Words by
Feminin Botanik
Rebecca is a model, new mum to beautiful baby girl Arabella Rose, and partner to champion surfer Taj Burrow. Today they’re basking in the bliss of their ‘little slice of heaven’.
We chat to this gorgeous woman about birthing in water, her ultra supportive man, her milk ‘coming in’ and why her mum insists she eats soup.
You gave birth to beautiful Arabella Rose only 3 days ago. How are you feeling?
Surprisingly really amazing. I had a dream birth. I’m so lucky our hospital offers water birthing and I happened to be lucky enough to get a water birthing competent midwife on shift. I think it changed my whole child birth situation, I couldn’t recommended it highly enough. It was so incredible and I think it really shaped the way I am now in the days post birth.
How was Arabella’s first feed?
Her first feed was immediately after she was born. The midwife moved me out of the bath after delivering the placenta and then she had her first feed. She latched on so easily, I was really lucky. It was such a surreal feeling!
Are you still in hospital or at home, and who’ll be looking after you over the next few weeks?
We came home after only one night in the hospital. I was feeling good and bub was all happy and healthy, so we decided to come home and get settled in.
I literally don’t even have to ask for anything he’s got it covered, from cleaning to changing nappies to groceries, what a gem!
What have you been told about your milk ‘coming in’?
I was told about this and it happened last night. I’m so tender and look like a dark version of Pam Anderson. So far I’m not showing any signs of the milk blues, but time will tell.
How are you feeling about nursing at this point? Is it all snuggles and oxytocin, or pain and sweat?
It’s a little mixture of both. It’s not all snuggles and oxytocin, even though most of the time it is. Sometimes it’s a bit stressful when she won’t attach properly. We both get frustrated and it becomes even harder.
The home visits from the midwives have been a real treat and they’ve been giving me some good tips to help that.
She’s pretty dreamy though, sleeps really well and she’s go so much character already. We’re getting little smiles and cuddles.
What are you most looking forward to over the next 6 weeks?
Just enjoying our time as a little family. Welcoming Bella into our lives and showing her around her new home. She’s only 3 days old and she’s taught us so much already, its crazy how much they grow every single day.
I just can’t wait to do simple little things like take her for walks and to the beach!
What’s the best advice your mum ever gave you?
We actually laugh at my mum’s advice all the time. She’s Filippino and anyone else with a Filipino mum will understand the crazy advice that they give.
She also told me that she had my sister in 15 minutes and me in 5 minutes and attributes that to going to church (I think that one was just a way to try and get me to go to church with her).
She also said that I’m not allowed to bend over once while I’m pregnant to pick anything up under any circumstances, which I think is impossible. So even though her advice is pretty hilarious, I think the most I got from her was unconditional love for both me and my sister.
She quit work when I was born and was a stay at home mum, so we have an extremely close bond.
She’s like a super mum. She would clean the entire house, make breakfast and pack school lunches and send me and my sister off to school, mow the lawns, babysit the next door neighbours children, do 75 loads of laundry, do the groceries, iron every single thing that my family wears (including my dads underwear), and prepare dinner to have ready for us when we got home from work and after school activities. All without one single whinge.
