EastEnders' Louisa Lytton on life as a new parent with long COVID
EastEnders star Louisa Lytton has opened up about what it's like to suffer from long COVID as a new parent, after giving birth to her first baby only a few weeks ago.
The actor, who plays Ruby Allen on the BBC soap, and her fiancé Ben Bhanvra welcomed daughter Aura at the beginning of September.
Posting an update on her Instagram, Lytton admitted she still can’t properly taste food due to long COVID.
Sharing a few snaps of herself in jeans and an oversized jumper, the 32-year-old star wrote: "Made it out of the house today!”
"It's official the Instagram picture opportunity days are over. This is as good as it gets.
Read more: EastEnders' Louisa Lytton on filming her Ruby Allen baby while pregnant in real life
"Washing my hair was the biggest achievement of September - wait it's now October."
She continued: “Aura slept while we ate a WHOLE meal (which I couldn't taste thanks long Covid) but I feel like we are on the right track, I wouldn't change it for the world."
Watch: Louisa Lytton celebrated her first Mother's Day revealing she is pregnant with her first child
Speaking to OK! magazine after giving birth to Aura, Lytton and Bhanvra expressed their happiness with their little bundle of joy.
"And then there were three. Welcome to the world, we are utterly overwhelmed with love,” said the couple, who are due to tie the knot soon.
Lytton also recalled her delivery experience, which saw her labouring at home for 14 hours before being brought into the hospital to her waters broken.
“She was a few days early but after my contractions started she really took her time,” said Lytton.
“I was in labour for three days and I ended up having an emergency C-section. Clearly she’s going to be very dramatic like her mum!”
But the wait was worth it in the end since the pair was “sobbing” when they first met their baby girl.
"We were sobbing! It was such an ordeal to get her there that by the time she was there we were just so relieved.
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“We didn’t know what to do with ourselves. I cried for like two days afterwards [laughs]. I couldn’t believe she was here.”
Lytton left EastEnders to go on maternity leave at the end of July and it’s unclear yet when she will return to set. But it’s unlikely viewers will be seeing much of Ruby in Albert Square in the coming months.
EastEnders airs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays on BBC One.
