They were able to keep their cool on My Kitchen Rules, but sitting down with New Idea after coming from her most recent ultrasound, Courtney Ferdinands and her mum Valerie couldn’t hide their excitement as they revealed Courtney is expecting her first baby in April.
WATCH: Courtney and Valerie serve up eye-watering curry on MKR
“We had one of the scans that measures everything from head to toe, it looks like a fully formed baby now, not a little tadpole,” she laughs. “I’m so excited to meet the little one.”
Courtney tied the knot with her beau, Daniel, in November last year, and the couple didn’t waste any time starting their family. “We were planning. We knew that we wanted to have children and there was a lot of pushing from mum,” she teases.
“We went on our honeymoon and the baby was made in Italy. When we came back, I had missed a period and, what do you know, I was pregnant!”
Courtney and Daniel wanted to find out the baby’s gender as soon as they could, however, she was shocked to discover they were having a girl.
“I was 110 percent sure it was a boy,” she reveals. “But Daniel predicted that it was a girl – I think he wanted a girl. He has grown up with lots of sisters, so he is over the moon.”
Valerie is also thrilled to welcome another girl ‒ and her first grandchild ‒ into the family.
“I can’t wait, I’ve got a lot of things to teach this baby,” she says. “I am so happy for a little girl because our family is full of independent women and I can’t wait to share my life’s recipes with her.”
And, for Courtney, telling her mum the news was an unforgettable moment.
“We missed Mum’s birthday because we were in Europe,” she says. “So we had a belated celebration for Mum, and I ended up wrapping up two of my pregnancy tests and gave them to mum and dad and said, ‘This is a gift we bought for you in Italy’. She opened it and was in shock but very happy.”
“I was screaming in the restaurant,” recalls Valerie. “My husband and I, we live for our children, and we are going to spoil this one rotten.”
“Daniel and I have a little dog called Harry and that dog is so spoilt,” adds Courtney.
“I have never seen my mum dote over something so much, so I can imagine when the baby comes along how spoilt she will be.”
Of course, Courtney will be turning to her mum for plenty of advice and perhaps the occasional babysitting.
“My mum has taught me to 
be strong and independent, keep traditions alive, and to be kind and considerate, and that’s what I want to pass on to my daughter as well.”
While Courtney is thrilled to be expecting, the pregnancy hasn’t always been easy, as she suffered terrible morning sickness in the early days.
In fact, it almost forced her to announce her pregnancy early as she struggled through the cooking demonstrations she and her mum do around the country.
“I’ve said to Mum, if the food sets me off and I have to run off, cover for me,” she shares. “But it’s settled now so I am back to eating normally.”
Of course, given Courtney and Valerie’s talent in the kitchen, one thing Courtney is hoping is that her daughter loves food and cooking.
“Both her parents are foodies and she will be surrounded by food, so she will have no option really,” laughs Courtney. “We will teach her to cook.”
Indeed, cooking is a skill that Courtney is hoping to pass on to future children as well.
“I would definitely like to have more,” she says. “I’ve always said three, that’s always been my number.”
For more, see this week’s New Idea – out now!
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
