Emily Seebohm has issued a plea on social media after revealing she is on the verge of a ‘breakdown’ over her son.
The 33-year-old former Olympian and mother of one revealed in a new video that her two-and-a-half-year-old boy, Sampson, is struggling to settle into a sleep routine.
‘I have never had problems with Sampson’s sleep,’ Emily said in the TikTok video, after asking fellow mums for advice.
‘[Sampson] had always been a great sleeper. But recently, he has decided to not be a great sleeper.
After admitting that she needed some ‘me time’, the champion swimmer added, ‘I’m just really struggling, and I’m literally going to have mental breakdowns.’
Elsewhere in the chat, Emily revealed that her boy, who she shares with her ex, former Married at First Sight groom Ryan Gallagher, rarely gets to sleep before 9pm.
Emily Seebohm has issued a plea on social media after revealing she is on the verge of a ‘breakdown’ over her son Sampson
‘Sampson had always been a great sleeper. But recently, he has decided to not be a great sleeper,’ she said
Sampson is also refusing to take a daytime nap.
‘He either wants me there or lying with him… that seems to be the only way he can go to sleep,’ she said.
Emily’s followers filled her message box with advice after she posted the emotional clip two weeks ago.
‘He could be over tired,’ suggested one dad, while another follower added, ‘Drop the nap and do 6pm bedtime or even earlier, when the nap is getting dropped.
Several people on Emily’s post said that the Brisbane-based mum’s decision to co-parent with her ex might be impacting Sampson’s ability to settle at night.
‘I don’t want to get into your personal stuff, but it could be related to going back and forth?’ said one follower.
‘Having different expectations at mummy’s place & daddy’s place? Maybe he just misses you and doesn’t want to sleep without you?’ they continued.
It comes after Emily recently clapped back after a troll slammed her for allowing her son to sit on the lap of her new partner in a family Christmas photo.
Emily shares her son with former Married at First Sight groom Ryan Gallagher
It comes after Emily recently clapped back after a troll slammed her for allowing her son to sit on the lap of her new partner in a family Christmas photo. (Pictured left: Emily’s new boyfriend, Brandon Caust)
The image shows the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here star posing with Sampson, in a sweet Santa portrait.
The pair are accompanied by Emily’s new boyfriend, Brandon Caust, with the toddler choosing to sit on Brandon’s lap.
Emily posted the photo to Instagram over the festive holiday with the simple caption ‘Merry Christmas’.
However, not everyone loved it, with one follower commenting: ‘I actually find this disrespectful to your son’s father.
‘Sure, have a photo together, but have your boy sit on your lap.’
The athlete was quick to reply: ‘Thanks for the feedback, but my son chose where he wanted to sit. It’s not about anyone apart from him.’
A second comment from the same troll read: ‘Oh, I thought you were the adult and should teach your son about feelings and appearances.’
Emily did not offer a second reply, but added in a caption on Instagram Stories: ‘Wow, some people’ alongside a facepalm emoji.
Ryan, who was engaged to Emily in March 2023, confirmed their split in November 2025.
Only weeks later, Emily hard-launched her romance with Brandon, an indoor cricketer she met while filming reality show The Challenge Australia.
