Lottie Tomlinson on 'difficult' pregnancy as she prepares for second baby with footballer Lewis Burton

Lottie Tomlinson says her second pregnancy has been very different to her first, as she chats about marriage plans, dealing with grief, and her supportive siblings

Lottie Tomlinson, the influencer and sister of ex-One Direction member Louis, is buzzing with excitement as she's expecting her second child - a baby girl with her fiancé Lewis Burton. During an exclusive chat, the glowing soon-to-be mum of two cheerfully admits, "I'm just... pregnant. Busy, tired and very pregnant! " It's no shock that she's feeling both the fatigue and the thrill.

The 26-year-old ambassador for fashion brand Red Run is juggling work, motherhood to her two-year-old son Lucky, and preparing for their new family member due in just three months. "My pregnancy has definitely been a different experience because I’ve got a very active two-year-old this time,” Lottie told OK!

“I think the first time I really took being able to rest and prepare for the baby for granted. But this time around, it has felt so much quicker.” Confessing that the pregnancy so far "has flown by", Lottie seems more at ease with it second time around. "It's nice because you've got the knowledge that you've learnt the first time around, so I know exactly what I need. It's a different kind of experience when you've got a two-year-old to chase around while also trying to grow another one! ".

She is also absolutely buzzing at the thought of welcoming a baby girl into their brood, and hubby Lewis, 32, is keen on balancing the scales, hoping for a daddy's girl since their son Lucky is such a "mummy's boy". She told OK!: "Lewis is really excited and looking forward to being a girl dad because Lucky is a mummy's boy. So, he's hoping that this one will be a daddy's girl. But as Lucky has gotten older, he's really bonded loads with Lewis. We're both just excited to be a family of four. We can't wait."

Lottie, who grew up with six siblings, added: "I think [this pregnancy] is more enjoyable because I know I'm giving [Lucky] a sibling, which was the biggest reason I wanted to do it again. I've got so many siblings and they all mean so much to me, so I really want to create that within my family."

As she embraces the journey of expanding her family, she's also coping with the absence of her beloved mum, Johannah Deakin, and sister, Félicité. Johannah sadly lost her fight with cancer in December 2016, and just two years on, Félicité tragically passed away at 18 due to an accidental overdose.

Lottie has bravely faced these heartbreaks and found a way towards acceptance, sharing, "I feel like I'm at a comfortable stage with grief. I don't think you ever get over it or are 'not grieving'. When you suffer losses as big as mine and lose people who were that close in your life, you don't get over that. You just work to get to a more comfortable stage with the feeling. I think accepting what's happened has been a big thing for me. Sometimes, you don't feel like you're ever going to get to that point. But I have. Now, I can be happy and really channel that."

She credits therapy as a pivotal part of her healing process, particularly after Félicité's death. Lottie reflects, "At the beginning, when I lost my mum, I'd never suffered grief or loss like that at all. To go into it with the loss of a parent was so intense and so heavy, you don't think you're going to get over it. You feel like your whole life is going to be defined by that - and you'll never be happy again. I definitely remember having days where I couldn't envisage a happy life ever again. Definitely not one as happy as I am now."

Lottie shares an incredibly tight-knit relationship with her siblings Louis, Ernest, Phoebe, Daisy and Doris, drawing immense strength from their unity. She openly states, "As a family, we're just really close. After what we've been through, we've gotten even closer because we've had to lean on each other so much. I think that's why I want a big family and I value having such a big family because there's always been someone to lean on since there are so many of us. We can rally together and just be there for each other."

The invaluable support of Lottie’s fiancé Lewis, who she met in 2020 and who popped the question last year in Paris, has been crucial in her journey. "Lewis is so supportive. You've got to have that with a partner because life can get really hard and we're able to support each other through it. I definitely rely on him, mostly, as my biggest support system," Lottie confides.

While they're fully immersed in family life, Lottie hinted that wedding bells aren't ringing just yet, as they want to focus on their second child first. "Getting engaged was really special for us. We always knew we wanted to get married and be a proper family but then we also had the feeling of wanting another baby. So, we decided to put the wedding plans on the back burner. We're still looking into the wedding, I think next year we'll really pick up on plans and start getting dates in," Lottie revealed, mentioning the possibility of a destination wedding abroad.

In addition to baby prep, Lottie is juggling work commitments and has recently backed Red Run's latest fashion line, Founders' Club. The brand has teamed up with Mental Health UK for this launch, a cause very dear to Lottie due to her own experiences with mental health.

"I've had personal experiences of grief which have impacted my mental health, so I know the importance of looking after your mind and having that help out there, it's something I've always really appreciated. So I'm really honoured to be a part of this campaign."

She beams as she discusses her passion project, adding, "It's always nice when there's a different element to a brand. The fact they have come up with this initiative to raise so much money for mental health means the world to me."