#mumchat - Juggling mum Lucy Gow shares her life and mum hacks

NAME:  Lucy Gow

AGE: 34

NATIONALITY:  Australian

LOCATION: Dubai

NUMBER OF YEARS BEING A MUM: 4

TELL US ABOUT YOUR KIDS: Genevieve, aged 4, Harrison, aged 2 and Samuel, who was 24 weeks when he was born and flew to the stars

INSTAGRAM HANDLE: @elleperro

1.     What’s one thing you wish you’d known before becoming a parent?

Your gut instinct is the only advice you need. There is so much noise around motherhood – what to do; what not to do; the right and wrong ways to parent – at the end of the day, we’re all human and no child is the same. So, take what you need. It’s all trial and error and the speed at which they grow makes time the most precious thing in the journey. Savour it all – even the hard parts.

2.     What’s something you swore you’d never do as a parent—but do now?

Co-sleep. My daughter slept through from four weeks, and is now in our bed every night, purely for a cuddle. My son, on the other hand, was up an average of 10 times a night right up until he was 22 months old, with split nights that felt like they would never end, I set up camp on his floor for months (which was why I eventually founded Never Far Home as a passion project) because I was so adamant to get him sleeping in his own bed, until I eventually gave in and started to bring him into my bed after midnight. Now, he too wanders on in to jump in for a cuddle at least three days of the week from the moment he could climb out of his cot. I get zero sleep when they’re both in there (especially Harrison as he kicks and rolls around, talking in his sleep and waking to take on the day at 5am every morning), but having them in with me is what I look forward to most every night now. I know it’s not forever, and before I know it this, too, will be over, so I’m lapping it all up whilst I can.

3.     What was the BEST piece of parenting advice you’ve received?

Take what you need and just lean in. Everyone has an opinion, but just because it worked for them, doesn't mean it will for you. Genevieve was the best sleeper at night but never napped longer than 45 minutes at a time and I sent myself wild thinking she wasn’t getting enough rest because the books told me otherwise. Harrison was grabbing food off my plate at 4 months old and never wanted purees, so i had to quickly learn about baby lead weaning (mainly to differentiate that dreaded gag that looks like a choke!) It’s all so unique and unpredictable, but that’s the beauty of it. 

4.     Share with us your biggest “parenting fail” – we promise no judgement here!

I don’t think there are really any fails when it comes to true parenting, but, I’ve certainly had my moments! I’ve definitely learnt you can’t bubble wrap kids, no matter how hard you try. They will always learn the hard way. And, when the chaos comes knocking, you just need to lean in. We’re toilet training in our house at the moment, however my son, for example, took far too much notice of the dogs and decided he, too, would poo outside when they do. Then, the other day I had the dogs going crazy in the garden, the kids running wild ramping them up, everyone refusing to listen to mum. I turned around, and a bird had fallen out of our roof and died, which the kids had shown the dogs to. I went to get a shovel to move it, meanwhile Harrison had decided to pick up one of the dog poo’s, and Gi was running around with the shovel I had dropped to try and tackle him before he took it inside whilst the dogs then took it upon themselves to ‘remove’ the bird before Harrison flung himself off the back of a chair .... all in the space of about 30 seconds....and what do we do? We lean in....

5.     How do you balance life? 

I genuinely don’t! I think it is so important to, again, take what you need. You have 100% of yourself each day, and all you can do is give more to what’s calling at that time. That might be 80% parenting, 20% work one day, and 10% parenting, 90% to something else another. And that is absolutely ok. Be kind to yourself. We’re all human – but, it’s only after becoming a mum I’ve realised what that truly means. 

6.     One parenting hack you’d like to share with us. 

A Stanley cup holds a whole bottle of wine.....just saying (this was the start of our The 305 x Stanley Cup sold out collab!)

7.     What do you hope your kids say about you when they’re older?

That I was always there when they needed, and put genuine kindness first, always. 

8.     3 words that describe #MumLife to you

Unique, wholesome, wild