'Mental health is really important when you’re looking after little ones'

Jess and Rob got married back in 2021 and share two kids, two-year-old Bobby and newborn Ross, who they welcomed in November last year.

Jess admitted that it wasn't easy becoming a mother for the first time around, but she had learned from those mistakes by the time the second one came around. Now, she knows you can't 'pour from an empty cup'.

She told the Irish Examiner: "I was so burnt out, and it didn’t do good for me or for Bobby. This time, I realised that I can’t get to that point of burnout. I need to get my hour to go to the gym or get my nails done, to do something for me.

"Mental health is really, really important when you’re looking after little ones and looking after yourself is a big part of that."

Jess opened up about her experience during one of her Instagram Q&A's.

She said: "This pregnancy has been so different mentally. I’m definitely more anxious, even though I was so anxious with [Bobby], this time it’s even worse, maybe because you know how precious they are or having experienced early loss before this one, but having Bobby is a blessing because it keeps my mind busy!"

She continued: "Physically, I’m feeling great after awful nausea in trimester one, which I didn’t have with him! Needing to go to the bathroom every five seconds, and I had done Emsella treatments last year, and for the first time in a decade, I no longer suffered with OAB symptoms, but now they’re back with a bang, so I love that for me.

“But my gosh, are they worth every weird and wonderful change that happens to our bodies?”

Back in July, Jess said she was “so apprehensive” about sharing her pregnancy news, as she knows all too well the lengths many women go through to conceive.

Sher spoke candidly on everymum the podcast: "So I guess, I was so apprehensive to share my pregnancy news because I was someone who was in that bubble of trying to conceive, which is such a huge bubble and nobody speaks about.

"I felt like every time I went on my phone, there was a pregnancy announcement, and you know, that’s wonderful for them, but it was so triggering for me."

She went on to say it felt like ‘it’s so easy for everybody else, why is it so hard for me, and why am I dealing with these things?’

“I say it all the time, comparison is the thief of joy, but it’s so hard not to do that and not to compare," Jess admitted.

Jess then praised her husband, Rob, saying she was grateful for his support during his parental leave, but admitted she missed him once he returned to work.

She said: " I had him at home for two weeks, and he was there and he was an incredible support. I guess I took it for granted a little bit.

"You know, he was making my tea, he was doing the meals, he was amazing. And then when he was gone [back to work], I just felt this huge void."