Courtney-anne emery smith

Please note - this mama chat mentions pre-eclampsia and birth trauma.

Tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m 24 and an Aries, all about self love and living your truth.

What were you doing before babies?

I worked in property management for the biggest real estate company in Canberra and have just gone back 3 days a week this a Tuesday.

How did you come to be a mum?

My partner and I own our own home, and are getting married and felt like it was the right time.

What has your feeding journey been like?

I had an emergency csection due to developing preeclampsia at 34 weeks, so I was only able to breast feed for 6 weeks. I had to move to formula feeding as I wasn’t making enough milk for Jax. It was hard and sad cause I felt like I didn’t get to bond with him.

What has sleep been like in your house?

Jaxson is such a champ he sleeps all night and if he does wake up it’s once and he goes right back down after a feed. He sleeps with his dinosaur jelly cat which we call Deano. God forbid we loose home we might not sleep if we do.

The hardest bits…

Having preeclampsia, my body changed even more as I carried a lot of fluid. I weighed 80kgs before I gave birth and I’m now almost 6 months pp and am back down to 60kg. I had an emergency c-section after being induced, as my heart was giving out and my blood pressure was far too high. I was going in daily for 5 weeks to be monitored as the doctors didn’t want to induce me as Jax was doing fine. I had 3 red calls during my time in hospital while being induced and during my c-section. I went through 2 bags of epidural and even had an early one, 2 extra ones prior to my c-section however, they failed and ended up with a spinal tap. It took 3 hours and they didn’t let my partner or mum know, until I was done there was complications. I lost 700ml of blood and they almost lost me on the table. I didn’t get to see Jax until 4 hrs after he was born as the complications took a while to be cleared.

The best bits…

Jaxson he is an utter joy, I’ve never loved anything more. He is worth every bit of pain I endure.

How do you make time for you?

Once a fortnight I leave the boys at home and will go treat myself to a pedicure, manicure or some kind of beauty treatment.

What’s next for you and your family?

We are getting married in September, and looking at buying a new home within the next year as we would like another baby once I have the all clear (they have given me 18-24 months) before we can try for another baby.