Whether called Mummy, Mum, Mama, Grannie, or Nan, all Mothers deserve to be celebrated 🙌
In the lead up to Mothers Day this year, we thought we'd celebrate all things Mum with a special series of interviews! We've teamed with with 5 Mums who are all at different stages of their motherhood journey, all with different stories to share.
In today's blog, we take a moment to chat with Jess, mumma of 2 beautiful humans! Jess talks about raw and real motherhood moments, her feelings when transitioning from 1 baby to 2, and the importance of self care...
Hi there Jess, thank you so much for being part of The Motherhood Series! Let's kick things off with our quick 5....
Tea or coffee? Coffee, coffee and more coffee.
Flats or heels? Flats, I go for comfort!
Plan everything or go with the flow:Â Plan EVERYTHING
When I was growing up I wanted to be: My Mum told me that the first thing I said I wanted to be as a little girl was a cleaner because I liked playing with the vacuum. It really feels like I’ve hit that goal some days!
Describe your ideal Sunday, including breakfast:Â Eggs hollandaise with bacon and excellent coffee. Throw in a hash brown to really win me over before allowing me to spend the remainder of my day online shopping, pampering, reading home style magazines and drinking champagne. A life of leisure!
Now we know a little about you, tell us a bit about your motherhood journey, and the little people you’re mama to...
I am Mum to two beautiful little creations. My daughter Paige is 2.5 years old while my son Avery is 15 months. My motherhood journey so far has been absolutely transformational, an evolution of earth shattering proportions. I feel like I have been broken down into all of the tiny pieces of me and then reassembled. I’m the same but I am new.
What is your favourite thing about being a mum?
The connection that I have with Paige and Avery is unparalleled. They are both born of my body and of my heart which has linked us together in such an indescribable way. It’s incredible!
How did you going from one child to two change your life? Any tips for mama’s about to have their second?
I won’t lie, I found going from one child to two really tough. Avery had a lot of health issues which made the first year challenging in a number of ways and Paige was just a baby herself when he was born. It’s been hard for myself and for my husband, Haydn.
In saying that, my heart so easily expanded with love when Avery was born. It’s something that really surprised me. During the last trimester of my pregnancy with Avery I couldn’t imagine being able to give myself to anyone other than Paige, that worry really rocked me. I can recall sobbing with little Paige wrapped up in my arms as my heart broke over the thought of her getting any less that 100% of me. I’ve now heard that the feeling is so common when going from one baby to two though. So if I can share any advice, it would be a gentle reassurance that you WILL grow to give more of yourself than you ever thought possible to BOTH of your beautiful children.Â
What has been your greatest challenge in motherhood so far, and how have you overcome it?Â
I think that my greatest challenge in motherhood so far has been feeling isolated. When I became a mother I didn’t have a lot of friends around me who understood the gravity of what I was going through and I don’t blame them. Personally, I don’t think that you can ever truly understand the monumental shift that occurs when you become a Mum until you’ve actually become one yourself. Combine that social isolation with the change in my own identity and I was straight up lost. I’m only just beginning to understand who I am again now, almost 3 years on from my birth as a mother.
With the instagram life of filters, we love that you share raw & real moments on your instagram page @archiveofus, and you advocate for mental health and self care. Why do you share your story?
I share my story on Instagram because of the huge power in solidarity and community. We are all different people of unique experiences but as women we are united and as mothers we are connected. Instagram has hooked me up with a dynamic motherhood support system and I want to return that love right back. Â
And what are your fav self care rituals?
I’m still figuring this one out! I have long connected self care with baths, facials, massages, pedicures and while I love those things the truth is that self care goes far deeper. I’m an absolute pro with surface self care #skincarelover but I’d like to start working on mindfulness, grounding, connection and maybe even spirituality. I recently did an online sound healing session for example and found it beautifully therapeutic.
What would be your ideal way to spent Mothers Day this year?
With my children laughing and playing, my feet in the grass, my own mother by my side and a glass of sparkling wine in my hand. Bliss.
Sending a BIG Thank You to Jess for taking the time to share her story with us! We hope you enjoyed the read, and stay tuned for the next interview in The Motherhood Series coming soon.
Gemma xÂ
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Photography by Perth Family & Lifestyle Photographer, Hannah Marie Photography: See more here...
See more from Jess at @archiveofus here...