My journey into motherhood

My journey into motherhood began eight years ago, when we were expecting our first daughter. Those early months were filled with excitement — but also with challenges I hadn’t anticipated. What was meant to be “morning sickness” lasted all day, every day, for months. We were still trying to figure out where to settle as a family, how to manage finances, and how to prepare for this huge life change.

After a quick labour, we came home feeling completely unprepared for what life with a newborn would truly be like. None of my friends were pregnant at the time, and the loneliness of early motherhood hit hard. I adored my daughter, but beneath the surface I was struggling — with postnatal depression, with guilt, and with a new identity I hadn’t expected to find so difficult to embrace.

When I returned to work, I thought I could simply slot back into my old life. But I wasn’t the same person anymore. I was still expected to perform at full speed, even though late nights were no longer possible with nursery pick-ups and bedtime routines. I constantly felt torn — guilty for not working enough, and equally guilty for working at all instead of being with my daughter.

Two years later, when our second child arrived, I knew things had to change. For the first time, I gave myself permission to rest. I prioritised my wellbeing, said no when I needed to, and truly embraced the slower rhythm of family life. We nested together, allowing our bonds to grow naturally before opening our doors to the world again. That experience, combined with the slower pace of life during COVID, taught me how transformative rest, boundaries, and connection can be for mothers.

When our third baby arrived three years later, we relocated to Somerset. I made the decision to leave my career in fashion buying and follow a calling that had been quietly growing within me — to support other women through pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

Now, as a doula and motherhood coach, I have the privilege of walking alongside women as they navigate their own journeys — helping them feel seen, supported, and empowered to be the best version of themselves, whatever that looks like for them.