let it go for this one, let it be a surprise,” she said.
Carrie had her three-year-old daughter Evie with partner Chris Walker, while her 11-year-old son Oliver was with her late husband Greg Lange, who died from brain cancer.