Blogger opens up about the highs and lows of life as a first-time mum
Lily Pebbles, UK blogger, author and podcast co-host recently took to Instagram and posted an honest and heart-warming account of her life inside her newborn bubble – and it isn’t all roses and cupcakes.
Suddenly in the throes of newborn life, first-time parents might find themselves saying things like, “I never knew that before!” or, “Why didn’t anyone ever tell me that?” However, Lily Pebbles, who has just had her first baby, a little girl called Grey Luna, opened up on social media, offering insight into those early days as a new mum – and for her many followers, it was brave, admirable and reassuring.
The honest truth
While there have been many golden moments, Lily doesn’t hold back when it comes to the realities of motherhood, such as, “Getting rushed back into hospital for weight loss and double pumping every hour like a cow, mastitis (more painful than labour FOR SURE), feeling like I’ll never wear normal clothes again and feel like me, not being able to take my bra off, the hormones!!!”
However, the new mum is also completely besotted with her newborn and speaks openly of the many highlights so far, which include: “Everything to do with Grey. Every squeak, every time we make eye contact, the post-feeding cuddles and her ridiculously soft skin. Seeing Rich be so good with her.”
How things change
Lily talks frankly about how motherhood is nothing like she expected. “You really can’t ever know what it’s like until you’ve experienced it, and I didn’t quite realise that before,” she says. And while she knows nothing of the world around her, she says that she definitely knows “how many dirty nappies Grey has done today, what time she is due her next feed and how she is starting to notice light and shadows.”
Now so deeply ensconced in early motherhood, Lily feels strongly about certain issues that she didn’t really care about before. “Paternity leave needs to be longer as standard, for those who are lucky to have a partner help two weeks is not enough,” she says. “I also don’t think any woman should give birth and leave the hospital without being shown how to feed her baby. Whether that’s how to put together a bottle or how to breastfeed (it’s not always as easy as it’s made out to be!), and it’s not something you can learn when pregnant in my opinion.”
You’re not alone
One thing is for sure, Lily’s many Instagram followers appreciated her post and responded incredibly positively with over 700 comments of support and admiration. One said, “You’re doing really well. It’s a baptism of fire when it comes to your first born and merely getting through it is an achievement.”
Another parent says, “Nobody ever tells you how difficult those first few weeks are! The highest of highs and the lowest of lows. But honestly, after the first 6 weeks, it does get easier, not easy but easier.”
While another made the comment, “It’s the hardest job you will ever have and sometimes the roller coaster is a bit brutal, especially in the early days. You are doing an amazing job!”
However, Lily’s final comment sums it all up “What a journey. Sorry for the essay. Well done to anyone else also trying to keep a mini human alive!”
No apology necessary, Lily, we loved your post!
