Welcome
I’m Carolina Liberato
As Featured in
My Diary Updates
Staying Strong in Pregnancy-Fitness Journey
As a fitness mummy, my days often start with a 6 or 7 am Pilates Reformer, followed by 30 minutes of working out.
Mummy Journey
One of the biggest lessons I have learned in pregnancy is that fitness is not just about looking strong — it’s about feeling energised and prepared for all the changes happening in my body. In the beginning I worried about gaining too much weight, but I chose to approach this pregnancy with intention and discipline.
My Traumatic Labour Story
Baby Valentina born at 3:33 am in a car park in Cheltenham
Four weeks ago, my life changed forever.
This is not an easy story to write, but it is a necessary one. I am sharing it not to create fear, but to create truth, connection, and healing. Every birth story matters, even the ones that did not go as planned.
I had prepared for motherhood for a very long time.
Not just emotionally, but mentally, physically, spiritually.
I dreamed of a natural birth.
A calm birth.
Possibly a water birth.
I invested months of study. I paid for a hypnobirthing course. I trained my mind to breathe, to trust, to soften. I trained my body with Pilates throughout my pregnancy. I had a beautiful pregnancy. No vomiting. No major discomfort. I felt strong, connected, and deeply in tune with my body.
Until everything changed.
At 20 weeks, we found out I had an umbilical vein varix.
That moment cracked something inside me.
Suddenly, the dream of a natural birth felt fragile. The possibility of a caesarean entered my world, and emotionally, it collapsed me. I had worked so hard to trust my body, and now fear quietly moved in. Still, I held onto hope. I continued preparing. I kept believing.
The Night Everything Began
On 17 November 2025 at 10 pm, I was at home when my waters broke.
I remember that moment so clearly.
My husband, Nalen, was incredible. He stayed calm, grounded, and present. He made me comfortable, talked to me, and helped keep my mind steady. But inside, I was terrified. Not panic on the outside, but a deep internal knowing.
I knew contractions were coming.
I knew the journey had begun.
It’s hard to explain unless you’ve felt it. Your body knows. After months of preparation, there is a moment where instinct takes over. There is no turning back.
We went to the hospital.
I trusted the system.
I trusted the professionals.
And then, I was sent home.
The midwifery staff at Sandringham Hospital told me it wasn’t time yet.
I remember feeling confused, vulnerable, and small. I had done everything “right”. I listened. I followed instructions. I went home, even though my body was telling me something different.
3:33 am in a Car Park
A few hours later, everything accelerated.
There was no time.
No bed.
No room.
No water birth.
No calm environment.
At 3:33 am, in the middle of a car park in Cheltenham, my baby Valentina was born.
In the car.
Raw. Fast. Uncontrolled. Traumatic.
The moment that was meant to feel safe and supported became overwhelming and shocking. I was scared. I was confused. I was in survival mode. My body did what it had to do, but my mind struggled to catch up.
The Aftermath
Since that night, my emotions have been complex.
Gratitude and trauma live side by side.
I am endlessly grateful that Valentina arrived safely. She is healthy. She is here. She is my miracle.
But I am also processing grief.
Grief for the birth I prepared for.
Grief for the experience I dreamed of.
Grief for the trust I gave so easily.
Trauma does not mean weakness. Trauma does not cancel gratitude. Both can exist together.
I am learning that healing after birth is not only physical. It is emotional. It is psychological. It is slow.
Why I’m Sharing This
I am sharing my story because I know I am not alone.
So many women prepare deeply, trust the system, and still experience birth trauma. And yet, we are often expected to “just be grateful”.
Yes, I am grateful.
But I am also human.
If you are reading this and your birth did not go as planned, please know this
Your feelings are valid.
Your experience matters.
You are not broken.
You are not weak.
You are a mother who survived something powerful.
This is only the beginning of my healing journey. And maybe, by sharing my truth, I can help another woman feel less alone.
With love,
Carolina
Brazilian Mummy Abroad 💛
Mummy Diaries
A safe space where I share my journey into Motherhood.
Navigating Family Opinions as an Immigrant Mum
Pregnancy is a time filled with love, excitement, and new beginnings — but it can also be a time when everyone suddenly has an opinion about how you should raise your baby.
Recently, after spending time with family, I walked away feeling a little down. There were so many questions, so much advice, and not enough encouragement. I shared my thoughts about Montessori education and my dreams for Valentina’s future, but instead of support, I felt judged. I kept hearing things like “education doesn’t matter, it’s about parenting,” and it made me doubt myself for a moment.
What makes it even harder is being an immigrant mum. I’m Brazilian, living here in Australia, married to my wonderful husband Nalen, who comes from a more traditional, conservative family. Sometimes I feel like my ideas clash with the expectations around me. My heart wants to raise Valentina with openness, independence, and new perspectives, but the voices around me often remind me of “how it’s always been done.”
Trust yourself you are enough. Even they say the opposite
Maybe some of these feelings come from pregnancy hormones. Maybe I am a little extra sensitive now. But I also know I’m not alone.
So many women go through this — balancing cultures, facing judgment, and trying to hold on to their own values in the middle of family traditions.
Motherhood begins even before birth. It’s not only about preparing the nursery or eating healthy meals. It’s about protecting your baby, your choices, and your energy.
It’s about listening to advice with respect, but also trusting yourself above all else.
To any mums-to-be who are immigrants, or who feel the weight of family expectations: you are not dramatic, you are not alone, and your voice matters. Our babies will grow up seeing us stand strong in our truth — and that is the greatest gift we can give them.
With courage and love,
Carolina
Visiting our own Inner Child
When we are about to become mothers, something tender awakes inside us; we return to our own childhood.
Memories of how our mummies cared for us, the way she looked at us, the words she did or didn’t say, come back with such strength.
We start to think about her constantly, reflecting on what we don’t want to repeat, what really hurt us and what we have been hiding for a long time, in our pandora box, very secretly.
Becoming a mum is not only welcoming new life. It’s also reconciling with the little girl that still lives within us.
The Superwoman Body
During the pregnancy, our bodies transform in ways that are nothing short of miraculous. The entire digestive system shifts and adapts, the organs move, STRETCH, and make space for the new life.
We breathe through the changes.
Intestines are pushed and rotated, the stomach is compressed, and even the smallest meal feels different. We are just about to explode. Just make sure you give enough nutrients for your little lover.
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The Mummy Diaries is not just my story, it’s a space for every woman who has ever felt judged, doubted, or overwhelmed, yet still chooses love. Together, we can embrace the changes, heal our inner child, and celebrate the superwomen we already are.