Louise Thompson’s fiancé Ryan Libbey says he went into ‘survival mode’ after her traumatic birth before a conversation with his dad made him realise he needed help

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As someone who’s seen a lot of families navigate challenging times, I can really relate to Ryan Libbey’s experience after Louise Thompson’s difficult birth. He’s described going into ‘survival mode,’ which is so understandable when you’re thrown into a crisis. It took a really honest conversation with his dad for him to recognize that he needed support himself, and that’s a huge step. It’s a reminder that taking care of yourself is crucial, even – and especially – when you’re caring for someone else.

Louise, a 35-year-old advocate for women’s health and maternity rights, had a life-threatening birth experience in 2021. After an emergency C-section while giving birth to her son, Leo, she lost a significant amount of blood – twelve and a half liters.

As a longtime follower, it broke my heart to hear about what Millie went through. She shared that the terrible complications from her birth led to PTSD, and honestly, it explained so much. She said for six whole months after Leo was born, she was just in survival mode, completely focused on getting through each day – bonding with him had to wait until she felt strong enough to really be there.

Ryan, 35, recently shared how he stepped up to be both a mother and father figure during Leo’s first year, and also became the main caregiver for Louise. He discussed these experiences on the CBeebies show, Parenting Download, with Professor Green.

The first year was incredibly difficult for Ryan, and he felt like he was just trying to get through each day. Eventually, his father stepped in and encouraged him to seek help for himself, his son, and the whole family.

He explained that his experience of becoming a father wasn’t at all what he’d imagined or hoped for.

The first year after Louise was born, I unexpectedly became her main caregiver. She was very sick for over a year, and we spent that time going to a lot of medical appointments – both at the hospital and at home. We had different medical teams visiting almost every day to monitor her condition.

I won’t describe the unpleasant details, but we experienced many difficult moments at home that I still remember vividly. It’s like those experiences left a lasting emotional impact from that first year.

He explained that while caring for Louise and offering as much support as possible, he was also a new parent. This meant he was handling all the usual baby care – nighttime feedings, diaper changes, and walks – effectively taking on both parental roles.

Ryan described his first year as incredibly challenging. He said it was more than just difficult – he felt like he was simply trying to get through it, day by day.

I remember talking to my dad on a park bench in Mayfair after about 11 months. It was clear he’d put a lot of effort into arranging the conversation, and it was basically him saying I was struggling and offering to help in any way he could.

Ryan shared that he spent four days traveling to get some space and work on improving his life, and he’s grateful he did, as he felt he was heading down a negative path.

Following a Christmas Eve spent in the hospital due to her health issues, Louise expressed her gratitude to the NHS for their care and support.

Following a difficult childbirth where she nearly died while giving birth to her son, Leo, Louise developed PTSD and post-natal anxiety. She has since been diagnosed with Lupus and Asherman’s syndrome, experienced another serious hemorrhage, and now relies on a stoma bag.

After a difficult childbirth, she became emotionally withdrawn and was placed on suicide watch as a precaution.

She updated her fans on Wednesday with a photo of herself in a hospital gown, explaining she’d had a proctoscopy. She described it as similar to a colonoscopy, but less invasive since she doesn’t have a colon, limiting how far the camera could go.

‘Still bloody awkward and a tiny bit uncomfortable but fentanyl is a wonder drug.’

It made me want to express my sincere gratitude to all the NHS staff working during the bank holidays.

The former actress finished by expressing gratitude for everyone who kept the country running and protected our families.

Earlier this year, Ryan shared the difficult details of Louise’s struggle with postpartum depression after she gave birth to their son, Leo.

On the Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast with Giovanna Fletcher, Ryan revealed they had a crisis team visiting frequently. He explained this was essentially a suicide watch, as his wife had completely withdrawn emotionally.

That’s really frightening, and I’m still trying to come to terms with it. I immediately knew I needed to look at it from a different perspective.

It was heartbreaking to realize Louise was suffering, and I didn’t fully grasp what she was going through at the time.

You know, when I see someone truly overwhelmed, it’s like they just…disintegrate a little. They stop fighting what’s happening and just let it wash over them. It’s a complete surrender, and honestly, it’s a very human response to intense shock. You can see all the strength just drain away, and they’re left with…well, just a shell of themselves.

She had lost, and it made sense. She must have been completely drained, and her body was likely changed and achy.

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2025-12-30 13:10