Brooke McClymont: Meet my rock star baby

Brooke McClymont introduces daughter Tiggy. Photo: New Idea

She’s got a rock star name, is surrounded by musicians and will soon hit the road for her first national tour, so needless to say, Tiggy Heart Eckersley has all the makings of a future superstar.

And the tiny daughter of country singer Brooke McClymont and her musician husband Adam Eckersley is already keeping ‘muso hours’, according to her parents.

‘She lets us sleep in,’ laughs Brooke, who along with her sisters Samantha and Mollie form the award-winning trio The McClymonts.

Adam, who also has a five-year-old son called Harry, adds: ‘It is good training [for a baby] being a musician because you’re used to sleeping when you can and can power off on no sleep. Tiggy is on muso hours! She feeds at 6am and sleeps again until 9 and then we all get up as normal.’

When New Idea visits the happy couple and little Tiggy at home on the NSW Central Coast, it’s clear they are relishing some downtime with their new arrival, who made her debut at Newcastle Private Hospital on November 21.

‘I’m really enjoying it,’ says Brooke as she feeds her daughter.

‘She’s such a good little baby. We sing to her and talk to her... It will be good [if she is musical] but it doesn’t matter if she’s not. She will definitely be influenced by music, though, because that’s what Adam and I do.’

Tiggy’s arrival has capped off a stellar – and exceptionally busy – year for The McClymonts, who completed two Australian tours, a US tour and released a new album.

They also took out Best Country Album for Two Worlds Collide at the ARIA Awards on November 29, which Brooke watched on TV at home with Tiggy.

While just reading their schedule for 2012 would make most people weary, a pregnant Brooke, 31, didn’t miss a single concert, slept on a tour bus and rocked out in her high heels right up until giving birth.

‘I didn’t get any morning sickness,’ Brooke admits.

‘I got no cravings.... Nothing changed – I just got a belly. I was waiting and waiting for the morning sickness to take over but it never happened. [Touring] kept me busy.’

Siblings Sam, 26, and Mollie, 25, are in awe of their sister, who found out she was expecting in March, just before the band’s Australian tour. Following that, the girls flew to the US, where they performed 30 shows in
10 weeks, before returning home for a second Aussie tour!

‘She made it look really easy,’ Sam says.

‘We didn’t have to cancel one show. It could have been quite disastrous if people bought tickets and then we couldn’t do a show, but Brooke was a trooper. She would still sign every night after the shows, too.’

Mollie agrees: ‘She was the easiest pregnant woman we’ve ever dealt with. She didn’t ever complain – even when her ankles were swollen!’

Despite Brooke’s drama-free pregnancy, Tiggy’s arrival – five days before her due date – was difficult. Wanting a natural birth, Brooke was in labour for a gruelling 14 hours before having an emergency caesarean.

‘I had the best pregnancy but the finale went out with a bang,’ she says. ‘I got to 10cm [dilated] and then it should have taken 20 minutes of pushing, but she just wasn’t coming.

‘They ended up getting the forceps and then the suction... The suction cap ended up coming off, it sucked off her head. I couldn’t even cry I was in so much pain. I had the worst time.’

Exhausted, Brooke agreed to the doctor’s recommendation of a C-section and little Tiggy arrived into the world at 3.50pm, weighing a healthy 3.18kg.

Originally liking the name Tiger, the pair thought up their daughter’s unusual moniker during a conversation with Mollie one night in Nashville. Both agree the name Tiggy Heart suits her perfectly.

‘If she gets her mum’s personality, she will totally smash that name,’ says Adam, who has just signed a deal with Universal Music. ‘She’ll wear it well.’

Relaxed and as funny as ever, Brooke is a natural mum.

‘I see her in a different light now,’ Sam says. ‘When we went to the hospital, she was so natural. I thought all of us would be quite awkward because we haven’t had babies around us but Brooke picked it up straight away.’

After their first family Christmas with Tiggy, the sisters will hit the stage at the Tamworth Country Music Festival next month.

The band’s newest fan will be at the side of the stage, wearing her little earmuffs – a gift from her Aunty Mollie.

‘Now we’ve won the ARIA, we are so excited about getting back into it,’ Brooke says.

‘I am looking forward to taking Tiggy on the road. I’m going to have to be a bit more organised as I’m not the most organised person, but it will be fun. She’ll be a road baby.’

While Mollie and Sam – both in long-term relationships – are delighted their niece will join them on tour next year, neither are ready to give her any cousins.

‘She’s very addictive,’ laughs Sam.

‘It’s as close as you can get to having your own baby – but you can hand her back!’

By Amy Mills

Magazine credits

Photos: Katie Nolan
Romper suit with cupcake: Gerber @ Baby Dino
Frill bottoms: Zeebru @ Baby Dino
Yellow top: Fabrik
Pink cowboy shoes: Cowboy Jack @ Baby Dino

Baby wearing:
Heart romper: Gerber @ Baby Dino
Frill bottoms: Zeebru @ Baby Dino

Babydino www.babydino.com.au