Dimity Bietola
Tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m Dimity, mum to my two year old pocket rocket, Patricia, wife and a fur-mum to two border collies. We recently moved down to Canberra in September 2021 for my husband’s work and I’m slowly adjusting to motherhood away from my family and friends, whilst juggling full-time work and rediscovering my groove outside of motherhood.
What were you doing before babies?
Before babies, I worked full-time in state gov, was a Crossfit junkie and yogi, camping enthusiast, lived for weekends by the beach in sunny Queensland and was always up for trying my hand at a new hobby/activity.
How did you come to be a mum?
After a year or trying and gearing myself up to start looking at my fertility more seriously, my GP told me during a routine pap smear that I had an inverted cervix and that could be why we were having a bit of trouble conceiving. With that vital piece of info, we fell pregnant a few short weeks later. I had a fairly normal, low risk pregnancy despite majority of it being during those first crazy months of the pandemic. When I got to my final antenatal appointment at 39wks +6days the midwives turned around and said that I was measuring too small. So what was meant to be a simple appointment turned into the start of the whirlwind that was our little ones birth. Measuring at only 33wks we were booked in for a induction that evening and the next morning after a 5 hour labour and a flurry of doctors and nurses we welcomed our tiny 2.2kg baby girl into the world.
What has your feeding journey been like?
My feeding journey was rough, having a tiny baby brings a lot of additional (unwanted) stress and advice. I was originally told bubs had a tongue tie, which was later discounted by a doctor and was told she just had a tiny mouth. I then had the added pressure of appointments with Dietitians, child health nurses and Paed appointments where everyone was telling me I wasn’t feeding my baby enough – despite the fact that she put on weight at every appointment. So we supplemented with formula to boost her intake and I pumped three times a day as well as breastfed – until I had a meltdown at one of the appointment where they were still telling me (5weeks PP) to start taking medication to boost my supply. I said enough was enough, that this was all impacting on my mental health and there was nothing wrong with the way I was feeding my baby girl. I found it so hard as these were all professionals telling me I wasn’t doing something right, when in actual fact I was. I’ll always remember the lactation consultant I finally got referred to who said to me “Medication won’t do anything for you now, you are too far PP. All you need is to pump once before bed and then put your feet up and have a glass of wine because you deserve it. You are doing an amazing job mumma!” She changed our whole journey and gave me to confidence I needed to take back control of our feeding journey.
What has sleep been like in your house?
Sleep has been up and down in our house. There have been plenty of sleepless nights, constant wake-ups, co-sleeping and endless nights rocking her back to sleep but then we will have nights where you don’t hear a peep until 7am. I have definitely adjusted to the lack of sleep better than I originally thought – those first few months were rough though!
The hardest bits…
Raising a child which most definitely has your attitude!! Doing it without your tribe, I’m yet to make friends here in Canberra and with family in another state I find motherhood incredibly lonely sometimes. I find managing your own expectations or assumptions on what your journey should look like versus what is reality. Also breaking your wrist when you’ve got a 9 month old is not recommended!
The best bits…
The cuddles and snuggles, the smiles, watching her grow and learn everyday. Being someone’s entire world and seeing that world through their eyes everyday.
How do you make time for yourself?
This is one I’m currently trying to work back into the routine, at the moment I get up a ridiculous o’clock so I can journal and have a cuppa in peace. I also try and get to at least 2 gym classes a week (yoga and cycle).
What’s next for you and your family?
The rest of 2022 will see us move into a house in Canberra to call our own and look to add another rugrat to our family.
If you could talk to your pre baby/kid self, what advice would you give?
You’ll lose yourself in motherhood, you’ll wake up each day not recognising the woman in the mirror – but you will slowly find yourself again. You’ll be different, you’ll never go back to the old you but this new version is so much better. Hold on honey!!