“Nobody tells you what the early months of motherhood are really like”

I found out I was pregnant…

After trying to conceive for three years, we discovered through tests I had PCOS and problems with ovulation. I took part in a medical trial at Coventry Hospital in 2021, taking a drug to induce ovulation and it was successful. In November 2021, my period was a few days late and I felt a bit poorly, so I decided to take a pregnancy test. It immediately showed a positive result. I was absolutely stunned. After such a long journey, it was so surreal to realise I was finally pregnant. I also felt a bit scared, I’d wanted this for so long and now it was happening it was a lot to take in.

The first person I told was…

My husband Giuseppe. After taking three tests, I laid them on the bed and called him upstairs, telling him I needed help with something. I set up my phone to record his reaction and when he walked into the room, I simply pointed at the tests and smiled. When he saw them he was absolutely overjoyed. It was such an emotional moment for us both, I’ll never forget it.

I announced the pregnancy by…

Telling my parents in person and my in-laws, who live in Sicily, on Facetime on Christmas Day 2021. They were so thrilled. Then, after that, we shared our news more widely with friends and colleagues. Giuseppe was so excited he was practically telling strangers in the street, I was a bit more reserved because although we’d had the 12-week scan by then, I knew there were no guarantees everything would go smoothly.

I felt like…

It was both daunting and exciting being pregnant, especially once we’d told everyone and it was out in the open. I felt so happy but I also worried something would go wrong, because it hadn’t come easy to be expecting this baby. It took a long time for me to relax a bit and believe everything was going to be ok.

My weirdest craving was… 

Cucumber sandwiches! And after being a vegetarian for eighteen years I craved a cheeseburger when I was around four months pregnant. I ate it, but felt terrible the next day, my body just wasn’t used to meat after so long without it.

The best thing about being pregnant was…

Buying little babygros and imagining the baby that was soon going to be in them. They made it all feel very real. In the end, Lorenzo was a 9lb baby, so didn’t fit into most of the newborn outfits I’d bought and I had to buy new ones in a bigger size!

The worst thing about being pregnant was…

I had to inject myself with blood thinning medication daily from four months pregnant and that was tough, I felt like a human pin cushion. I had to carry on doing that until Lorenzo was ten weeks old and was so relieved to give myself the final injection.

My plans for the birth were…

To deliver in the midwife led birthing unit of our local hospital, in the pool, with my playlist of favourite songs playing and low lighting.

How the birth went was…

I developed gestational diabetes so had to have a planned c-section at 39 weeks. Even though it wasn’t what I had originally planned, it was still a very positive experience. Giuseppe was there with me and as soon as Lorenzo was born he was placed straight onto my chest.

The first thing I thought when I met my baby was…

He’s here! I could hardly believe I had a baby and I was finally a mum.

We chose the name because…

We are both Sicilian and wanted our child to have a name that reflected our heritage. We didn’t want one that was too hard to pronounce though, knowing he would be growing up in the UK.

My essential newborn item was…

the Nuby Rapidcool which prepares formula feeds at the perfect temperature in just a couple of minutes.

The thing I hardly used was…

Tomee Tippee Electric Bottlewarmer. It’s been put away in the garage, practically unused.

The best advice I was given was…

Use nipple shields if you are finding breastfeeding painful. They helped me feed Lorenzo myself. 

The worst advice I was given was….

I haven’t been given any ‘bad’ advice but I do feel nobody really tells you what the early months of motherhood are really like. You hear about all the wonderful parts but not about the tiring, anxious parts when you’re still finding your feet. 

As told to Eimear O’Hagan.