manda aldred

Tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m Manda, a mum of 4 little ones aged 7, 4, 2 and 10 weeks. I’m juggling motherhood, home and wife life, school runs, and trying to find time to squeeze in friends, family, and some side hustles, including photography and my creative outlet - mumlife shared through instagram (@thisloveandchaos). I love being a mum and I love sharing the ups and down of motherhood.

What were you doing before babies?

Like lots of Canberrans, working in the public service, and enjoying married life where time was my own! Weekends involved gatherings with friends, hours spent perfecting MasterChef recipes consumed with a glass of wine, spontaneous getaways and sleep ins!

How did you come to be a mum?

I’m ridiculously clucky and I’ve always dreamed of being a mum, and soon after we got married, we decided to try for our first baby. Things weren’t straightforward for us, as is too often the case, and we ended up getting assistance through a fertility clinic. Sophie was the result of 6 rounds of OI treatment, George took 7 rounds of OI and FSH, and little Alice stuck first round of OI and FSH. Maggie was our bonus baby, a surprise to us all, but very much welcomed!

What has your feeding journey been like?

I’ve been lucky to have 4 wonderful and lengthy breastfeeding journeys, although they have all been at times different and not without struggles. Even with baby four, I was caught unawares, having high expectations of myself but also having forgotten how hard those first few weeks of feeding can be. I think it's so important for mums to remember that even if you have breastfed before, a new baby hasn’t, and they are half the equation. There’s learning to happen each time, for each different baby.

What has sleep been like in your house?

What is sleep?! To be honest, none of our kids have been perfect sleepers and it seems like we’ve been up in the night almost every night since becoming parents. With my early kids, I used to feel ashamed admitting that sleep was something we struggled with, but now I’m passionate about being honest about that, and encouraging other new mums not to be worried or feel guilty about sleep struggles. In the end, almost all kids turn into adults who sleep in their own beds!

The hardest bits…

I think the hardest bit is watching your littles ones learn the hard way about how difficult life can be. Watching my little ones encounter unkindness, embarrassment, death, bullying - these things are really hard for mumma hearts to handle. Of course they are opportunities to teach them and shape them into good little humans, but it’s definitely hard to watch them struggle and experience the reality of life. I think also the relentlessness of parenting - there aren’t days off, its 24/7, and the responsibility of raising good little people is huge too!

The best bits…

There’s so many best bits of motherhood - the warm arms around my neck, the frequent laughter, watching my kids loving on each other, the pride when they learn or achieve something, or do something kind or thoughtful. I’m so conscious and grateful at the moment of the fact that we’re still in this golden period where our kids are really so happy just to spend time together as a family, having a picnic or movie night or riding bikes.

How do you make time for you?

It’s definitely tricky to make time for myself with four very busy little people underfoot, but I love a quiet cup of tea, a sleep in when dad is on the breakfast shift, and a long shower when I can manage it. Spending time with other mum friends is also my way of looking after myself - a safe space to share my worries and joys.

What’s next for you and your family?

I’m currently grieving the end of having brand new babies in the house, and I don’t think I’ll ever feel ‘done’ but I think any more babies would come with a divorce! 😂 So for now we’re settling into life as a family of six and enjoying alllll the baby snuggles and final “firsts” of our last darling.