Tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born and raised in Canberra, and just haven’t left! I’m currently studying part-time to be a midwife, and raising my son Charlie.

 What were you doing before babies/children?

I worked in childcare for a while, but was starting to get burnt out before falling pregnant. I made a switch to working as a receptionist at a medical centre, and ended up finding out I was having a baby the day I passed my 3-month probation. I had also applied for midwifery but then life (and a more difficult pregnancy than I expected) got in the way.

How did you come to be a mum?

I fell pregnant faster than we expected, but the pregnancy itself was not easy. I was diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) at 6 weeks, and was hospitalised twice and lost over 10% of my body weight by the 12th week. I was very lucky that my symptoms went away at the halfway point, and after that it was pretty smooth sailing.

The birth was a bit chaotic, Charlie was born 2 weeks into Canberra’s lockdown in 2021. I had prodromal contractions for 55 hours before being induced (and a very welcome epidural). Charlie’s heart rate started dropping because we were both exhausted so he ended up as a vacuum extraction.

What has your feeding journey been like?

Initially it was very hard, I planned to breastfeed but nearly gave up several times. Charlie had low blood sugar because of how long my labour was, so he was supplemented with formula for the first few days in hospital. He also had a tongue tie, which we got revised at 6 weeks, and then again at 4 months because it hadn’t been cut deeply enough. I kept getting clogged ducts and mastitis and he was losing weight. Once we got the tongue tie fixed properly, we were away. He jumped up the percentiles, and now at 16 months, he shows no sign of stopping (as much as I would like to sometimes).

What has sleep been like in your house?

What is sleep?! Charlie has never been a great sleeper, he’s only just started sleeping through the night a month ago...

The hardest bits…

The sleep for sure, plus Charlie’s started throwing tantrums. Sometimes it can be so hard when he’s screaming and I’m completely exhausted.

The best bits…

The absolute love. I have looked after so many children over the years, but this is so different. This child is all mine, I made him and he is so amazing. I love watching him learn new things every day, and I love that he now runs up to give me kisses and cuddles. I also love watching my husband playing with Charlie. I’m so lucky to have his support, and our relationship is stronger now than its ever been.

How do you make time for yourself?

As tragic as it sounds, I love going to uni! I tried it in my early 20’s and I hated going to class, but now I can’t wait to go. I get to have adult conversations, and use my brain again for more than just singing nursery rhymes and reading stories.

What’s next for you and your family?

No idea! My sister is about to move to the UK with her partner, so we might go and visit her. Having said that the thought of taking my busy toddler on a flight that long makes very reluctant.

We want another child, but because there is an 80% reoccurrence rate with HG, we are waiting until Charlie is a bit older and less reliant on me.