Where to start.

I would like to preface this first post with a disclaimer: I’m in no way a gifted writer, so I apologise in advance for any grammatical errors or basically anything just unreadable. You’ll also find that I love a hyphen. Don’t know why — it just always feels right to use one of these little buddies.

It’s 2024 and life has felt like it’s been going at 100mph for as long as I can remember. As with every new year, I experience the age-old ‘new year, new me’, but this year I wanted to give myself a little grace. I’d had a baby in September, so I planned to take things step by step and soak up my little girl.

I went back to nannying and was lucky enough to take my baby with me. It felt good to be back, but I underestimated how long everything takes and how much stuff you need with a three-month-old. We were finding our rhythm.

Becoming a mum also gave me a new appreciation for what my body can do — and for how important rest is after giving birth. I felt almost back to normal and did too much too quickly, which left me with stomach pain. A trip to the doctor made it clear I’d pulled my stomach muscles. Rest really matters, even when you feel ready to do everything again.

As I write this, I realise there is no key theme or structure. It’s the ramblings of a woman trying to start something she promised herself she would. Welcome to my brain and to Birth Be — a place I hope feels real, silly, uplifting and ordinary in the best way.

To parents and parents-to-be: keep your eyes peeled for what’s coming, from postnatal doula support to antenatal guidance. Lots of ideas are in the pipeline.

As I watch my little girl wake from her 20-minute nap, I’ll sign off now. Lots of love! Elsa x