Q&A with... Phoebe Burgess

Q. How are you enjoying your second pregnancy? Is it different from the first time around?
A. I’m enjoying the fact we are about to welcome another little member into our family but the first few months of pregnancy are tough on the strongest of Mummies. I think I’ve found the second time around slightly more challenging as I’ve been running around after my 17-month-old and she is non-stop at the moment. Poppy’s energy levels are eclipsing mine, that’s for sure!

Q. Are you craving any particular foods?
A. I was fairly nauseous for quite a while this time around so apart from the odd KFC run, I was on a pretty bland diet. My ultimate go-to has been Vegemite on fresh sourdough and mango ice-cream… Anything sweet and cold to counteract the constant motion sickness I was feeling!

Q. Is Poppy looking forward to being a big sister?
A. Being only 17 months, I’m not too sure how much she understands, but she is definitely aware Mummy’s tummy is precious and we can’t tackle mummy anymore! We are also upping her play time with all of her cousins and pointing out babies to her a lot more. She is a caring and loving (albeit rough girl at playtime) toddler so I’m sure once she adapts it will be nothing but kisses and cuddles for her little sibling.

Q. What’s been your funniest parenting moment so far?
A There have been so many… our entire journey has been a laugh because that’s how Sam and I have always approached life, with a smile and good humour. From our birth story to Poppy pooing all over herself and me in Ksubi on Oxford Street, there’s never a dull moment. I do love when Poppy runs around naked trying on all of my shoes after her bath!

Q. Any tips for new mums?
A. Find your own way! Advice is wonderful, especially from those you love but try to find your own groove, your own survival techniques and your own routines to cling onto when everything else seems to be flying out of control.

Very early on Sam and I adopted Johnson’s 3-Step Sleep Routine. Being a chaotic and busy household, I was needing something to cling onto at the end of the day and that’s when we started coming together at bath time. Poppy adores playing in the bubbles, learning to play with her bath toys and put them away.

Then after the bath, it’s massage time (I rub the Johnson’s Baby Bedtime Oil onto Poppy’s skin, she is constantly outside and her skin can dry out so easily. It’s also a beautiful bonding moment. Sam loves this part too as he is out at work all day). Then we read a book together in a warm, dimly lit room. By the second run through of the book (Each Peach Pear Plum at the moment) she is yawning. Success!

Q. What are your go-to beauty products?
A. My go-to beauty products are always extremely hydrating, effective and low maintenance. I use The Clinic Cleansing Pads when I have zero time for water cleansing (I throw them in any travel bag). I’m obsessed with Bobbi Brown’s Vitamin Enriched Face Base for moisturising pre-make up or pre-tinted moisturiser. I also love Bobbi Brown Brow Gel.

Q How do you manage to juggle the different roles you have?
A. By exactly that, juggling! Some days I juggle well, other days I do it poorly but like all the wonderful Mums I know, your kids come first so it’s an easy list to prioritise when it comes to time and energy. As a Mum, I’m always learning. I look and sound a lot busier than I am. I find time for work, but I spend most of my days looking after my daughter and trying desperately to get on top of the washing in this house.

Q When you can squeeze in some ‘me-time’, how do you like to spend it?
A. Shopping! Fashion has always been about the evolution of me, from TV to magazine land to working mum, my style has evolved and I enjoy the personal ride. It’s always been a source of happiness, creativity and expression for me. Style can transport my mood and uplift me when I’m feeling exhausted or beaten. Doing Pilates. Catching up on reality TV with my husband (it’s the little things).

Q. What activities do you enjoy doing as a family?
A. We are an extremely active little trio so when we aren’t travelling around the country and sometimes the world for Sam’s work, we love our down time. We love family TV or reading time, we adore going out for breakfast (carefully timed for a happy toddler experience of course). We love the park and going down to my family property in Bowral and being with the horses.

Q. How do you choose what to share on social media, and what to keep private?
A. It’s a very fine line. Sam and I, historically, haven’t shared too many milestones like our engagement, our wedding or our first pregnancy, or Poppy’s first words and first steps on our social media channels as we’ve always kept those moments for ourselves. We go by our instincts, if it feels right, we share. If we’re unsure, we don’t. Trust me, there is plenty that we keep for ourselves.

Q. What are your plans for the future?
A. Learning! Being schooled by my toddler as she moves through life showing me the way and welcoming our new little addition into the world. I’ve stopped being so Type A because I have no idea what each stage of this ride is going to throw at me. Work wise, I am a worker and love the sense of purpose it provides me beyond my main roles as mum and wife. It’s a brilliant time to be a mother and I don’t want to wish any of it away, even on the days I don’t know my right from my left, or I can‘t seem to win. It’s all worth it.