How some of the UK’s coolest new mums spent their first Mother’s Day.

I woke up on my first Mother’s Day to the news of violent scenes at Sarah Everard’s vigil. Feeling heartbroken, my prayers turned to Sarah’s mother, and all the mothers who have lost children. I then spoke to a friend who is fostering a one-year-old baby and I felt in awe of her, and of all the carers who look after children who need love.

“I then gazed at my own three-month-old son and thanked my lucky stars, for a love I never knew possible. I hope the world we have brought him into is more full of love and understanding than it seems these days. I think of my own Mother who brought me up alone and wonder how the hell she managed, and of my Grandmothers who never got to meet my baby, but feel their strength in me.

“I wonder how long I’m going to go without sleep for, but I know I will do whatever it takes for my son to be safe and well.”

- Jennifer Byrne, Head of Video & Audio at The Face, London.

I’m a newbie, only 6 weeks in, I don’t feel worthy because I know I’ve still got a lot more shifts to put in. But I still loved being spoiled by my baby girl (husband) and receiving so much love from my mum friends, which, by the way, is one of the most supportive forms of sisterhood I’ve ever known. We’ve been cuddling all day and dancing to the Cheeky Girls on TikTok .

“On Saturday night we lit a candle together to participate in the vigil and to reclaim our streets — it made me feel both proud and scared to be raising a female. As well as honouring victims of abuse, it felt like a commitment to teach her everything I know and protect her as much as I can.

“Today, I’m really grateful for my little family and my heart is full.”

- Eve Lee, Founder and Managing Director at The Digital Fairy, London***-

I’m having a lot of ‘firsts’ during the pandemic, as it’s all I’ve really known of motherhood, it feels normal to be celebrating another mum milestone in lockdown but I am so thankful to my partner and friends for making it feel special, despite the lockdown.

“Even getting my first Mother’s Day message made me feel like ‘wow... it’s really happening... first Mother’s Day and I’m here in lockdown.’ Normally you see people spoiling their partners — dinners, spa days — but I feel like we’re so used to less-is-more and to celebrating in more intimate settings but it’s nearly one year since the first lockdown and you can’t help but grieve the loss of outings, sense of purpose, and family gatherings.”

- Aniquè Crystal Tamara, Model Booker (Men’s Division) at Select Model Management, London.

Today was my first mamma’s day. My boyfriend prepared a special breakfast but unfortunately the second I sat down to eat it, my girl Nina wanted milk and then proceeded to do a huge poo — not quite the relaxing breakfast I’d hoped for.

Cue cold scrambled eggs, and cold coffee, devoured with one hand whilst still feeding her. I did, however, have a bath at 2pm which must be my first day bath since I had her ten months ago. It was lush.”

-Rosie Golton, Event Coordinator, York.

My first Mother’s Day felt like my birthday — breakfast in bed with presents, then my partner took my 2.5-month-old baby boy out so I could have a long hot bath, uninterrupted.

My mum and my mother-in-law came for lunch. They both help me look after Stanley so I can work. Running your own business while being a mother is the hardest challenge I've ever had to deal with, and more than anything it has taught me that it truly takes a village to raise a child. I spent the evening bathing my boy which he loves, having a long breastfeed which we both love, then bed. Bliss.”

- Iona Mathieson, Co-Founder, Sage Flowers

I felt a lot of excitement this Mother's Day.

“I was excited to reimagine the word and meaning of 'mother’. For the past 35 years, Mother’s Day had always been about my Mum, Vicky, but this year it was also about me. I was also excited to be part of a new gang and celebrate alongside all my superhuman girlfriends, who are mothers but also juggle so much more than that. My WhatsApp was non-stop, all of us celebrating and congratulating each other on what we are achieving on a daily basis. That felt great. There was also an element of legitimacy. My daughter Zadie is only 7-weeks-old, so it reinforced how real it is to be a mum and the fact that this a job for life.”

-Posey Collis, COO of Orca Sound Project, London.

As I fed baby Gus on Mother’s Day morning, and messages popped up on my family WhatsApp group wishing my mum and me ‘Happy Mother’s Day’, it felt very surreal.

“I had this overwhelming feeling of pride at having joined ‘the other side’ and I felt like an accepted member of a new team. I have loved every second of being a mum over the last three months but only am I beginning to understand and experience the amount of work that goes into parenting. I have all the more respect for mothers and primary carers everywhere. Mothering Sunday is a really nice excuse to celebrate them all. I got a lovely card from Gus and his dad that is a painting by the surrealist painter Dorothea Tanning, one of my favourite mother and child paintings. We then drove around listening to Chilly Gonzales’s piano music trying to get Gus to sleep, and spent the afternoon watching The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel and eating hot cross buns and tea cakes. It was so cosy and I felt very loved.”

-[Rosie Reed], Artist & Curator, London

I spent my first Mother's Day as a mum with my own Mum.

“I cooked a lovely meal for my parents and hung out with my son. Phoenix is 6 months so we wake up early and it’s all go until bedtime. Then I got into some work. I co-parent so wasn’t expecting much but I was really lucky to receive cards from friends and family. I’m exhausted but really happy, he’s the light of my life.”

-Dachinii Lee-Hewitt, Storyteller, Reading.