I had never argued with cattle before. I’d never yelled at a colleague or started crying in the cattle yards.
Something was up.
After graduating high school I got my dream job in a feedlot.
It’s hot, it’s dusty, there are flies everywhere; most days you get covered in poop and urine.
But I love working with cattle. I love being outside and I was so proud to be the only girl.
As I felt all these emotions at once that day, I thought: “That’s strange.”
My period was late, so I stopped for a pregnancy test on the way home. My husband was FIFO at the time so I had to take the test alone.
I just sat there, looking at the two pink lines, shaking. I couldn’t even cry, that’s how in shock I was.
I always said I would never be 20 and pregnant. The four generations before me were … and I felt like I’d failed. I had so many goals.
My job is physically demanding and cattle can be unpredictable — I had a little person in my tummy now, so I knew my role would have to change.
I told my bosses the next day.
As I walked over to the cattle yards, I kept saying to myself, ‘Don’t cry, be professional’.
I said “I’m pregnant” out loud and … then I started crying.
Then in a blink of an eye I was holding my beautiful baby boy for the first time. The feeling was out of this world. It was all worth it.
After adjusting to my new life, I loved it. We got into a routine with my husband’s swings and my family helped so much while he was away. I used my maternity leave to get a Certificate in Beef Management.
My son Clancy is two now and he comes to feed the calves with me every day. He loves tractors and exploring, and my bosses even watch him while I’m working sometimes.
I want people to know that with hard work, passion and support, mums can have a career and still be great mothers.
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