Australian Olympic swimming champion Emily Seebohm has offered a raw and unfiltered look into the emotional challenges of co-parenting, sharing a candid video about her Christmas experience that resonated with many parents.
A Christmas Day filled with emotion
On Christmas Day, the four-time Olympian took to TikTok to share a vulnerable moment, posting a clip of herself in tears. She admitted it was "hard" to spend both Christmas Eve and Christmas morning without her two-year-old son, Sampson. In the emotional video, Seebohm let her guard down, speaking openly about the difficulty of being separated from her young child during the festive season.
"Co-parenting, no baby for Christmas Eve and won’t get to wake up with him on Christmas morning," she wrote in the caption. "Feels like the magic is gone without him. It’s hard."
Her son had spent the lead-up to Christmas with his father, Seebohm's former partner and reality TV star Ryan Gallagher. The former couple met on the reality show The Challenge Australia in 2022, became engaged soon after, and welcomed Sampson in September 2023. Rumours of their split began circulating in April, with Gallagher confirming the separation in November after he revealed on Instagram he was back on the dating scene.
The reality of a reunited Christmas
In a follow-up post on Boxing Day, Seebohm revealed that while her son returned to her on Christmas morning, the day did not unfold as she had envisioned. She described a series of typical toddler challenges that many parents would recognise.
"Son came home for Christmas morning, had tantrum before even coming inside," Seebohm wrote. "Didn’t want to put on Christmas outfit. Didn’t want to go for breakfast."
She detailed how the day continued to unravel despite her best efforts. They arrived late to a family breakfast, and later, Sampson refused to open his presents. After a long day filled with more tantrums and a refusal to nap, the mood finally shifted in the early evening.
"Finally happy, having a swim and then Bluey," Seebohm shared. "9.30pm in bed and at 7.45am still asleep. Merry Christmas to me."
Support and moving forward
Followers quickly rallied around the retired swimmer, offering words of support and understanding. "Don’t be too hard on yourself," one person commented. "Kids can be difficult but these moments don’t last forever."
While this post highlighted a challenging day, Seebohm frequently shares the joyful aspects of motherhood on social media, often affectionately calling Sampson her "bestie." The mum-of-one appears to have moved on personally as well. On December 13, she posted a series of photos with her rumoured new partner, Brandon Caust, captioning the carousel of images simply: "Surprise."
Emily Seebohm retired from competitive swimming in late 2024, concluding a stellar career that spanned nearly two decades, included four Olympic Games, and brought numerous medals for Australia. Her candid sharing continues to connect her with fans in a new, relatable chapter of her life.
