“ I realised that there is more truth than we care to admit in the phrase ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, but even more so, to raise a mother. ”
I’m Mandy, wife, mother, supporter.
I’m Mandy, married to Greg and together, we have two kids – Libby and Tigs – and two pups making up our family. We’re both originally from the same town in Zimbabwe but we met here in Perth and I instantly knew he was someone I could spend the rest of my life with. The rest, as they say, is history.
Except it’s not really because there is a lot that’s happened since! Two little people, to be exact – and all the joy, wonder and struggle that comes with being a parent.
For as long as I can remember I’ve only ever wanted to be a Mum. Every aptitude and personality test I did pointed towards a ‘caring’, supporting type of career. I don’t know about you but I can’t think of a job that involves more love and care than parenting. Before I had my first baby I worked across the events and health care sectors, but I really just loved having people in my home and making them feel loved and cared for. When Libby arrived while I was experiencing the highest highs (beautiful, sweet newborn chest to squishy cheek cuddles, that unconditional “stare-at-you-for-hours” love), and those real low lows (endless hours of cluster feeding, hours of awake time in the middle of the night, aches and pains, and why do my tummy muscles still hurt when I cough?) of early parenthood I realised that there is more truth than we care to admit in the phrase ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, but even more so, to raise a mother. My births, in many respects were textbook births, but I was unprepared for how long I would take to physically recover. I had researched everything about actually giving birth but the weeks afterwards – often known as the fourth trimester – left me feeling a bit shell-shocked. We were so lucky to have our family near by but I also hit the jackpot with the Mother’s Group I joined. We made food and did coffee runs for each other and really just held each other up when we needed it. I know that not everyone has that. And that’s where the idea for Nest came from.
How can Nest help you?
Congratulations! Adding a new little person to your home will bring so much joy (and chaos)! I’m so glad you’re here.
I believe that the best thing about being a parent is that you get to do it for yourself. You get to decide how to do it, and when you’re empowered and educated to make the right choices for your family it makes such a difference. If you’re able to remove the judgement then parenting becomes much easier, more fun and more like the life you imagined. Because it’s just you and them. And that’s all that matters really.
As a new mother, or the most experienced mother, you can feel the pressure of expectation, to listen to and consider advice from well meaning (and some not-so-well-meaning) friends and family. You find yourself questioning your instincts and rapidly losing confidence in your abilities and heading straight into anxiety inducing, overwhelming territory of midnight Googling and Instagram death scrolling. I also know we all have a tendency to just ‘do it ourselves’ and how hard it is to ask for help. That’s where I step in with Nest.
I’ll offer you practical, organised, genuine and empathetic help. I’ll come into your home (and please don’t clean up before I come – there is no judgement coming with me) and take on the things that ‘need to be done’. Before Baby arrives we will work through your birth preparation and recovery plans, and I will help you gather a few more tools in your parenting tool box to help you feel empowered and confident as you go into this new adventure. And then once Babe is here I’m here to be an extra pair of hands to support you in your recovery and running your home so you can focus on your job - to love and learn your baby’s ways.
Don’t worry, I won’t ever tell you how to do things. My aim is to leave you feeling like you are informed in making your own decisions. I can certainly offer feeding, settling and sleeping support if that’s what you want, but I’m also there educate and support to you take care for yourself and the best ways to do it, from belly binding and learning self massage to boosting your energy levels using your genius hormones and baby brain, and when you are at your absolute limit to show you how to recharge and why it is so important. I can cook meals (and clean up afterwards), play with your older kids, run your errands and collect your groceries. I’ll hold Baby so you can enjoy a hot shower or a hot drink if that would be helpful too. I’m here to shoulder some of the load in the run up to Baby’s arrival and in the first few months afterwards, I’m also be there hear your birth story and support you while you process it all and your transformation as a newborn mother. I want to help you embrace all of it – the good, the bad, the ugly and the utterly joyous. I am a caring friend that will get things done in the background and leave you the time and space to enjoy that precious, and fleeting time with your baby.
