Rachel Shanks

Tell us about yourself

My name is Rachel I have a gorgeous son, Levi, who is 17 months old. I am 27 and was born and bred in Canberra. My partner Chase and I live on a 187-acre farm just outside of Canberra and love that we get to enjoy the country lifestyle along with the benefits of working in town. I work in the Federal Government and am currently studying the CPA Program to become a fully qualified accountant.

What were you doing before babies?

I absolutely loved being busy before we had Levi. I was extremely career driven and put a lot of focus into my professional career. I completed my uni degree full time whilst also working full time. Aside from work I also had a very busy social life which involved camping, motorbike riding and lots of brunch dates. I’ve been overseas a few times too. I often wonder how I managed to fit everything in before babies!

How did you come to be a Mum?

Chase and I actually went on a road trip over to the Kimberley where we obviously had a bit of fun and I came home pregnant, haha. We did a lot of hiking on our trip and towards the end I was starting to feel more and more tired. I didn’t even consider the possibility of being pregnant until the way home when Chase mentioned it. We didn’t do a test until the day after we got home from our trip and it was a very welcomed surprise. I had morning sickness that started around 8 weeks and unfortunately stayed for the entire pregnancy. Otherwise I just had the usual pregnancy symptoms. I finished work at 38 weeks and Levi decided to arrive early at 38+4. Labour was reasonably straightforward and our healthy boy was born on a rainy afternoon in early March 2020. At that moment, everything in the world felt complete.

What has your feeding journey been like?

Breastfeeding was really tricky for us. I struggled to get him to latch even with the help of the midwives and a lactation consultant in hospital. I was pumping and feeding him with syringes and the midwives asked us to stay an extra night to try get our feeding under control. I burst into tears because I just wanted to go home but I was also so determined to breastfeed. Thankfully they gave me a nipple shield and he went on straight away. We had to give breast milk top ups for the first 4 weeks then had to start mix-feeding with formula at around 6 months. We managed to breastfeed until 8 months then he self-weaned. Whilst I missed our special bonding time, it was also nice to have my body back and a little more freedom. I was also pleased that he made the decision himself.

What has sleep been like in your house?

Levi has been a dream baby in the sleep department. I feel bad in saying it because I have so many friends who have had such a hard time. He was on 3-hourly feeds then randomly slept through the night at 3 weeks and continued to do so from then. Of course we have the occasional rough nights with teething, sickness etc but we have had it pretty good. Lately he has been fighting bedtime a little bit but once he is asleep he is alright. He sometimes wakes anywhere from 2-4am and ends up in our bed, but no complaints and Chase and I are happy to soak up the extra cuddles while we can.

The hardest bits

I think the hardest bit for me was the shift in going from work life to maternity leave. Because Levi was such a good baby I felt like I didn’t know what to do with myself and the extra time, especially because COVID was declared a pandemic not long after he was born. My sister lives in Perth and met him when he was 10 days old then had to fly back before lockdown. We’re really close and I hated not being able to see her as much as I’d hoped, especially in such a special time. Other hard bits are his toddler tantrums (my patience has definitely been tested of late) and day care germs!

The best bits

There’s too many to write! Witnessing Chase become a Dad was something I’ll never forget. He took to it so easily and seeing his face light up with pretty much anything to do with Levi is truly amazing. Watching Levi grow from this tiny newborn to his cheeky, independent & inquisitive self has been the most incredible thing to be a part of. The day he said Mum melted my heart and I love when he blows kisses and comes in for a big cuddle. Being a Mum is such a blessing and I love absolutely everything about it!

How do you make time for you?

We are so blessed to have both sets of grandparents in Canberra who have been so incredibly supportive. Once Levi was mix-fed, Chase and I were able to have a date night where Levi had a sleep over – it was the best! He has had a handful of sleepovers since then but not too many. Otherwise I tend to go get my nails done during my lunch break and it’s the dream.

What’s next for you and your family?

We are actually expecting our second baby in late-November so for now just enjoying life as a family of three before life gets even busier. We bought a caravan at the end of last year so plan on going on a few little getaways, then we will hopefully start to build our new house next year. Until then we’ll just pray that this one sleeps as well as his/her big brother!