Growing Beans: Ivy

One thing that parent's often hear about is how in a blink of an eye your child will become a little adult and have lives of their own. Like those times when you bump into a sweet older mom who looks adoringly at your toddler's tantrums and she proceeds to tell you to enjoy it before they turn into a teenager, because by then you will miss those days when they cling to you like a baby!

How old was your baby when she was cast for our photoshoot? How old is your baby now? 

Ivy was 9 months old when she took part in the first shoot, and now is 20 months old

What is the most memorable moment over the past few years? 

I’ll never forget the first night we took Ivy home from hospital. We were elated, shell-shocked and in utter disbelief that the hospital allowed us to take this tiny human home with us! The first 72 hours on our own were amazing, terrifying and adrenaline-filled as we figured out how to change her nappy, bathe her, feed her and attempt to interpret every murmur, groan and gurgle that she made. It was a very special time, not just because our family was bigger, but also because of how much closer it brought my husband Danny and I together. We had no choice but to work as an efficient and well-oiled team and I think we both surprised ourselves with how well we managed and coped during those first days together.

What is one thing that your baby has changed the most?

Having Ivy has changed our lives in the best way possible and being her mum is even better than I could have imagined. The years before her birth were really tough. We struggled with fertility issues, suffered miscarriages and underwent IVF to conceive.

As a result of these excruciatingly difficult times, my whole perspective on life shifted once she was born. Gone were the days of taking on too much, saying ‘yes’ to everything and being extraordinarily hard on myself. It might seem strange, but I worried less, relaxed more and became so grateful for the little ray of sunshine that had joined our lives – even if she loved to wake me up at the crack of dawn!

What is one thing that has never changed? 

Despite this, I had expected that I wouldn’t want to go back to work after having Ivy and really surprised myself when I realised that my career was just as important to me as it was pre-baby. I tried working part-time, but felt as though I had lost a bit of my identity. I work in Digital and have always loved what I do, and I realised that I still had the same ambition, drive and a passion for my career as before.

It was certainly a challenge figuring out how to be a great mum, wife, friend and teammate, but it’s not impossible, just a question of juggling priorities and understanding that ‘balance’ will look different from week to week.

Ultimately, being able to enjoy my own successes outside of the home, spend time with other adults and work as part of a team fulfils me, and that in turn makes me a better mum! I strongly believe that as parents, we need to make sure that we’re doing what nurtures us, whether that be that be making time to see friends, spend time on our own or guiltlessly enjoying a glass of wine (or 3!)

What is your favourite product from The Wee Bean and why?

We love the Wee Bean Organic t-shirts – Ivy has almost every design now! The cotton is such good quality and they wash really well – perfect when she’s changing outfits multiple times per day.

What your best tip/advice on motherhood?

As a mum, it’s so easy to get caught up in what well-meaning friends, family members and random strangers on Instagram think is right for your baby. At the end of the day, nobody knows your ‘wee bean’ better than you. Trust your instinct, enjoy the cuddles and know that you’re doing a great job!