Hello and thank you for hopping over from Bubbablue and Me and welcome to the 12th day of #12DaysOfParenting. Today’s sponsor is Gitte Winter Graugaard who are offering a copy of The Children’s Meditations In my Heart and the theme is Parenting highlights of the year and 2018 wishes. My keyword to enter today’s giveaway is in this post below, good luck! Full details of the #12DaysOfParenting terms and conditions can be found on Mummie’s Waiting 12 Days Of Parenting Page and all entries are to be completed via the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.
2017 – My Year of Change
If there is any year that changed my life, it will be 2017. After many years of infertility struggles, I finally gave birth to our baby boy in April. I battled a difficult pregnancy, with my autoimmune causing difficulties, had pre-eclampsia, a failed induction, and an emergency C-section. We survived sepsis and came home from the hospital far later than expected but intact, a brand new family. I struggled for months with breastfeeding, and with terrible mum guilt over the way the birth had gone and how I couldn’t feed my son because of lack of supply no matter how hard I tried, but I’m coming to terms with things now.
I’ve been with my husband for over 10 years now. We moved in together in 2006 and married in 2008. I thought I knew everything about him, but I didn’t know what an awesome father he would be. He has been my rock and has been there for the baby from day one – feeding him every 3 hours from a bottle whilst I was in the hospital. He has sacrificed his sleep and sanity so that I can keep a little bit of mine and when he comes home from work, he says the best part of his day is seeing his family waiting for him. He is an amazing person and makes me feel extremely lucky.
I’ve had a tough year for mental health, and when I managed to gather up the courage to speak out about it to my family and doctors, was diagnosed with postnatal anxiety and postnatal PTSD. The NHS has been supportive, but the waiting lists for mental health are extensive even when a mum and new baby are involved. I currently have a support group and am undertaking Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, but am on the waiting list for the trauma therapy for the PTSD. Everyone is really supportive, but sometimes I do see the failings in the NHS Mental Health system, and am frustrated with my slow progress. I have lots of hope for health in 2018 though!
I’ve always been a bit of amateur writer. In fact I received my first royalties cheque for a self published book on Amazon this year, so that felt good! I also started writing & editing for a local gaming/technology network (my hobby).
In August 2017 I started writing about my birth experience and I wanted to share it, so I started a blog and Welsh Mum of One was born! My blog has gone from strength to strength, from my personal journey to reviews, lifestyle, tips, guides and more. I realized I absolutely love blogging and want to build this into the biggest and best journey that I can. I enjoy the technical side of it and really have fun creating my website. I like looking at the numbers and watching my stats. I absolutely love the process of writing and researching. It’s not all perfect of course (cliquey bloggers and social media unfollowers I’m looking at you!), but on the whole, I really feel like creating this blog was one of my best life decisions and has helped me immeasurably.
Finally, I’ve made a lot of friends in 2017. Many of them I’ve never met in person, and maybe never will, but they have been supportive friends nonetheless as we shared our trials and tribulations of pregnancy, birth, and, mental health and motherhood together.
My life is very different now and that’s been a big adjustment. I came to this late and having stalled with our fertility journey so long still have trouble believing this is actually real. I think I’m a bit set in my ways, so have had a bit of a culture shock going from a self-employed flexible 35-year-old animal fanatic and world-traveler, to a stay at home mum. I’m still struggling to find my footing in a battle of mental and physical health and to really adjust to this new crazy world of being responsible for a tiny human life. But we’ll get there!
Life is harder right now, but it’s also more rewarding and feels fuller, despite the challenges I’ve had to overcome and that await me still.
Wishing all of my readers, friends, and family the very best to come! I’m ready to tackle whatever 2018 brings.
Today’s Codeword is: HOPE, if you would like to read another post and gain another entry, then head over to Mummie’s Waiting for their take on Parenting highlights of the year and 2018 wishes.
To enter the grand prize draw, head over to the Mummie’s Waiting 12 Days Of Parenting Page where you can also find all the #12DaysOfParentingPosts so you won’t miss any!
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