Meet the Mamas

Meet the Mamas – First Time Mum And Head Of mio Retail, Jenny Murray

In our mama mio’s Meet the Mamas series this week, we have interviewed one of our very own! Meet Jenny Murray, mio’s & mama mio’s National Sales Manager and mum to 15 month old Pearl.

When we announced we were doing a blog post on first time mums, we immediately volunteered Jenny as she’s always got a funny story to share about her family and life with Pearl. As you will probably be able to tell through reading this article, Jenny is full of life and we hope you enjoy reading her story as a first time mum!

If you cast you mind back almost two and a half years ago, you would’ve been pregnant. How did you feel about being pregnant? Did you enjoy it?

I really enjoyed the pregnancy, I was one of the lucky ones that had a really good pregnancy. At times I would forget that I was pregnant. Towards the end however I was constantly reminded I was pregnant because of my swollen hot feet, my huge bump that prevented me from doing up my own shoes up and the constant heart burn.

As a first time mum, what was your greatest moment when you were pregnant and once Pearl was born?

When Pearl was in my belly cooking away nicely it was the moments when I was in meetings and she would move around, it was a really special secret that we would share and her way of communicating with me. Then as she got bigger it was the strangest thing seeing your tummy making really odd shapes, which at times would freak you out a little.

It’s really strange but you don’t realise there are so many…. seeing your baby instead of imaging what your baby looks like, is it you or the daddy?!?!? Actually getting to cuddle her properly and just sniffing the amazing baby smell was great. Also it’s wonderful thinking, ‘How on earth was that baby ever inside of me?’.

Meet the Mamas - Jenny Murray

How did you choose the name Pearl? Did you always know you were going to call your baby Pearl?

It’s really hard choosing the baby’s name. I suppose there is a lot of pressure as this is the name your baby has for life and you are responsible for it! I am a big Prince fan and Pearl is in one of his songs, but also because I really liked it (in Latin the meaning for Pearl is precious). I wanted a name that wasn’t so common but not outlandish. Pearl is a really old fashioned name but one that I thought was pretty cool.

What’s the funniest moment that you’ve had with Pearl on your 15 month journey together so far?

These happen so much more now as she is getting older as she imitates everything anyone is doing. She now even purposely tries to make us laugh which is really heart warming. I think so far the time that stick out most (and still makes me chuckle) is when she was around 5 days old.  My mum was obsessed with changing her clothes and nappy every 5 minutes, she thought Pearl was her very own dress up doll.

After saying to her a million times for the day that I had just done a nappy change, I let her carry on and change the nappy that was clean and dry just to make her feel useful. As expected my mum peeled off Pearl’s nappy and as I thought, the nappy was clean and dry. Then, Pearl let out an almighty fart and poo covered my mum and went up the wall of the nursery. I had to laugh as I had never seen anything like it in all my life, for such a little person she managed to produce quite a load!

Since then my mum isn’t so obsessed with changing Pearl all the time.

Meet the Mamas - Jenny Murray

Have you ever thought, “Oh my goodness I can’t do this”, and why?

Oh YES!!!! More so when she was brand new. Pearl had really bad colic as a baby and this lasted for around a month but to me it felt like years! She would cry ALL day and night. She was only happy if I was holding her which looking back on it was sweet, but at the time I was really tired and hormonal all I WANTED WAS A WEEK ON THE BEACH BY MYSELF! (I know this sounds really ungrateful and selfish but that’s how I felt).

Where this was all new to me you don’t realise how hard and tiring it is to have a baby, I suppose I didn’t help myself either as I would make myself really guilty when I would leave her to play by herself while I quickly stuck some washing in the machine or did a little tidying up. I was trying to do all the things I used to do pre Pearl as normal and juggle the baby duties and baby (obviously not literally!).

What’s the hardest thing about being a mum?

Being a working Mum, it’s about the amount of time I am at work and trying to find the right work/life balance. I will say that it does get easier as you become more organised. I think I initially tried being this ‘Super Mummy’ and realised that Pearl likes having her Mummy as she is and having lots of lovely cuddles when I get home from work.

Also at the weekends my husband and I have the Sunday as “Pearl’s day” where we enjoy exploring and doing things that she will enjoy and getting to have ‘first time’ experiences.

What would you change (if anything) if you did it all over again?

Honestly without being cheesy I wouldn’t change anything. I suppose more so now I appreciate that everything that has happened so far has taught me how best to cope and manage this as a first time mummy.

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