When I had my baby in November I feel I was very naive about what was to come in the following weeks. When you are pregnant it seems to easy - you feed the baby, you bathe the baby, change the baby and put the baby to sleep. If only!!

In the first few weeks at home I would cry every day. Alice wouldn’t sleep for me, I couldn’t put her down without her bawling and I didn’t know what to do! My partner Matt was very worried about me as he would leave for work and I would be crying and he would come home and I would still be in my pyjamas and still crying with Alice in my arms. I spent two months like this, I didn’t want anyone to come and visit me and I wouldn’t go anywhere. The house was a mess because I couldn’t do anything.

It kills me to say this but I was resenting my own daughter. I finally broke down to my Auntie and my mother saying that I needed help because I was scared I would hurt my baby. As horrible as it is to write that, it is the truth and I do feel proud of myself for seeking help.

I talked to my child health nurse who recommended the Family Care Centre; I was so depressed that I couldn’t even believe they could help me. I had to wait two weeks to get in. I was still a mess, still crying, not doing anything or going anywhere. I felt I would never pull myself out. When a lady from the Family Care Centre called me the day before my appointment I broke down on the phone to her telling her I couldn’t come because I couldn’t leave the house, I was too scared. She was so supportive and talked to me on the phone for about half an hour, calming me down and helping me to actually smile, which I hadn’t done in a while!!

So the next day I got to the centre, a bit late and very flustered but I got there! I walked in and they took Alice off me and put her to bed, and guess what ? she slept!! For about 3 hours! I was amazed! They taught me so much that day, all with gentle words and reassuring me the whole day. I even got to have a nap. I also got to talk to the counsellor there, which made me feel 100% better.

At the end of the day I left feeling confident and happy… I had even met another mother there and we had arranged to go and have coffee together. Being young I didn’t have many friends with babies, so this was really exciting for me! Alice was then 8 weeks.

The next day it was like I was a new person, the centre had given me so much confidence in what I was doing with Alice. Before I went there I was also considering giving up breastfeeding as it was all just too hard. But that one day there was magic for me. I am now still breastfeeding at 5 months and won't be stopping anytime soon.

My partner and my family were amazed. All of a sudden I was going out more, meeting friends, having visitors and even having a shower in the morning!!!
Because of all this I will be forever in debt to the Family Care Centre and the wonderful ladies there. Without them I would have been lost in post natal depression, which would have endangered not only my life but my daughter's life.

I am a happy, confident mother now and because of that my daughter is a happy and content little girl. We have the Family Care Centre, and only them, to thank for that!