Actress Helen Flanagan has revealed the 'mum guilt' she felt leaving her daughter for the first time to go back to work.
Speaking exclusively to OK! magazine, the soap star opened up about finding it difficult to leave her one-year-old daughter Matilda to further pursue her acting career.
Helen is known for her role as Rosie Webster in Coronation Street, which she took a break from in 2012. Now, five years later she is returning to the show but has had to get to grips with being a working mum.
The 26 year old explained that she does feel 'mum guilt' when leaving her little one and has asked her mum to help out with childcare.
'My mum is doing most of the childcare but I did get a bit of 'mum guilt' when I first had to leave her to go back to Corrie. I've never felt anything like that before'
The actress even admitted there have been times when she worries she's a bad mother for returning to work.
'Then I thought I'm not doing anything wrong - just because I'm going to work doesn't mean that I'm a bad mum.'
As any mother will know, leaving your child for the first time can feel traumatic, and for Helen being separated from Matilda brought her to tears.
'I cried the first day I dropped her off at nursery.'
But for the TV star it's all about finding a balance between work and home life, catching moments with her daughter when she can.
'If I'm filming late, she might have gone to bed before I get home. She sleeps in my bed though so I can cuddle her.'
'But I learn all my scripts at work so when I get home, it's time to spend with Matilda.'
Helen shares Matilda with boyfriend Scott Sinclair and the pair have big plans for a bigger family.
'We definitely want more. I think we want to wait until Matilda is four years old. We love her more than anything but she is definitely enough for us at the moment.'
Helen started dating footballer Scott in 2009 and admits that she often gets asked about when the couple will become engaged.
'Now that we have Matilda, people are always asking us when we are going to get married.
'I think every relationship is different. We'll get married when the time is right.'
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