Tell us a bit about yourself?

Hey! My name is Kate Hudson (not the actress) and I have two beautiful kiddies, Billy (2.5yo) and Daisy (8 weeks). My partner Sam and I live on a farm just outside of Canberra with chickens, cows, sheep and our two dogs - it’s chaotic but awesome! I work in media and communications and I’m a freelance writer outside of work, but I’m soaking up maternity leave and my newborn bubble at the moment.

What were you doing before babies?

Travelling and partying a lot more! Haha. We also bought our farm two years before I had Billy so we were busy bees building our house and planting veggie patches on our property, which had absolutely nothing on it when we bought it. Also, enjoying sleeping in on weekends!

How did you come to be a mum?

To be completely honest Billy was a (welcome) surprise! I was 26 when I fell pregnant with him. We always knew we wanted kids but the universe fast-tracked us and I couldn’t imagine it any other way now. In the early weeks I was in New York and didn’t know I was pregnant, and was puzzled as to why I couldn’t stand the smell of the food stands, subway and streets….just about everything made me nauseous and all I wanted was vegemite toast. Anyone who has been to America knows their food can be pretty full on so I was crook just thinking about their food the whole time. When I got home I took a test and BAM, my amazing journey into motherhood began!

What has your feeding journey been like?

I’m extremely lucky that I have had a positive feeding experience with both babies. I fed Billy until he was about 15 months and I’m hoping to do the same with Daisy. But don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my fair share of mastitis and sore nips! The second week after having Daisy I had forgotten how excruciating feeding can be following birth, whether you have done it before or not. I absolutely recommend nipple shields and cold breast discs for anyone experiencing that toe-curling pain when feeding in the beginning…..they were lifesavers for me! I have also experienced DMER (Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex) which is when you feel a super intense feeling of overwhelm or anxiety when you get that ‘let down’. It’s one of the most bizarre and weird experiences because it goes away after about 10 seconds and then I just get really thirsty. I was so happy to hear that lovely Liv (founder of CBR Mamas) also experienced this. Breastfeeding has opened my eyes to how bloody amazing boobs and the female body really is.

What has sleep been like in your house?

A rollercoaster of emotions! I really struggled with Billy’s sleep and was completely overwhelmed by the amount of information out there on sleep regressions, sleep routines, what you should and shouldn’t do, whether you should or shouldn’t use white noise, to swaddle or not to swaddle…….all of it! Which ended up in me just doing my own thing for a really long time and letting Billy co-sleep with us when he woke up from his cot during the night, or if I was feeling lazy I would just put him down in our bed. I even tried to seek help at QEII which is essentially a sleep school based in Canberra. Which didn’t really help either. If I had a dollar for every minute I stood and rocked, shushed and patted I would be a billionaire. As Billy got older we just got more strict with him staying in his bed, and something only just clicked for him about 6 months ago and he goes into bed and usually sleeps through the night. It was miracle timing because I was having worries of having to get up to two children in the middle of the night. Daisy is sleeping like a legend at the moment, she wakes about 2-4 hours for a feed and goes back down pretty easily. I pray every day that she stays that way, but I think it’s important to understand that kids’ sleep is constantly changing and you just have to roll with the punches and not overthink it.

The hardest bits…

Toddler tantrums! Especially in public. Any mum who has experienced this knows just how annoying it can be. The other day Billy told me that I was a ‘naughty lady’ and that ‘we’re not best friends anymore’. So that’s interesting. I think one of the hardest bits for me when I first became a mum was the sleep deprivation and recovery from birth. I didn’t know what hit me! I also felt like there was so much information and advice out there for mothers about what you should/shouldn't do that I was honestly just a sleepy/confused hot mess most of the time. If I could tell my past self anything, it would be to trust your intuition because you know yourself and your kids better than anyone else.

The best bits…

Kisses and hugs! When they get to the age where they show affection and can tell you that they love you, it makes all the hard bits seem so small! Watching Billy with Daisy makes me so happy and grateful that this is my life now. Like how cool is it that you can just create little people who become your best mates? Our household is a bit bike-obsessed too, so being able to watch Billy learn to ride and develop a passion for it is great.

How do you make time for you?

I am so lucky to have both mine and Sam’s family within 20 minutes from our house, who are very involved with the kids. This has been a life saver and has allowed us to have date nights and time to ourselves. My go-to thing if I’m feeling a bit ‘mummed-out’ is to palm off Billy, and have a bath or go for a run. It’s such a re-set for me. It’s a bit harder with Daisy being so little at the moment as she’s being fed on demand, but I can pull it off if she’s asleep!

What’s next for you and your family?

Just keep living that farm life and soak up every moment before they’re teenagers who don’t want to talk to me! I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to raise my children on a big property where there is constant fun and adventures which connects them to the land and teaches them to love the outdoors. So let’s be honest….. I’ll probably have more babies.

Cheers,

Kate