Jess Davis

6 days after my little boy was born I almost died. I had become septic from an infection that took over my body, an infection that is rare for a natural birth. I needed some help breathing initially, and spent a week in hospital after only having spent 2 days at home. I was discharged and then became septic again, this time from mastitis. Again, another hospital admission for a week. At this point, my boy was less than 3 weeks old and had only spent a handful of days at home. 

Bring into the mix learning breastfeeding, recovering physically, feeding issues, a severe tongue tie, hormone changes, sleep deprivation, I was a classics recipe for post natal depression and didn’t realise I was already showing signs. 

At 5 weeks, my boy developed COVID and began having periods of apnoea. We were admitted to the local children’s hospital for several days. Watching him lay in the hospital cot hooked up to a feeding tube and IV was heart breaking. 

The following week I was at breaking point, told my baby’s dad to take him and leave. This was the point I knew I needed help. This led to a single visit to a psychologist at the hospital I birthed at and ended with an admission to the mums and babies unit to help treat severe PNDA. It was here I was referred to Gidget. 

Fast forward to now, my baby is now a little over 2 years old. Life has not been smooth sailing at all. It is still a daily struggle sometimes. Finding the balance between caring for my baby, caring for myself, maintaining the house, work, life etc., it is exhausting.