Gently cradling her baby bump, former Home And Away beauty Esther Anderson is glowing with happiness.
She left Australia for a change of scene and new challenges, but Hollywood has delivered not only a ‘soulmate’ and husband – in the form of advertising executive Howard ‘Howie’ Moggs, 36 – but also a longed-for pregnancy. With their first baby due in July, 38-year-old Esther says: ‘We’re not spring chickens, but we’re so ready for parenthood!’
Had you been trying to get pregnant for a long time?
We weren’t actually trying the month I got pregnant, because I had a movie role. However, baby wanted to come join us! I was five months pregnant by the time we finished the film, so they were shooting around me, which was actually a lot of fun.
Wasn’t Gal Gadot pregnant while she was filming Wonder Woman?
[Laughs] Does that make me Wonder Woman as well?
How did you find out you were expecting a baby?
I wasn’t feeling very well just before Christmas and Howard was like: ‘Are you sure you’re not pregnant?’ So we sent out for a pregnancy test – in LA you can get everything home delivered – and the app on my phone showed a little sleigh getting closer and closer. So that’s how our baby news arrived, in a sleigh! It’s funny, because we met at a mutual friend’s Christmas party in 2014. Howie was wearing reindeer ears at the time and I had on a fur-trimmed Christmas playsuit.
Were there tears when the test proved positive?
I didn’t believe it at first, I was just in absolute shock and disbelief, so I had to do another test. It was mindblowing! There were lots of tears – oh yes –and at our first ultrasound when we saw the baby’s heartbeat.
Are you going to find out the baby’s sex?
No, we want to have a surprise, which doesn’t happen that often these days. We’re decorating the nursery in neutral shades, so it will work either way.
Do you have any preference as to whether it’s a girl or a boy?
I think maybe before we got pregnant, Howie might have been wanting a boy and I might have been wanting a girl. But as soon as we saw the heartbeat, any preferences went out the window. We don’t care, just as long as it’s healthy.
Has the baby got a nickname?
It’s just known as Baby Moggs. We’ve been saying it so much, we will probably still be calling it Baby Moggs next Christmas!
Do you have any names picked out?
We’ve chosen names we like most for both genders, but we’ll make sure they fit that person when the baby arrives. He or she will keep that name forever, so we have to put some thought into it!
Have you suffered from morning sickness?
Not anymore, thank goodness. I did at the beginning, and I remember saying to Howie: ‘Oh my goodness, this is like the longest hangover in the world!’ I had a bag full of snacks and I just ate and ate to stop feeling nauseous. But it only lasted for about a month, so I have been very lucky.
Do you have a birthing plan yet?
We’ve just met a gorgeous woman who is going to be our doula. She’s got a really great energy and is great at guiding both mum and dad through the birth. My sister had a hypnobirth and found it really amazing, so we’re looking into that.
Will you be staying in LA to raise your baby?
We will keep trusting that we are where we are meant to be. This is where the baby will be born. I still feel LA is where we are meant to be for now, but we’ll see. I’m Australian and Howie is English, so the baby might get three passports!
For the full interview see this weeks issue of New Idea – out now!
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