Being a step mum

I am a woman in my mid-twenties who last year met my partner who I'm now getting married too. He has a young boy of five from a previous marriage, whom I love dearly and has recently taken to occasionally calling me "mama"- I couldn't be happier.

But this has been a huge adjustment. I was a young single girl, who didn't date, was only just putting the funds together to move out of her parents house and didn't have any children.

Before I knew it, I was a wife and mother. It's been...taxing. Hard.

I had already been diagnosed with depression and anxiety before I met my partner and am recovering from self-harm.

My partner has also been diagnosed with depression and his ex-wife was also diagnosed with depression, however hers went untreated.

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/connect-with-others/online-forums/women/being-a-step-mum