By KATE HUNTER
Dear Madam,
Or may I call you Kate? You can call me that, by all means.
You might not believe this, but we have a lot in common besides our names: tall husbands, fathers-in-law who’ve been in the military, AND we both played hockey at school! We’re practically twins.
Anyway, I just thought I’d drop you this quick note to wish you the best for the arrival of the little one. I hope all goes well, and that you and William get to enjoy a bit of privacy before the world completely loses its mind because you’ve given birth.
Now, I have three children of my own, so I feel well qualified, along with every other parent on the planet, to offer you a few words of advice on what to name your baby. Also on how to feed, dress, sleep and educate him or her. But I won’t, because you seem pretty smart. Plus, your baby is loved and wanted. Those kids normally do okay.
What I will do is tell you a story which may or may not interest you during those first weeks. Granted, you might find sitting down with a packet of Jaffa Cakes and a Hello magazine does the job perfectly well. Up to you.
Anyway, in 2001 I rocked (or more accurately, waddled), into the Prince Of Wales (!!!) hospital in Sydney to deliver my first baby.
I was put into a room with another woman, also called Kate. Brusque questioning by nursing staff revealed we are both married to men named James, are both christened Katherine (with a K), share the same middle name (Louise) and were born in the October of 1967, three days apart. Our babies were delivered by the same doctor, within an hour of each other.
Really quite amazing when you think of it, but at the time, it wasn’t even interesting. We were about to have babies then no doubt go on to redefine modern motherhood. You’re probably thinking the same thing right now. I don’t want to burst your bubble, but there might be days where you’ll wish you’d got yourself a goldfish.
Top Comments
My Mum met some fantastic women who were also adjusting to motherhood in the months following my birth. Nineteen years later the two other women are always up for a chat and there for my mum, and us the three kids keep in touch the way close family does despite distance between us. A beautiful story, Kate, that made me think of my own mum.
How sweet. I'm a bit teary