MAFS baby! Adam and Tayah Aveling share pregnancy joy one year after second wedding

When Adam and Tayah Aveling first locked eyes – on their wedding day, might we add – they could never have expected how their lives would turn out. "Sometimes I still need to pinch myself about how we actually met,” Tayah, 28, laughs during our exclusive photoshoot. Back in 2021, Adam and Tayah first met as total strangers on the hit E4 series, Married at First Sight UK, but these days the pair are arguably the show’s biggest success story.

Going from strength to strength, not only did they welcome daughter, Beau, in October 2022, they also tied the knot for a second time in December last year. And now they have some more very exciting news to share – the couple are expecting a second baby. “Baby number two is on its way,” 29-year-old Adam, who is secretly hoping for a boy, smiles.

Although Tayah is 20 weeks pregnant and glowing when we catch up at their home in Doncaster – the very same abode that Adam brought his wife back to during homestay week on MAFS – she tells us that the first trimester was a tough time. “I was so tired and felt really sick. I was never physically sick when I was having Beau, but it’s a constant feeling this time around,” she explains, ahead of her due date in April 2025. “I’m starting to feel better now, though.” Here, the happy couple open up about life after MAFS, their Christmas plans and how they’ll cope juggling life with two very young kids…

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Hi Adam and Tayah! Congratulations – can you remember when you found out you were expecting?

Tayah: Thank you. I took a test a few weeks after I first had a feeling I was pregnant – and it was positive right away.

Adam: You actually did one about a month before then, because you had a gut feeling. But it was too early to tell and it came up ‘not pregnant’.

Tayah: That’s right, so, yeah, I technically took two tests! We got the positive result when we were visiting my parents and I had to tell my mum right away – she actually took me to buy the test [laughs].

It was a mix of emotions for us, obviously excited but nervous, too.

Were you trying for a baby?

Adam: We were sort of... trying but not trying – if that makes sense. This year has been a busy one and we weren’t sure if we wanted to move house first and then have a second baby, or vice versa. We put our house on the market at the start of the year, but things fell through, so we decided to stay here and try for a second baby. Throughout our whole relationship we’ve sort of winged things and then deal with what comes next.

How has the pregnancy been so far?

Tayah: The first trimester was really hard and, while I’m still not feeling 100%, I’m definitely a lot better than I was. I couldn’t keep anything down and I’m still struggling with my sense of smell. Everything is heightened to extremes and even the smallest smell is making me feel very sick. I usually love perfume but I just can’t wear mine at the minute, which is annoying. I’m hoping it goes back to normal when the baby is here.

Tayah, have you found it difficult being pregnant and also running around after a little one?

Tayah: Not having the energy or being able to do what I usually do with Beau has been really hard. There’s been times where all I’ve wanted to do is just lay on the sofa and not move. Adam has really been helping me out though, he’s taken on the roles of both mum and dad, to be honest. I love that we’ve really worked together as a team.

Now you’re feeling better, are you hoping to be more active?

Tayah: Absolutely. Before I got pregnant, I was doing a lot of Pilates and it’s something that I can keep doing even now. During my first trimester, I didn’t do much exercise because of my symptoms but I feel well enough now to get back into it. I didn’t really keep active when I was pregnant with Beau, but it’s something I’d like to do this time around. Even just to get out the house and do something for me. Plus, fitness is a huge thing for my mental health.

Are you finding out the gender? Do you have any predictions or hopes?

Adam: We’re both too impatient to not find out [laughs].

Tayah: I think Adam would quite like a boy.

Adam: I’ve always said I’d like one, but I wouldn’t complain if it was another girl because Beau is just incredible.

Tayah: He’s a really good girl dad. I think there’s pros and cons to both, though. I have a sister and I know what it’s like to be able to share clothes and have that sisterly bond. But then, it’d be lovely to see Adam with a little boy – even if that would mean a new challenge and learning things all over again.

Adam: As long as they’re happy and healthy, I guess that’s all that matters.

What about a birth plan – do you have one in place?

Tayah: So, with Beau, I kind of just went along with whatever the professionals recommended and I’m doing the same for this baby. I did want an epidural with Beau, but I was too far on to get one, so I’d say that’s probably the only thing I’d maybe ask for. I would like to have a natural birth but if it happens that I need a C-section, then it wouldn’t bother me. I just want whatever is the safest way to bring my baby into the world. I’m trying not to overthink too much because that’s when I’ll get stressed.

Is Beau excited to be a big sister?

Adam: I think so, yeah! When we first told her, she was only one, whereas now Beau is at an age where she sort of understands and is aware of what is going on. She’s getting more and more used to it, the more we talk about it.

Tayah: She’ll point at my tummy and know a baby is inside it, it’s so sweet. And she loves babies, whenever there’s one on TV or she sees one in the street, she’ll try to give them her dummy. She’s a very caring little girl. We can’t wait to see her reaction when the baby is actually here.

Are you excited for them to grow up close in age?

Adam: Absolutely. I love hearing the stories from my mum and dad about the first time I met my brothers or they met me. I can’t wait for that moment – and also bringing the baby home for the first time. It’ll be so special.

Tayah: And the good thing is, we know what we’re doing the second time round. I think we’ll feel more prepared and less anxious. I didn’t know what to expect with Beau – you can read all the books in the world but nothing actually prepares you until they’re here. That’s when you learn.

Are you worried about the lack of sleep having two kids of similar ages?

Tayah: I’d take newborn tired over pregnancy tired any day [laughs]. That is a whole other level, you just have absolutely no energy and your body is working overtime to obviously grow a child. Whereas, when you’re looking after a newborn, your adrenaline kicks in and you go into superpower mode.

Adam: When you first have a baby, it feels like that’s the hardest stage, but it only gets harder. When they’re newborns, they just eat and sleep.

What are you looking forward to the most?

Tayah: Everything, really. With Beau, I felt like I couldn’t really soak anything in, I was so anxious all of the time. It’s been quite a process mentally and it’s really only in the last six months that I’ve felt better. I’m looking forward to being in a newborn bubble and just enjoying every minute. I said at the beginning of this pregnancy that I’m determined to enjoy it – until the sickness kicked in [laughs]. With Beau, I felt fine physically but struggled mentally, whereas now I am positive but feel horrific.

You got married for a second time last Christmas – did it bring you closer together? And would you consider a third wedding?

Adam: We’ve always been close, but our second wedding was more like a big family celebration. Tay and I already felt like we were married anyway, even if our scenario was a bit strange.

Tayah: Yeah, the second wedding didn’t change too much. We felt like husband and wife when we left MAFS – but I wouldn’t say no to a third wedding [laughs]. I actually struggled a bit with our wedding last year, I still wasn’t mentally in the best place [after having Beau], I wish I could have just soaked up the moment.

Speaking of MAFS, your life has really changed since being on the show...

Tayah: It’s crazy, isn’t it? We were talking about it the other day, actually. How we both had a gut feeling that it would be a positive experience for us. But if someone told me when I was applying that I’d meet my legal husband and the father of my children, I wouldn’t have believed them.

Did you tune into this year’s series?

Tayah: We didn’t really follow it on TV, but I did see some bits on social media. It’s a big commitment to watch it every night [laughs]. I heard that it was, eh, firework season! Adam and I were saying that we’re glad we did it before sharing everything on social media was necessarily a thing. Everything I see on TikTok is just people speaking negatively about the cast. I do feel for them, I think that must be tough. We do open ourselves up to criticism, but I think there’s a fine line.

What are your plans for Christmas?

Tayah: We’re really looking forward to a relaxed Christmas – last year was a bit up in the air because we got married on 28 December. It was full focus on the wedding and, although we’ll be celebrating our first anniversary, this one we’ll be spending time with family.

Shoot producer: Will Perry, photographer: David Cummings, photographer’s assistant: Julia Presern, stylist: Charlotte Burton, hair & make-up: Fiona Florczak, props stylist: Nicole Owen, video: Cheolan Jeong