Kate Middleton on the hardships of parenting: ‘Everybody experiences the same struggle’
Kate Middleton has often been candid about the trials and tribulations she’s experienced being a parent.
The 37-year-old Duchess of Cambridge recently attended a charity event for Family Action, which is a support line in the U.K. that has been set up to help parents and caregivers.
Speaking at the event, the royal revealed she finds motherhood just as challenging as anyone else – even with a nanny to help her.
“It’s so hard,” she admitted.
Kate Middleton, Prince William and family. Source: Kensington Palace Instagram
Kate Middleton opens up about there not being enough support for mums
Kate, who is mum to Prince George, five, Princess Charlotte, three, and nine-month-old Prince Louis, also opened up about how she believes mums need more support throughout their parenting journey.
“You get a lot of support with the baby as a mother particularly in the early days, but after the age of one it falls away,” she added.
“After that there isn’t a huge amount — lots of books to read. Everybody experiences the same struggle.”
The Duchess of Cambridge arrives @family_action in Lewisham to launch a new national support line. The charity works to tackle some of the most complex and difficult issues facing families today. pic.twitter.com/9FVTEX1Ipg
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) January 22, 2019
Kate says she’s felt lonely and isolated having children
Kate has also expressed how lonely she’s felt since becoming a mum.
In 2017, the royal joined a discussion during a visit to a west London high school with two mums, Katie Massie-Taylor and Sarah Hesz, who have launched an app to help mums make friends discussed how they became friends after bonding through mutual loneliness.
“It is lonely at times and you do feel quite isolated but actually so many other mothers are going through exactly what you are going through,” Kate told the group afterwards, reports the Belfast Telegraph.
“It is being brave enough, like you obviously were, to reach out to those around you.”
Kate, 35, added that parents should be helped to teach their kids “to start these conversations from a much earlier age but through play, even if their language hasn’t yet developed.”
After the Duchess of Cambridge’s honest admission, Sarah Hez said: “It’s not surprising because we do know all mums feel that, and it doesn’t matter where you live.
“It is something you go through when you become a mum and it’s a challenge for everyone, whether you’re royalty or a normal mum.”
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Join our Healthy Mummy community
Here at Healthy Mummy H.Q, we totally respect mums like Kate, who remind the rest of us that (not only are they too human) but those feelings of loneliness, isolation, self doubt and lack of sleep are, for the most part, NORMAL… Remember you are not alone and support is always available.
If you feel like you need to interact with other mums, want advice, support or just a chat, our private Facebook communities have over 100,000 mums. And are a safe space for you to vent and share your thoughts.
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One in seven women in Australia suffers from postpartum depression and one in ten new fathers also experience postnatal depression, says Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia (PANDA).
If you or someone you know is struggling, then remember you are not alone. Have a look at our story on what every mum who has experienced PND needs to hear as well as our post natal depression archives for ways to get the help you deserve.
Support
PANDA National Helpline www.panda.org.au – 1300 726 306
Beyond Blue www.beyondblue.org.au 1300 224 636
