Madeleine West shocked fans by revealing she is expecting her seventh child earlier this month.
And on Sunday, the Neighbours star, 45, showed off her huge baby bump as she relaxed on the water’s edge.
In the caption, Madeleine reminisced on her career as a young actor before stating she is now a ‘lot older and a little wiser’.
‘Isn’t age (and perspective) a wonderful thing? A pic of this nature isn’t usually my thing these days, if it ever was,’ she began.
‘As a young actor I cut my teeth in an era when baring a bit of flesh got you places, and if you had brains you better keep them well concealed.’
‘I spent far too long punishing, pimping and editing myself to fit within impossible, unhealthy, idiotic stereotypes.’
Madeleine continued: ‘I didn’t quite sell my soul to rock and roll but I certainly fed my demons by denying myself, parading around a fractured, filtered, fabricated facsimile of the truth because the truth is, I had no idea who I was.’
She said ‘things have changed’ and she is now ‘a lot older and a little wiser’.
‘I have lumps, and bumps, bulgy veins, chicken legs, grumpy moods, greys, baggy bits, saggy bits, nose hairs and raging flatulence,’ she continued.
‘Yet I’ve never felt more BEAUTIFUL. Never felt more fully MYSELF than I do now. Age, I might not be managing it gracefully, but I’m embracing it gratefully.’
Madeleine announced she is pregnant with her seventh child – a decade on from her most recent birth – earlier this month.
The Neighbours star revealed the surprising news on Instagram, sharing a photo of her growing bump in a tight-fitting tank top that was lifted to reveal her bare tummy.
‘WHOOPS!’ she captioned her post. ‘Thought it was #perimenopause. I thought WRONG!’
‘It’s not too much Christmas pudding either. And I couldn’t be happier.
‘Not too sure about the title ‘Geriatric mum’ but here we are, and I’m winding back a little to grow this little surprise package I’ve dubbed. (Baby number 7, couldn’t help myself).
‘I don’t have much more to say right now, but I’ve noticed I don’t hear much about older parents. l know you must be out there. Just seems we are invisible.’
The actress sought advice for a 40s mother from her followers as she prepares for her seventh pregnancy.
‘So if you’re expecting later than expected, and tackling early in your 40s or 50s, I’d LOVE hear your stories,’ she added.
‘I’d love any tips you care to share. Like how the heck do you get all the #baby paraphernalia together again after you’ve given it all away????
‘There’s a terrifying new world of contraptions out there and I don’t know where to start!! HELP!!!’
