Rachel’s Story

It's now been 9 months since my baby was born - just as long as I was pregnant with him! I was really excited to be pregnant but it was daunting carrying a baby and thinking ahead to birth during a pandemic. I felt relieved when Leon was born and enjoyed introducing him to family and friends, especially as we had isolated towards the end of pregnancy.

However, the first few weeks of being a parent were tougher than I expected! Breastfeeding took time and support to get used to, my recovery from quite a straightforward birth took a while and the sleep deprivation was horrible. Seeing my baby develop and his little personality emerge has been incredible and I love being his mum. It's still hard sometimes but the support of family and friends, near and far, really helps.

Meeting other parents is amazing - making a connection because of your shared experiences, good and bad. I've also been lucky enough to become an aunt! The challenge for me now is figuring out how my identity as a mum fits with my identity as a partner, friend, relative, colleague and more.

Image and text courtesy of Holly Stone Photography as part of her “Grow: A Journey Into Motherhood” exhibition, in partnership with Release Counselling and Therapy for Women.