- Motherhood Melbourne
Melissa's motherhood story – My Christmas Day baby
Now, it is challenging for me to admit this, but never in my wildest dreams did I ever picture myself being a mother! I come from a family where disability affected both of my siblings. I am the middle child (in all its stigma!). I grew up being a carer to both my brother and sister and as much as I did so without any remorse, once I reached my thirties, I was literally emotionally fatigued.
I married a wonderful man in 2012. A man whom set me straight and taught me patience and harmony. Qualities that I was short of. Two years later, we were surprisingly pregnant and on Christmas night (yes, that's right – 25th December 2015), I gave birth to a baby girl. My daughter, Luna Halo.
Now, for my birthing experience – we don't have all day and it solemnly impossible for me to express and explain the utter details without my dramatic affects and theatrical performance, but here goes…
My waters broke on the afternoon of the 23rd of December. I was due on the 24th. Instead, I was told by the hospital that I would be booked in to be induced on the 25th. We arrived at the hospital at 8.30am, without a bed available. Long story short, I basically had to wait until 4pm that same day for a bed, (hold up, this is horribly sounding exactly the same as the Advent story of Mary and Joseph in search of a bed and having to resort to a manger…hehehe). Anyhow, because it was Christmas night, there was a shortage of doctors and so we had to wait until one became available.
I was then finally induced at 8pm. By 8.15pm, the contractions had kicked in and my dreams for a beautiful, sensual, calm birth plan had flown out the window. Instead, I violently starting vomiting uncontrollably, several times (17 to be exact) and by around 10pm, I was insisting that the baby was coming!
To the midwifes horror, she checked my dilation and confirmed I was only at 2cm and reassured me that we were still at least 6 hrs away. Yeah right! I wasn't having any of it. I screamed that this was happening RIGHT NOW and without a word of a lie, I gave birth at precisely 10.47pm on Christmas night. True story.
Luna is now 27months old. Though I am convinced she is 27 years old, because my lord, is she something else!
All those memes you come across and laugh at about your child resembling you, so you can't expect anything less, are soooo true! My husband laughs when she gives me attitude and runs around like a headless chook, because she is literally a mini me. This child does not keep still. Not for a second. She is always up to something. Always discovering something new. Always learning. Always inquiring. And days when she asks a thousand questions or refuses to eat because she would rather dance, how can I get upset? It would be totally hypocritical.
But she is my Moonlight and she has taught me things I never thought possible. Beauty in simplicity. Harmony in the chaos. Light in the darkness. And I have her to thank for it all.
ABOUT MELISSA
I consider myself to be someone who is fiercely determined, often stubborn, vivacious and eccentric. I rarely take no for an answer. I stand up for what I value and believe in, especially when it comes to family and friends.
I spent 17 years working in the Human services sector specialising in Disability work. I finally had enough and followed my passion for coffee and worked at a coffee grinders /cafe for three years. That was my last job before I fell pregnant.
My hobbies – I don't know if cleaning is considered a hobby, but it is something I do ALL.THE.TIME and I love it (sadly).
Hood: Coburg
Children: 1 daughter
Motherhood in 5 words: Mad. Crazy. Whirlwind. Ever-learning. Love.
Fav family friendly place: The Hub in Northcote.
Coffee order: I take a latte with one sugar in my KeepCup, even when I sit in because it takes me an hour to finish my coffee!
Biz: Bee one of a kind
Handmade natural and organic skin care products, made in Melbourne.
MOTHERHOOD MELBOURNE
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