Its been a long road, but I think going through everything we did has gifted me with such appreciation and gratitude for this little miracle. Even the sleepless nights don’t feel as ‘scary’ because his little face is just pure magic! A true blessing.
Tell us a little bit about your journey to parenthood?
In 2021, we sadly lost a little boy at 14 weeks. It was absolutely heart-breaking and sadly, so common but rarely talked about.
After this, we decided to freeze some embryos to give us a little more time & 'take the pressure off'. As a women in her late thirties - that ticking clock was always in the back of my mind.
It was during this process that I found out just how low my egg count was. We did two rounds and only managed to get a couple of eggs that were useable.
To put this into perspective, women can get 20-30 eggs per cycle. I got one during the first cycle and eight the second. Of this, only three were strong enough to be used.
By the end of this emotionally draining journey, Ben and I were able to freeze one embryo. But, I found happiness and appreciation in this - one meant there was hope.
We then started to look ahead, and planned our next year of adventures. We planned a month in Europe and also were starting to look at spending a year or two in Bali.
This is when our world changed forever...! Little Maximus was conceived (by pure chance!).
Why is it so important to you to share your story?
I believe the more we share, the more we can help others going through the same heart-breaking ordeal. We as a society need to normalise that not all journeys to parenthood are easy.
Being a fitness model and professional, how did your day-to-day life change while being pregnant?
Sadly, training was definitely a struggle. I always thought I would be able to train the whole way through, but every ‘body’ is different and I had chronic pelvic girdle pain. So, even the most simply training, would leave me not able to walk properly for days.
It was here that my maternal instincts kicked in - I had to surrender to my pregnancy and respect my body enough to know training wasn’t serving me anymore.
What are your top tips to keeping motivated & active during pregnancy?
My main tip would be to find what works for you and remember that every body and pregnancy is different - so never compare yourself to anyone else. Walking for 20 min a day (with music in my ears) was a must for me and my mental health. I used this time to be alone with my bubba, and really connect with this little human growing in my belly.
I would imagine having him in my Sia baby carrier and his little head on my chest!
*And, I can confirm...it is THE BEST feeling!
My biggest advice would be to embrace this time in your life, and all your beautiful curves!
Launching a business is a lot like having a baby! Do you have any advice for any mothers out there who have big dreams and want to take a leap of faith to go out on their own?
Have confidence within yourself and know that every successful business started exactly where you are now!
We're so excited to see you wearing our most sought after pint 'Sand'. What drew you to this print?
Easy, it will go with every outfit in Summer! It has the softest tones that are so versatile.
You love to cook, and have a range of beautiful healthy meals that you often share with your audience. What is your go-to family friendly meal?
Slow cooked Spaghetti bolognaise with grated zucchini and Carrot! Simple and delicious - a real crowd pleaser in our house!
Follow Aimée's holistic approach to wellness and training here and here.
