Louise Thompson shares snap of newborn son Leo in the NICU for the first time as he turns one

Louise Thompson first shared a photo of her newborn son Leo in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) on Tuesday to mark his first birthday.

The 32-year-old said she “shed a few tears thinking about what today would have been like if I hadn’t made it,” as she reflected on a difficult year.

The former Made In Chelsea star has been suffering from PTSD and postpartum anxiety after nearly dying giving birth to her son in November 2021 who she shares with fiancé Ryan Libbey.

She shared a sweet photo of Leo in his adorable birthday pajamas and wrote in the caption, “Today may be a tough one but it’s the first of many amazing milestones/anniversaries we’ve had together.

“I am so proud of us and this champion for surviving our first year together. I’ve already shed a few tears thinking about what today would have been like if I hadn’t made it.’

She added next to the photo of Leo in the NICU, “Today was good. I didn’t give my mind a chance to dwell on ANY memory all day…until tonight when I threw Leo to sleep. I stared at him and then couldn’t help it.’

So I’ve just looked through the most comprehensive photos and videos from our months of ‘living in hell’ to understand it all. It’s actually very interesting to watch some videos from inside the hospital. JUST WOW. There is actually a lot documented.

“I asked Ryan if we could lay in bed and watch some stuff together. We have NEVER NEVER done this.

Some images were too painful to click. Ryan got a little too overwhelmed.”

It comes after Louise admitted she was “nervous” about celebrating her son Leo’s first birthday on Sunday, while giving her fans a glimpse of the big day on Instagram.

She revealed that she “hasn’t entertained this year.” Before the celebration, Louise said she sent invitations at the last minute to give herself time to back off if needed, but in the end she “enjoyed” the day.

The former reality star couldn’t contain her smile as she posed for a family snap with Ryan and their son Leo.

Louise looked effortlessly chic in dark velvet trousers that she paired with a brown jumper, while her beau rocked a white T-shirt.

She opened up in the lengthy Instagram caption, “I’m sure it won’t come as a surprise to hear that I was pretty nervous about throwing this party.

“I haven’t had a good time this year and I’ve never thrown a children’s party. I actually forgot to invite people until the last minute because I wasn’t sure how I would feel.

She revealed that she “designed the invitations months ago in hopes” that she would feel good on the special day.

She wrote, “Hosting made me nervous about the trauma, so this was a double whammy…although I’ve learned to let go of most of my perfectionist tendencies since Leo, which definitely helped.”

Louise admitted she had a “moment” before her guests arrived when she thought about cancelling, but “counted down the clock” until people arrived and ended up “really enjoying” the celebrations.

She said, “The moment people poured through the door, I was fine…that would always be the case. As my psychiatrist used to tell me: ‘don’t think, just do’. Easier said than done if you’re stuck analyzing your thoughts, but always better DO than “DON’T”.

“The thing is, I didn’t just want to ‘DO’ it, I really wanted to ENJOY it, because it was a special occasion, a big milestone for me and my family.

“The good news is that I had a fantastic time, great company, and not a tantrum in sight.”

Louise shared some of her best tips for throwing a party as her guests were treated to music lessons, caterers, cake and a ball pit at the lavish children’s party.

Ryan and Louise transformed their lounge into a ‘magic forest’ while the kids enjoyed a toddler music lesson from Hartbeeps.

Leo was spoiled with two incredible birthday cakes, one made by Louise’s brother, Sam Thompson, girlfriend Zara McDermott.

Former Love Island beauty Zara created a safari lion cake while posing with her masterpiece in a chic beige knit dress.

The family and friends sang happy birthday to the toddler as Louise held him to the eye-catching cake and candles.

She shared the adorable clip on her Instagram story and admitted that she “can’t wait to show him this video when he’s older.”

Louise has had a rough year after she nearly died giving birth to her son Leo, whom she shares with Ryan, and spent five weeks in hospital with “serious complications.”

She has since battled post-traumatic stress disorder and postpartum anxiety, admitting to crying as many as 20 times in January for a week.

The star has been honest with her fans about her day-to-day struggles, revealing at times that the anxiety felt “inexplicable,” but now she’s learning to “get into it.”

Louise, who son Leo often refers to as her “little miracle baby,” manages to keep her anxiety under control and after obsessively checking her temperature, blood pressure and heart rate, she is able to go about her normal, daily routine.

If you have been affected by this story, please contact the Birth Trauma Association at birthtraumaassociation.org.uk

For help and support with perinatal mental illness, contact PANDAS on 0808 1961 776