Madeleine West is pregnant(Image: (Image: Instagram))

Neighbours actress, 45, pregnant with seventh child and 'couldn't be happier'

14 Jan 2025, 11:38 by Jamie Roberts · Irish Mirror

Actress Madeleine West has announced she is pregnant with her seventh child at the age of 45. The baby will be the Australian star's seventh child.

She shares six kids with her ex, celebrity chef Shannon Bennett - Phoenix, 19, Hendrix, 16, Xascha, 14, Xanthe, 12, and twins Xalia and Margaux, 10.

But now Madeleine, who plays Dee Bliss in Neighbours, took to social media to reveal her latest news. On Instagram, she uploaded an image of her by a river in a navy vest top with her baby bump on she and simply wrote: "WHOOPS."

She continued: "Thought it was #perimenopause. I thought WRONG!. It’s not too much Christmas pudding either. And I couldn’t be happier. Not too sure about the title ‘Geriatric mum’ but here we are, and I’m winding back a little to grow this little surprise package I’ve dubbed #007 (Baby number 7, couldn’t help myself). I don’t have much more to say right now, but I’ve noticed I don’t hear much about older parents.. l know you must be out there. Just seems we are invisible."

Madeleine went on to ask her followers for stories about being pregnant in their 40s or 50s, Mirror UK reports. "I’d love any tips you care to share," she added. "Like how the heck do you get all the #baby paraphernalia together again after you’ve given it all away???? There’s a terrifying new world of contraptions out there and I don’t know where to start!! HELP!!!" To finish her shock post, she used the hashtags "#olderandwiser #pregnancy #olderparents #love."

Madeleine West shared a post on Instagram(Image: (Image: Instagram Madeleine West))

Her words were met with an abundance of congratulatory messages, as well as a number of answers to her plea. One user penned: "My late mum was 43 when she had me - unheard of in 1974. She was the best mum - she had life experience, she stayed home with me, we used to walk to the shops & see my poppa on the way....Older mums are so special - you’ll be fabulous I have no doubt."

Another added: "42 almost 43 when I gave birth to my 1st (and only!). Being called geriatric never sat well with me lol They need to come up with a better term! Good luck with it all."

Madeleine was most recently romantically linked to Maximo Bottaro. She dated him for more than three years but it is currently unclear if they are still together. The pair have not publicly been seen or pictured together since December 2023.

Madeleine and her ex Shannon split in 2018. They had been an item for 13 years. However, following the break-up, the Neighbours star claimed separation process "turned love toxic".

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