Fleur East calls out double standards around parenting as she opens up about juggling her career with motherhood: 'There's no such thing as dad guilt!'

Fleur East has called out the double standards around parenting as she opened up about juggling her career with motherhood.The radio DJ and singer, 39, who originally shot to fame as a finalist on The X Factor, welcomed daughter Nova with her husband Marcel Badiane-Robin in March 2024.When she's not busy as a mother, Fleur is hosting the weekday Hits Radio Breakfast Show alongside co-hosts James Barr and Will Best.She is also co-running her own natural curly haircare brand, Kurl Kitchen, alongside her sister Keshia, which is stocked nationwide in Boots. While she has been open in the past about feeling 'mum guilt', Fleur has now hit back at the double standards around parenting and said that she and Marcel share the workload. She exclusively told the Daily Mail: 'It's always mum guilt and not dad guilt. That really frustrates me. Fleur East has called out the double standards around parenting as she opened up about juggling her career with motherhood The radio DJ and singer, 39, who originally shot to fame as a finalist on The X Factor, welcomed daughter Nova with her husband Marcel Badiane-Robin in March 2024'I'm also frustrated by the fact that whenever I'm out doing something, people ask, "Oh, where's your daughter?"'She's with the other person who helped create her! There are two people in this.'Whenever my husband has her, no one's asking him where the baby is. So I've just tried to ignore that, to be honest.'Someone once said to me that it doesn't matter how much time you spend with your kids; it's about the intention you have when you do spend time with them. It's about being present.'She continued: 'If I only get to do bedtime four times in a week, I make sure that during that time my phone isn't on me. I'm reading as many books as she wants, getting her into bed and getting all the cuddles in.'I think the more quality time you spend with them, the more they'll remember.'Fleur manages to balance her successful career with being a mother, but not without the help of those around her.When asked how she manages to do it, she explained: 'By tapping into my village, my community. That's the only way I can do it, to be honest.'Even today, my husband's working, so I've got my daughter with my mum. If it's not my mum, it's my sister; if it's not my sister, it's my mother-in-law; if it's not my mother-in-law, it's my auntie.'If it's not them, it's a friend. That's the only way I can function, to be honest.' When she's not busy as a mother, Fleur is hosting the weekday Hits Radio Breakfast Show alongside co-hosts James Barr and Will BestThe star elaborated: 'During the first few weeks of becoming a mum, all my family were around the house. 'At one point, I hadn't even changed a nappy, and I think it was about five days in. 'I thought, "This is embarrassing, actually. I don't know how to change a nappy. This is going to look really bad!"'So I was like, "Guys, can you just let me do something? Let me try!"'They would hand her over to me when I needed to breastfeed, and that was pretty much it. 'But I'm grateful for that time because I had a moment to check in with myself and realise what had actually happened to me.'Fleur hopes that her determination to pursue her dreams encourages her daughter to do the same as she grows up.She said: 'I hope she learns that anything she wants to pursue is possible, as long as she works hard enough. 'I want to be an example that if you work hard, you'll reap the rewards.'And on the topic of children, Fleur revealed that she would 'love' to grow her family even more.The hitmaker said: ' I would love to. I'd love to have another child. But I don't take for granted the fact that I'm blessed enough to have one. These things aren't a given.'My husband and I would love to grow our family, but we're also very grateful that we have one child and that we've been blessed to be on this journey of parenthood.'Growing up with a sister who is like my best friend, I'd love to be able to give that to my daughter as well. That would be a beautiful thing.' Elsewhere, Fleur has teamed up with SMA® Nutrition to search for Britain's smallest bandElsewhere, Fleur has teamed up with SMA® Nutrition to search for Britain's smallest band. A baby’s tummy can produce an impressive soundtrack of rumbles, bubbles, gurgles and squeaks. However, new research from SMA® Nutrition reveals that 80 per cent of adults are unaware of just how many different sounds a baby’s tummy can make.With that, only 35 per cent of parents recognise that tummy noises can be a normal part of digestion.SMA® Nutrition has teamed up with Fleur to launch Tummy Talent, a nationwide search for babies whose natural tummy sounds will help create a new track. Selected little ones will come together as Britain’s Smallest Band, joining the hitmaker in the studio to record their rumbles, gurgles and squeaks.Speaking about being part in the campaign, Fleur said: 'As a mum, I know how quickly a tiny noise can make you wonder whether everything is okay. Babies’ tummies have a soundtrack all of their own, so I love that SMA® Nutrition and I are turning those brilliant rumbles and gurgles into something positive. 'I can’t wait to meet our smallest musicians, get into the studio and help create a song that celebrates what their busy little tummies can do.'The project forms part of SMA® Nutrition’s commitment to making infant gut health easier to understand.Ellie Grove, Scientific Development Manager at SMA® Nutrition, added: 'Our research shows that common tummy noises can still cause uncertainty. 'Tummy Talent turns those sounds into something positive, bringing babies together as Britain’s Smallest Band while helping families access clear, trusted information about a developing digestive system and when to seek professional advice.'SMA® Nutrition and Fleur East are inviting parents to submit their baby’s tummy sounds via the SMA Baby Club website by midnight on November17, as part of a nationwide search to create Britain’s Smallest Band and a one-of-a-kind track.