Lleyton and Bec, baby is due in October.

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Baby for Lleyton and Bec

By Luke Dennehy and Leo Schlink

07may05

BEC Cartwright and fiance Lleyton Hewitt are expecting their first child. Hewitt's father, Glynn Hewitt, confirmed the pregnancy to the Herald Sun last night.

"We can confirm the news," he said. "We are tremendously excited and happy about it."

The baby is due in October.

The couple announced their engagement on February 1, the day after Hewitt lost the final of the Australian Open to Marat Safin in Melbourne.

They had been together for seven weeks before announcing the engagement, and recently bought a $4.5 million mansion in Sydney's Palm Beach.

Sources close to Cartwright said a wedding was expected in December after the baby was born.

She has been suffering morning sickness on the Home and Away set.

Before meeting Hewitt, Cartwright was engaged to former Home and Away actor Beau Brady.

At last Sunday night's Logies Hewitt did not leave Cartwright's side all night, and she did not pick up a drink, fuelling the rumours.

"I'm not drinking, I've been too busy," she said at the awards.

Cartwright wore a flowing Lisa Ho creation compared to her usual figure-hugging outfits that she has become known for at past Logies.

Accompanied by both couple's parents at the Channel 7 after-party at Pure South in Southbank, Hewitt once again did not leave his fiance's side.

At the party Cartwright also did not drink and the couple left early, Cartwright not socialising with her Home and Away cast mates.

Hewitt has been by Cartwright's side the past two months recovering from a foot injury as she continues her punishing schedule on the set of Home and Away in Sydney.

Hewitt is expected to return to the circuit representing Australia at the World Team Cup in Dusseldorf from May 15, before the French Open in Paris the week after.

Cartwright has been granted leave in June to head to London to watch Hewitt at Wimbledon.

After that the couple are scheduled to make a trip to the couple's planned orphanage for children affected by HIV/AIDS in northern Cambodia.

Cartwright was due to return to the set of Dancing With The Stars for a special showdown with this year's winner, Tom Williams, but pulled out at the last minute.

Sources told the Herald Sun her Home and Away contract is up for renewal at the end of the year and she is not likely to continue on the show. One source said Cartwright was the kind of girl who would give up her career for the time being for a strong and stable family life.

The couple are expected to make an appearance at a charity ball in Sydney tonight.

Queensland Newspapers