Sarah Davidson on love, loss and the meaning of Mother’s Day
This Mother’s Day is extra special for The House of Wellness TV and radio co-host Sarah Davidson. Here’s her story of love, loss and non-linear paths to parenthood.
Sarah Davidson, a former lawyer turned “funtrepreneur”, and her husband Nic are revelling in the joy of their newborn son, Edward — affectionately known as Teddy — born earlier this year.
Sarah has conquered corporate law, built a matcha empire, and hosts a popular podcast.
But she says motherhood has been her biggest challenge yet.
Becoming a parent
Sarah describes the first few weeks of parenthood as “pure chaos and magical”.
“It’s so surreal still, every day; it’s incredibly special,” she says.
Despite a heartbreaking miscarriage experience in early 2023, Sarah’s resilience shines through.
“We had a non-linear pathway to having Teddy, we had a loss last year,” she explains.
“Just one Mother’s Day ago, I was still healing from the miscarriage surgery and this year, we’ve got a beautiful, healthy boy.
“It took a little bit longer to get here and we’re even more grateful and appreciative.”
Sarah’s role model
Sarah, who was raised in a loving family after being adopted from South Korea when she was a baby, says her adoptive mother is her best friend and hero.
“My mum is the best person on this earth, she is the most caring and selfless person,” Sarah says.
“She literally took two babies (Sarah and her adopted brother Alexander) at five months old and loved us in a way that we never knew any different.
“I couldn’t have a better role model to take into my own journey of motherhood.”
Navigating motherhood
Sarah was shocked by the steep learning curve of motherhood — from her emergency C-section through to learning to breastfeed.
“I was surprised at how drastic it is, and I was surprised that every parent I know has already done it and survived,” Sarah says.
She was also surprised at how quickly her mother’s intuition kicked in.
“Because I’m adopted, I couldn’t just ring Mum and ask what happens in labour because she never physically went through it,” Sarah says.
“So I thought it would maybe take me longer, but you do have this weird gut sense.”
Sarah and Nic have been touched by the support shown by their families and other parents.
“People are so receptive, everyone’s so willing to help each other,” Sarah says.
Prioritising self-care
“Self-care, what does that mean?” Sarah laughs.
While before she was always looking ahead and planning things, Sarah says becoming a mother has helped her embrace being in the moment.
“It does make you immediately more present than you’ve ever been,” she says.
It’s also helped her appreciate the smaller things.
“Like that first shower after a long night of having a wet bra or even just going to Chaddy (Chadstone Shopping Centre), putting him in the pram and going for a walk.
“It (motherhood) kind of grounds you back to really small moments.”
Celebrating diverse paths to parenthood
“There’s a lot of different ways to become a parent and not everyone can get there naturally or in the way that they might have hoped,” Sarah says.
“I’ve learned that blood is not the only way to be connected to someone and to love them and to have the best life together.”
She says not everyone fits neatly into the motherhood category and that is ok.
“So if you’re an auntie or if you’re in the adoption process, or if you’re doing IVF or if you chose not to be a mother, there are still ways that you can love a person and make their life amazing,” Sarah says.
“I love that the celebrations are getting a little bit more broad.”
The essence of Mother’s Day
For Sarah, her first Mother’s Day is all about cherishing simple moments with her own mother and her little one, Teddy.
“We don’t usually go anywhere fancy, maybe just our favourite local for brunch, and then see what the day holds,” she says.
To Sarah, the essence of Mother’s Day lies in the gift of shared time.
“There’s something truly special about just being together,” she says.
“Whether it’s watching a movie at home or going for a stroll in the park.”
More ways to celebrate Mother’s Day:
- 12 Mother’s Day gift ideas for the mum who has everything
- Jade Kisnorbo’s top ideas for saying ‘thank you, Mum’
- Your ultimate guide to baking perfect homemade scones
- How to host a fabulous tea party
- Self-care gifts for mums who don’t have time for self-care
Written by Bianca Carmona.
