From postnatal slump TO STAR POET!

Meet the Christchurch mum who overcame anxiety to fulfil a childhood dream

- Sara Bunny

When Jessica Urlichs started sharing her thoughts on life as a new mum-of-two on social media, it was simply “a separate space to put all the baby spam”, the Christchurch woman laughs.

But there was also a serious side that came with writing down her innermost feelings on everything from sleepless nights and self-doubt to sacrifices and the all-encompassing love that comes with having kids.

“I was in a bit of a slump when I started,” confesses Jess, 33, who is mum to Harrison, three, and Holly, two. “I suffered from postnatal depletion and anxiety, and having the two children close together, I found myself in the trenches. The writing was a way for me to process things.”

And the poems and musings she posted on Instagram soon struck a chord with parents around the world. In just two years, Jess had amassed more than 85,000 followers, with about 50% of her fans in the States and a huge number in Australia too.

“It grew so quickly, I was really surprised!” she recalls. “I started seeing other mums open up and be vulnerable, and it felt like it gave me permission to keep going and to open up about my thoughts as well.”