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.
First up, we take a moment to chat with Elizabeth Jackson, mumma of 5 beautiful boys! Elizabeth talks about her journey from becoming a Mum at 19 years old through to her recent experience birthing her 5th baby at home, and living the simple life...
Hi there Elizabeth, thank you so much for being part of The Motherhood Series! Let's kick things off with our quick 5....
Tea or coffee? Tea
Flats or heels? Birks/Boots 😆 so Flats?
Plan everything or go with the flow: Go with the flow
When I was growing up I wanted to be: A Mother
Describe your idea Sunday, including breakfast: I have two!
If we are staying home and in town, the boys will join me in bed. we will sleep in and Beau (my husband) will cook us a hot breakfast as he’s always up before us all. The day will lead itself and it can be so random. We could end up in a friends backyard having a BBQ or we could be at the river/bike track letting boys be boys.
If we are planning a day out, it would be everyone piling in the car and landing ourselves at the farmers markets grabbing fresh produce, our favourite GF donuts and a hot chocolate with our friends. We then end up park hopping until dark or at the beach with some hot chips and a few drinks under the sun.
Andddd one extra question today, what do you little ones call you?
Mum, Mummy and Sol calls me Mummum 💛 (so sweet!)
Now we know a little about you, tell us a bit about your motherhood journey, and the little people you’re mama to...
I became a mother at just 19, and it wasn’t until recently I realised how young that was. I wasn’t prepared to be a mother, if anything I was the furthest from what society would believe to be “ready”.
My now husband, we were together for 2 weeks and just made it “facebook official” and you knew it was serious if facebook said so back then haha. I was a fresh UNI student, just got my first car loan - a suzuki swift and was studying to be a midwife.
When I told Beau I was pregnant, he offered all the support and was ready to dive into that journey with me. We both wanted a big family together and always knew that.
I now have five boys!! Caleb is 7, Eli is 6, Leo is 3, Solly is 1, Alby is 1 month old.
5 boys! How do you keep up with this?
We live a very simple life and I’ve found that living this way is a huge part of mothering coming naturally to me, however the core of keeping up with the constant demands parenting brings is my husband. He is a very hands-on, helping and understanding man. He just gets it and never wants to see our days “hard” so we continue to show up for one another as a real dream team and from that comes a really nice flow to our life.
What changed most when you became a mother for the first time? And when you transitioned from 2 to 3 to 4 to 5?
I feel motherhood is ever changing and believe that’s how it’s meant to be! I am still growing and out-growing things. What I once believed could be of the past. When I embarked on my motherhood journey, I remember still trying to live life a similar way to how I was before birthing Caleb. I felt the pull between a whole new found love and my past life. It was a moment in time I had to hold myself accountable and truely find my purpose and what values I wanted to live my life by and raise my children with, which again are changing as I grow. I believe when we know better, we do better and I strongly use that everyday when making choices for myself and family.
Transitioning is something I’ve never had a hard time with. For me, I have been more challenged with ages. It was much easier having Caleb and Eli a little older when Leo was born as now having Leo, Solly and Alby all close in age.
We know you recently welcomed the newest addition to your fam, Alby, with a home birth. How would you describe your experience compared to your other births?
I will only speak from experience when speaking of birth as it is a sacred passage to each individual woman that needs to be honoured and respected.
Birthing Alby was EUPHORIC!!! I have had 4 hospital births, all bringing different experiences and his birth here at home with just my husband, sister and mother unravelled all of that and re-birthed me as a mother. My birthing space with Alby was honoured, respected and full of light. Alby was so happy to be born and now the most dreamy little boy. I have so much trust and love for my body now and I believe he knew what I needed to come out of that vortex and be the strength these five boys need. As crazy and wild and chaos driven raising five children is, we have never felt so grounded.
What has been your greatest challenge in motherhood so far, and how have you overcome it?
Motherhood challenges me usually when I know I have inner work to do on myself. I believe so much of how we are raised is imbedded into us and that can be hard pulling back those layers and seeing our children as themselves not as our own because they are our responsibility!! It’s a tough one.
I find understanding each of my boys for who they are and parenting them the way they best receive that has been my biggest learning path.
I understand I cannot parent my 7 and 6 year old the way I parent my 3 year old for they are both on their own journey and I give them more support, guidance and understanding and they know they can come to me about anything and I’ll always be there. Even when they know they haven’t made the best choice, they can be honest about it and we can have that conversation and talk about it. I am currently laying the foundations with my 3 year old. He is lucky I don’t pack him a bag and send him away with the mail Man some days haha
What advice would you give would-be/soon-to-be mothers?
For our new mothers to be or birthing mothers my advice is:
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You are going to receive ALOT of advice. Personal stories. Personal experiences. Take what you need and leave the rest!! It’s just advice. It isn’t gospel and it’s usually coming from a good place. This is YOUR own personal journey and you’ll soon know what aligns for you and your baby.
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Reach out always. People don’t know the depths of struggle until you find the strength to surface it. You are not “broken or failing” when you ask for help or express how hard can be. Mothers need mothers. Mothers need support. Mothers need love.
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You will have good days and not so good days. Remember nothing is permanent. Lean into the ebb and flow of this journey.
Lastly, what would be your ideal way to spent Mothers Day this year?
A day with my tribe is the ultimate day for me! ♥️
Sending a BIG Thank You to Elizabeth 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.