Just 12 months ago, Arabella Chi was inside the Love Island: All Stars villa searching for The One for a second time. Fast-forward a year and the reality star is six months pregnant with her first baby – so it’s clear that a whole lot has changed since then.
“If you’d told me this time last year I’d be expecting a baby with the love of my life, I wouldn’t have believed it at all,” says Arabella, who met her businessman boyfriend, Billy Henty, last year following her stint on the ITV2 dating show. Here, Arabella, 33, says everything was “meant to be” as she details how she and Billy met, how they are preparing for parenthood and which famous friends have been giving her advice about labour…
Hi Arabella! Do you feel prepared for your little girl’s arrival?
We are quite prepared. We’ve been sent so many clothes that she’s got a bigger wardrobe than me already. But I don’t want to be over-ready. I’d rather not buy too much before she’s here. We only have a one-bedroom apartment
at the moment so we can’t have too much. We are going to move in summer but, for now, I love this apartment and moving while pregnant would be too much – they say being pregnant is enough stress as it is. The first few months the baby is with you [in the bedroom] anyway, so we’ll make do.
Have you got a labour plan in place?
I was quite regimented in thinking I’d definitely have an epidural. I said to Billy I couldn’t even think about doing it without one. But now my mind is slightly changing. We had lunch with Ferne [McCann] yesterday and she’s been talking to me about natural births and using nothing – not using gas and air. So I do feel a lot more open-minded about it and am going to see how it goes. I might have an epidural but I’m not saying I definitely need one. Our bodies are made to give birth, so I’m going to try my hardest to do it as minimally and naturally as possible.
Have you always wanted children?
Yes, I’ve always wanted kids and I feel like it’s just finding the right person. I think a lot of people have a lot of pressure on age and I am 33 going on 34 next month. But it was one of those things where I wasn’t going to rush into it until I met the right person. At the back of my mind, I thought, ‘I do hope that I find that person.’ But if it didn’t happen, it didn’t happen. But I’m so lucky that it happened by chance.
What will Billy be like as a dad?
We’ve got [King Charles spaniel] Astro so I’ve seen him become a father figure to Astro and how much he’s taken on that role. He’s been amazing, even little things like we don’t have a garden so we always have to take him out for walks and the night walk is the most gruelling when it’s awful weather. But Billy will always do it and say, ‘You stay warm in here,’ which is really nice. So, I can already see how amazing he’ll be as a dad.
How did you meet Billy?
I met my boyfriend on the launch night of my last Say It With event [for the jewellery brand she’s working with]. I went for a few drinks after the launch and he was a friend of a friend, so we met up and the rest is history. It was meant to be.
You’re working with Say It With again for a new Mother’s Day collection. Tell us about that…
I feel like this brand has even more of a significance to me because I met Billy after my last launch, so I’m really happy to be working with them again. Everyone knows that I am a full-on jewellery girl and I wear jewellery all the time. Even now, I’m having a chill day and I still have full earrings in. My favourite piece is the ‘Mummy’ necklace because I’ve always called my mum ‘Mummy’ and it’s something I’d wear myself or give to her – it can go between generations. I’d love for my little girl to call me Mummy too.
The collection marks your first Mother’s Day as a mum-to-be. Is that exciting?
Yes, I know I’m not a mum yet, so it’s not a proper Mother’s Day, but I still feel like I’m a mum even though she’s not born yet. Because she’s growing in me and I can feel her, I definitely feel like a mum already. I’m not sure I’ll get any Mother’s Day gifts this year though. Billy’s the type of guy who surprises me at random times.
Are you watching Love Island: All Stars?
Yes, even Billy is watching it. We’re obsessed. It’s really refreshing to actually watch it every single night with the love of my life and a baby in my stomach. To think I was in that villa this time last year, it is crazy. I’m good friends with Elma [Pazar] so I was really happy when Sammy [Root] came in for Elma – it’s exactly what she needed. She put a lot into Ronnie [Vint] but I actually think Sammy is a better match for her, so it’s all worked out really well. I’d love to see them win. We’ll definitely be going for a catch-up when she gets home. I know Ekin-Su [Cülcüloglu] really well too.
