Ben and Quinn Alexandre were freakishly organised last Christmas. The former Block NZ contestants blitzed their shopping in October and had their tree up well before December 1. And it was just as well because five days before Santa was due to visit, their sweet girl Daisy arrived.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better gift,” smiles 29-year-old Quinn as her daughter nods off during our exclusive Woman’s Day shoot at their Christchurch home. “It will go down as the best Christmas yet.”
Meet Daisy Quinn Alexandre
Born: December 20, 2016
Weight: 2.7kg
A little sister for two-year-old Cooper, Daisy made a speedy entrance into the world on December 20. After an uneventful pregnancy, make-up artist Quinn was induced at 38 weeks when scans showed her daughter was no longer growing. She was admitted to hospital at midday and was enjoying newborn snuggles with her blue-eyed bundle just six hours later.
“It was happening so quickly that none of the nurses could believe my contractions were so close,” recalls Quinn.
“I dealt with this birth a million times better than I did with Cooper, partly because I knew what to expect, but mainly because of Ben. His support was incredible!
“He was constantly wetting a flannel for my head – he had two on the go, running back and forth the whole time – and helping me with my breathing exercises, as well as giving me positive encouragement.”
When Daisy was born, she had trouble breathing on her own, but before doctors whisked her away to the newborn intensive-care unit, the emotional new mum shared an unforgettable moment with her daughter.
“When she came out, the doctors put her on my chest, and she opened her eyes and looked at me,” recalls Quinn.
“It was truly amazing – I felt this instant connection, like the moment was all mine. No-one can take that away from me.”
“From the moment I saw my daughter, the protective instincts really kicked in,” adds Ben, 32, a power-tools sales manager. “Coops is our lovely little ratbag – he’s used to a bit of rough and tumble – but Daisy is just so precious. I really want to look after her and protect her forever.”
After 24 hours under observation, the young married couple’s little girl was sent home with a clean bill of health. Compared with Cooper, a clingy baby who suffered from colic, Daisy is the family’s smiley little cruiser.
“Her grins just melt your heart,” says Quinn. “She’s going to be a social butterfly. With Coops, I was a complete freak – the thought of leaving the house and sharing him around freaked me out, so we didn’t venture out for about seven weeks. But Daisy had been to three parties by the time she was one week old. I feel more relaxed and confident. I’m not second-guessing myself this time around and Daisy is feeding off that.”
While Quinn absolutely adores her children, she’s the first to admit she doesn’t enjoy pregnancy or birth so much.
“Two is it for me 100%,” she says. “Everyone keeps saying, ‘You’ll change your mind once they get a bit older,’ but there is no way in hell. I don’t want to do any of it again.”
In hindsight, Quinn now recognises she wasn’t herself after Cooper’s birth. During those tricky first months navigating motherhood, she stayed holed up at home, neglected exercise and found herself “in a dark hole”.
“Maybe I was a bit down about it all,” she says. “I was drinking a wee bit of wine every night but didn’t think it was anything. When I compare it to how I feel now,
I can tell there was something going on there.
“When I had first had Coops, people would ask me if I was super-besotted with him and I’d be like, ‘Not exactly.’ Obviously, I loved him with all my being, but I still called him ‘the baby’ for the first few months of life. I think it was just a shock to be all of a sudden responsible for this little being. I didn’t enjoy the newborn stage with Coops at all, so I was kind of dreading it with Daisy.”
But Quinn has loved every minute of getting to know her baby girl. With the support of her devoted hubby, the mum-of-two now prioritises time for herself. She’s joined a netball team for the first time in three years, has started running again and is aiming to make her triathlon debut by the end of the year.
“I’m so proud of her,” says Ben. “I miss the kids when I leave for work, but I know what an incredible mother Quinn is. I love seeing her in her element.”
Quinn adds, “This baby feels really special. Daisy completes our little family, and I can’t wait to watch her and Cooper grow up together.”
Words: Ashleigh McEnaney
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