it’sclearthatJanika,32,is
over the moon at the prospect
of becoming a mum. Her little
boy is due on October 15,
which means Ross, 37, will
be able to cover the early part
of the tournament, before
returning home for his son’s
birth. All going well, he’ll head
back to Japan in time for the
semi-finals and the final.
“Our happiness about having
a baby definitely outweighs
the fact we got the timings
wrong. We’re both so stoked.”
While Janika is feeling
great now, she admits the
first 20 weeks were hard
going and she had to take
time off work because she
was so sick.
“I could barely function.
I was at home all day just
lying on the couch. It calmed
down a little bit after 12 weeks,
so I went back to work. But
there were still about three
vomiting episodes per day.
It was horrible.”
Her hunger never subsided,
though, she laughs. “I’d eat
toast, throw it up and then
just eat more toast. It was
all about the carbs.”Janikasaysit’sbeen
wonderful sharingthe
experience withherfellow
pregnant presenters.
“I’m really good friends
with Susie, I read the news
with Melissa on the weekend
so we’re always hangingou
and Sam and I have known
each other for years,” she
explains. “We seem to be
experiencing stuff all at the
same time – reflux, tirednes
aches and pains. It’s been
really nice to have others
to turn to for advice and
reassurance.”
Mum-of-one Susie has
been a particularly good
sounding board, she says.
“She’s just so practical.
She said not to buy too
much maternity wear since
you can only fit it for a few
weeks.”
Now, with less than two
months to go, Janika just
can’t wait to meet her baby.
“We’re both really excited
to be having a boy, but Ross
especially. And if his kicks
are anything to go by, I’m
pretty sure he’s going to
be into rugby!”ds
ut,s,.hen Melissa
married
Caspar Green
on Waiheke
Island in
hehoped they
have to wait too
retheir dream
hoodcame true.
newthat, at 36,
egnant could take
shewas prepared
wait.
canimagine her
when she discovered
regnant soon after
ackfrom their
honeymoon.
happen quickly
definitely a bit
butalso really,
ited!” says Melissa,
whometCaspar in London
fouryearsago.
“Iactuallyfound out I
was pregnant the day before
my sister’s wedding, so the
hardest thing was explaining
why I wasn’t drinking the
champagne. I was the MC,
so I told everyone I was too
nervous to drink. Looking
back, it was a silly excuse
because everyone who knows
me knows I don’t get nervous
about that kind of thing.”
Melissa tells us she’s had
a straightforward pregnancy
so far, apart from the fact her
“morning sickness” hits every
evening at about 6.30pm –
not ideal considering she’s
on air from 6-7pm!
“Thankfully it’s only
nausea and nothing worse,”
she laughs.
She and her quizmaster
husband Caspar, 39, have
decided to keep the gender of
their baby a surprise, but it’s
been a test of her willpower.
“It’s been tempting, but
so far we’ve avoided it.
I honestly don’t have a
preference for what we get.
My sister has just had a littleboy, so it would be lovely
if I had a boy and they can
play together. But equally,
it would be amazing to
have a little girl.”
She isn’t sure yet what
kind of mum she’ll be.
“I like to think I’ll be
one of those chilled-out
mothers. But I’ve probably
worked in news for too long
not to worry about all the
things that could happen
in life,” she admits. “I’m
naturally quite a cautious
person; I’m not a big risk
taker. But Caspar is the
opposite, so hopefully we’ll
balance each other out.”
The former European
correspondent tells us she’s
always wanted children,
but forging her journalism
career came first until now.
She laughs when explaining
she recently found a box
of mementos from her
childhood, which included
a letter written to herself at
age 12.
“It said I wouldn’t mind
having kids, but I’d wait ’til
later in life, perhaps when
I’m about 24!”
She’s loved having others
to share the experience with
at work, particularly Janika,
who she gets ready with on
weekends before reading the
news alongside Tom McRae.
“Janika and I were both
in changing rooms at the
same time the other day,
laughing because neither
of us could fit anything. It’s
been lovely having someone
to share that with.”
Melissa hopes to return to
work after her baby is born
later this year and counts
herself lucky that Caspar’s
quiz business means he’ll
be able to be a hands-on dad.
“We’re both so excited.
It’s all starting to feel very
real now!”ISSA CHAN-GREEN
’ bMarch,sh
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tWEARS LEONA, MINT REPUBLIC, STEVE MADDEN. SAMANTHA WEARS JACQUI E, MERCHANT 1948, ZOE & MORGAN. SUSIE WEARS INC INTERNATIONAL CONCEPT, SWAROVSKI, TRELISE COOPER.