On todays episode I speak to Hannah, who is Mum to 19 month old Tessa.

Hannah's pregnancy was cut short when she was air lifted to Melbourne for an emergency c-section at 28 weeks due to severe pre-eclampsia which developed into HELLP syndrome - a rare but life threatening condition in pregnancy. It causes red cells in the blood to break down. It also causes problems with the liver, bleeding, and blood pressure.

When Tessa was born at a tiny 829grams, she spent the next 2 months in NICU before moving into Special Care closer to home. Once Hannah and Ryan could take their little girl home, life settled into a bit of normality with Tessa proving to be a great sleeper and a resilient wee kid.

We talk about advocating for ourselves and our children as well as the expectations we either perceive or put onto ourselves as new Mums. With a history of anxiety and depression, Hannah talks about the importance of prioritising mental health to make sure we are the best version of ourselves.

Hannah and a friend were talking about Postpartum Depression and decided to do a fundraiser called Mums Matter - to shine a light on a very real aspect of parenting and create a space for women to feel heard and comfortable talking about their struggles. On September 9th they have organised a family fun day in the town of Quambatook, Victoria to raise awareness and funds for Dr Jean Hailes Foundation.

Mums Matter 2023 Event Info/Tickets

Dr Jean Hailes Foundation