Adele, you’re a legend

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Adele has admitted suffering from post-natal depression which has left her ‘too scared’ to have another baby and talked in her own brilliant, inimitable way about how hard she’s found being a mum.

How powerful that someone like Adele, who (to the rest of us mere mortals) seems to have limitless access to the very best resources and support, is opening up about the fact that she suffered in silence because she was scared to death of being judged.

In the beginning, it seems universal that we all wonder what the hell has happened to our lives and whether we’re the only ones who feel like that because no-one bloody tells you that this is going to happen.

Not that I’m sure I would’ve listened in my naïve pregnant state, but I’m damn sure I don’t remember a single person even making a vague attempt at trying to meaningfully prepare me for what was about to happen.

As Xav got a bit older and the relationships I was building with other people who happened to have popped out a human around the same time as I had got a bit more established, we all gradually started opening up. Shock horror….we all felt the same.

Adele also said this which has made love her even more than I already did:

“I love my son more than anything, but on a daily basis, if I have a minute or two, I wish I could do whatever the fuck I wanted, whenever I want. Every single day I feel like that.

“Four of my friends felt the same way I did, and everyone was too embarrassed to talk about it; they thought everyone would think they were a bad mom, and it’s not the case. It makes you a better mom if you give yourself a better time.”

Yes, yes, yes!

I’m so hopeful that these high-profile, influential and revered women speaking out about these issues will remove these ridiculous taboos and help new mums (and dads) understand that there will be no judgment, no-one will think any less of you if you’re honest about this shitstorm and yes, you’re a brilliant parent even if you don’t feel like you are.

It’s so important that these feelings are normalised. By and large, women (me included) are still scared – even now – that someone will, at the very least think we’re incapable and at the very worst come and take our baby away if we intimate that we’re not coping.

The courage it takes to share this overwhelm is extraordinary and most of the time it’s only when the worst of the fog has lifted that we feel able to share the extent of our suffering.

Adele’s trying to change that by using her influence to give the nod that it’s all ok. What a bloody legend she is.

From one mum to another, Adele, thank you. X