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18th December 2023
03:47pm GMT
From sleepless nights to the all-too-familiar doubts that come with being a first-time parent, Anna Geary admits she's been through it all.
The TV personality and her husband, Kevin Sexton, welcomed their first child in August, a son named Ronan.
Since his arrival, the sporting star has been transparent online about the trials and tribulations that can occur in the early days of parenthood.
Anna hopes that sharing the 'real side' of herself online can encourage and uplift other new mums who are in the same boat.
Admitting that she is 'learning while on the job;, she tells RSVP Live that she is learning 'on the job' with her firstborn.
"'Surviving' is a good word! With regards to social media, there’s a part of you that wants to be real and take the gloss off," she explained to the outlet.
"You don’t want to pretend. It could also help someone else out there. I want to be honest, that’s why I share pictures of t-shirts stained by a leak, or a picture of me looking absolutely wrecked, because he wasn’t sleeping all night."
The new mum also honestly opened up about how the early days of motherhood have been, labelling it 'the newborn blur'.
"It’s not about being dramatic. I am very lucky as he’s healthy, he is sleeping sometimes, not all the time, we aren’t there yet. As time goes on, I think I will be even more honest once I come out of the newborn blur."
While she is still navigating motherhood, she took the opportunity to acknowledge the struggles that some couples have conceiving, and ultimately says she just wants to connect with people on the topic.
"I feel very honoured and privileged to be a mother, and I am conscious that there’s many people out there wishing they were in my position, who are trying to have children.
"At the same time, I feel like it should be OK to say it’s bloody hard. I am really grateful, I am besotted with him, I have this weird, unexplainable protective instinct that I heard people talk about before that I never really understood, but now I do.
"It is really hard but I wouldn’t change anything for the world."
The TV personality also candidly shared the often hidden truths of being a new mum, especially during the breastfeeding stages.
"At the moment I am breastfeeding and you’re on demand. The nights can be long.
"In the throes of the middle of the night, they are waking up, crying, you don’t know what they want, and you are half asleep yourself. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a cry sometimes, but that’s important too."
Like the majority of new parents, Anna can fall victim to the niggling voice in the back of her mind that tells her she isn't doing a good job.
"Someone once said to me the best parents are the ones who doubt themselves sometimes, as they just want to do a great job."
"I am trying not to Google things so much," she confessed while also comparing the differences between older generations and this generation of parents.
"... this generation, who have access to Google, who are googling how warm the room should be, how long should his naps be, and whether they should wear a long or short-sleeved vest.
"Older generations just went on instinct. That would be me, I am quintessentially the worrier, I am a first-time mother.
"I don’t have older siblings or sisters, I didn’t babysit when I was younger because I was always playing sport, so I am learning on the job."
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