While most expectant mothers are kept busy sorting out the nursery, brainstorming names and getting some well-deserved rest before their little one arrives, television reporter Rebecca Wright has a lot more on her plate as she approaches her July due date.
On top of being seven months pregnant to partner of five years Cam Williams, the 34-year-old has a home renovation underway and a playful puppy bouncing around – and she’s learning the ropes of a brand-new job at TVNZ. But the vivacious One News reporter couldn’t be happier with the “organised chaos”.
“It has been a huge year – and it hasn’t even really started! But one thing at a time, it’s all totally manageable,” Rebecca laughs, noting that everything has come about organically, starting with the baby news when she was still at TV3 last year.
“I got a bit of a hurry up from my doctor who warned us it could take up to a year for me to fall pregnant. But it only took us two weeks, so it was a bit of a shock! A happy shock, because we really wanted a baby, but still a shock.”
Just as the couple – who were already run ragged with their one-year-old furball, a wheaten terrier named Ruby – digested their delightful baby news, the mum-to-be received an exciting job offer from TVNZ that she couldn’t refuse. And then came the kitchen and bathroom renovation to their inner-city Auckland cottage.
“It made sense to renovate the house rather than sell it after I moved into town for work, so now we’re just hoping everything is finished before the baby arrives. A kitchen would come in really handy!”
Gorgeous and glowing at our Woman’s Day photo shoot, Rebecca is the first to admit it’s slightly unusual to get a new job while heavily pregnant.
But after eight years at TV3, the former Campbell Live and Paul Henry Show journo felt it was time for a change.
“I was ready to do something different and when my now-boss got in touch, it was just a really easy decision. The funny thing was, he didn’t know at the time I was pregnant and I hadn’t really put that out there. I just wanted to negotiate a new job without having that complicate things,” she tells.
“But then I had to call and say, ‘There’s one other thing – I’m five months pregnant,’ and he was just like, ‘No problem.’ It was so good. I was quite nervous to bring it up, but was really surprised at how great he was.”
Rebecca glows at our Woman’s Day photo shoot.
TV mum’s club
Rebecca says her first month working at TVNZ has been equally stress-free. “I already know quite a few people from over the years and everyone has been so lovely. I’ve even been given some of Toni Street’s old maternity dresses to wear!”
With her last day before she heads on maternity leave rapidly approaching, Rebecca is looking forward to three months at home with her newborn. Then she plans to head back to the office while camera operator Cam takes over.
“He’s going to look after our baby for three months when I go back to work. It’s so nice he’ll be able to have that time with the baby. We have both got careers that we don’t want to give up. We live really close by so that will be very helpful once the baby arrives as well. He’ll be able to pop down and I can run home if there’s a crisis or anything.
“It sounds like we’ve got it all planned out, but we’re also prepared for it to all go wrong and we’ll just have to deal with it at the time!”
The excited couple say finding out the gender of their bundle of joy made the whole thing seem real.
“We had a moment in the doctor’s office when they asked, ‘Do you want to know what you’re having?’ We just had a quick moment then we decided that we did. And we’re having a girl! It was really sweet – when Cam heard that, he visibly melted a little bit. That’s made it a lot easier to plan and buy things!”
In fact, Rebecca and Cam are so well organised, they’ve even chosen a name. “That’s our one little secret we’re keeping until the day. I want to reserve the right to change it at the last minute if I need to.”
So far, Rebecca says her pregnancy has been a breeze.
“I’ve got a really great doctor and I’m just taking every bit as it comes. I don’t have sisters or close friends with babies so I’ve just been getting to grips with it all. Because there’s been so much change recently, it feels like it’s taken a little while for my mind to catch up with where my body is at. I kind of forget there are certain things I can’t do any more.
“But I’ve felt great so far, I’ve been really lucky and I’m so looking forward to the next chapter.”
Images: Michelle Hyslop
