Libby Trickett welcomes fifth baby after ‘volatile’ pregnancy

Australian swimming great Libby Trickett has given birth to her fifth child.

The four-time Olympic gold medallist and her husband Luke were already parents to Poppy, nine, Edwina, seven, Bronte, five, and Alfred, one.

But after a fifth, Trickett says “the shape of our family is complete”.

“He’s here,” Trickett wrote in a lengthy Instagram post on Sunday.

“Archie Wilson Lightning Trickett arrived at 7.51am on the 3rd of April via an elective caesarean birth, weighing 3.99kg and 53cm long.

“(Definitely promise it’s for reals this time! I’m really *almost* certain this time.. though I’ve come to realise that I probably would have babies forever, I know that I’ve pushed my body to its absolute limits with this one).

“Every birth I’ve had has been extraordinary and this one was no different. Calm, full of joy and laughter, I couldn’t have asked for a better way to meet our baby boy.

“Archie is already getting suitably smothered by his three big sisters and big brother. We have all been struck with love

“Just as a fun fact: we didn’t find out the sex of the baby for any of our pregnancies, and I literally guessed the gender of every single one of my children, wrong. I didn’t predict a single one and I feel so lucky because I couldn’t have wished for more.”

The post was flooded with messages of congratulations from friends and fans.

Ash Barty wrote: “What a little superstar. Congratulations all around.”

Another fan added: “Congratulations Libby, enjoy those early days, you already know how fast they grow. Love the name too.”

Speaking just over a week ago, the 40-year-old said her fifth pregnancy had been tough.

“Really limping to the end of this one,” she said.

“Each kick and roll either feels like I’m being kneaded like some sort of artisanal sour dough, from the inside or that I’m in that iconic scene from Alien where the alien bursts through the stomach, there’s not much in between.

“Fun fact, I’ve had gestational hypertension (high blood pressure) in all of my pregnancies.

“It meant I was induced early for my first two pregnancies and I’ve been medicated for my last three pregnancies.

“But this one has been the most volatile for sure. Also, the pitting oedema has been swell.

“And just for those playing along at home who may have followed for a while, I didn’t manage to get through any of my pregnancies with my toe nails intact.”