About Me
An unexpected client gave me a lead into an incredible career I never knew existed, and sparked a lifelong passion.
I have always been lucky – I am one of those people who always seem to land on their feet, and the right path always unfolds for me with time. That’s how I found my passion for working with babies!
Hi! Thanks for stopping by to read a little more about me.
I grew up on a smallholding just outside of Blackwater in Cornwall, where I had space to roam and plenty of animals! Growing up on our little farm shaped me into the person I am today. I experienced everything in its most raw and natural form – the circle of life in all its glory. At the time, I didn’t realize how much it was preparing me for the future, but I am incredibly grateful for it.
After school and college, I explored my options at university but couldn’t decide what to study. So, I joined the workforce while I figured out my direction. During that period, I was involved in a very serious car accident and nearly died. I was extremely lucky, and after recovering, I craved an adventure. So, I took a year out to do something different and became an au pair in Geneva, Switzerland.
When my au pair year ended, I flew home and began nannying for families in London. However, as many professional nannies will agree, there is a significant difference between being an au pair and a nanny, and it just wasn’t the right job for me. While deregistering myself from agency books, one agency asked if I could interview for a job with a newborn baby. There was a lady in my area expecting her third baby who didn’t mind taking on a nanny with no baby experience. In a small twist of fate, a few months later, my first maternity client placed her three-day-old baby in my arms, and I was hooked!
When I started working with babies in my early twenties, it was exciting to work for families all over the world! I witnessed so many different cultures, all parenting in unique ways. Learning that there are numerous ways to raise a baby was incredibly valuable early in my career.
In my late twenties, I met my now husband. A year later, we were fortunate enough to buy our first house in Essex, where my husband is from, and where I could easily commute to London for work. Eventually, I convinced him to move to Cornwall with me. That same year, I turned 30, and we got married!
Starting a family wasn’t as straightforward as we had hoped. But in 2017, I gave birth to our son via emergency C-section on an extremely busy night in September. I blame the full moon!
I honestly thought I was prepared to have my own baby after so many years of looking after other people’s.
I was not.
I had the wisdom of experience, having worked 24 hours a day, six days a week for much of my career, and when I came home from the hospital, I had plenty of family support. And it was still hard. Nothing, and I feel I can say this with reasonable authority, NOTHING quite prepares you for having a baby of your own. It is thrilling and terrifying in equal measures.
I am sure that without the support and previous knowledge and experience I had, I would likely have suffered from postnatal depression. I feel deeply grateful for the village that helped us in those early days.
I was so lucky to have an immediate and deep bond with my son. He latched straight away in the recovery room and was a very relaxed baby who fed well. However, after a few days of feeding, I knew that something wasn’t quite right. While his latch looked amazing and he was drinking, it still pinched and was uncomfortable. I suspected he might have an issue with his tongue. We saw the infant feeding team at a drop-in, and they found and cut a posterior tongue tie that day! We went from strength to strength after that, and he was breastfed until around 14 months old.
I have had the privilege of being able to work around my son with the support of my ever-patient husband and family, and count myself as extremely fortunate not to have missed any of those important milestones and events. We now live in Redruth, with extended family close by, and enjoy lots of community events together. Living close to family in Cornwall is the greatest joy. I couldn’t imagine my son growing up anywhere else!
The fact that I get to do a job I love here too is just the cherry on top!