Letters from mums of the pandemic - a first time mum shares her story
Jun 22, 2022
Dear Mum of the Pandemic,
I am a first time mum who gave birth right on the eve of Sydney lockdown in May 2021. In 2020 I also experienced three miscarriages through lockdowns and restrictions on medical services. I work in the travel industry, so on top of everything happening in my personal life, I saw the industry I love brought to its knees and countless friends become unemployed overnight. My son will be one next month and the silver lining in all of this is that my husband has been able to spend so much more time with us than we ever expected thanks to working from home the last 11 months.
Before becoming a mum, I didn't know what to expect, I think I expected the worst and hoped for the best. In all honesty I spent so much time worrying about getting pregnant - and staying pregnant - I didn't think too much about what it would be like once he was with us.
Being a mother is so much harder than I ever expected it to be. I found the first 6 months so difficult. Isolated from family and friends due to lockdowns made some things easier (easier to hide my anxiety and depression) and a lot of things harder (I really struggled with breastfeeding and that newborn phase and had little help from family and friends because they weren't allowed to)
In terms of the pandemic, feeling so alone during lockdown with a newborn.
Restricted access to medical services, I received support from a psychologist but this was only available online even though she sat in an office 1km down the road from my house. I really prefer the face to face contact for this sort of thing, I found it hard online. It's easier to not be as honest as I probably should be.
The panic of shops being closed due to lockdown and it being so hard to get things you need for your baby with anything online taking weeks to arrive.
The silver linings of starting a family during the pandemic has been time to yourself as a family to settle into a routine.
Husband has worked from home almost all of my maternity leave, giving him so much more time with us than we ever would have hoped for.
You can't really control what's going to happen these days, you gave to roll with it and make sure you have a support system set up that will work for you both physically and virtually. There's so much help out there if you need it, please ask for it if you do.
It will get easier, I never believed people when they told me this, but it does. Always remember you need to look after yourself and your mental health first so you are able to look after your baby.
Love From,
A fellow Mum of the Pandemic xx