Taylor Swift helped me through one of the toughest times of my life

It was the summer of expectation versus reality. In my mind, it would be a beautiful final chapter before my first baby arrived. Our last Christmas without children. One final romantic holiday with my husband, just the two of us.

Getting everything ticked off my to-do list before going on maternity leave! Long before I fell pregnant, my husband and I had agreed that, as a growing small business owner, I would take six weeks of formal maternity leave and he, with much more flexibility in his career, would take six months’ paternity leave.

Victoria Devine was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and, during the last trimester of her pregnancy, was trolled on social media. Credit: Wayne Taylor

And so, by the time December rolled around and I was already six months pregnant, I began to work even more ambitiously than I usually would with a deadline looming – recording weekly podcast episodes, writing one book and researching another, finalising one course and planning out another, and ensuring my employees had everything they needed to succeed when the time came for me to step back.

But my pregnancy was not exactly an easy one. I had been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, and during my last trimester I had to take my blood pressure twice a day and call the hospital to report my readings to them. On the days that it was high, I had to go on bed rest. On the days it was deemed too high for bed, I would have to go to hospital.

As someone who lives to a schedule and loves a plan, having to adopt a noncommittal “wait and see on the day” lifestyle was a special kind of torture.

That was the first sign that things were going to deviate from my plan. Then, the doctor told me I couldn’t fly, meaning the holiday my husband and I had planned to take – to the same resort we’d gone to for our honeymoon – was off the table.

A few weeks later, I was ordered to spend the day in bed just hours before one of my best friend’s hen’s parties. In retrospect, it feels selfish to lament these things, because it was worth it, of course. In the moment, it was a bitter pill to swallow.

Just as I felt I was taking that in my stride, though, the trolls arrived in the comments section. In a video posted to social media, where I was discussing how to navigate the cost-of-living crisis, someone asked, “Who let her out?” Another wrote, “What in the om nom nom?” Also, “Wow, her financial advice must be so much better now there’s two of her.”

Because of preeclampsia, I gained about 30 kilograms. As much as it was difficult to gain so much weight so quickly, I understood it was a temporary thing and that if it meant having a healthy and happy baby at the end of it, it was worth it. That was truly all that mattered. But the nastiness of people genuinely surprised me in the worst way possible.

At the same time, there were these moments and days of magic. Watching the sunset on the beach with my sister. Seeing Christmas presents under the tree for our baby and knowing that next year, he’d be there with us. Feeling the joy and excitement of becoming grandparents radiate from my parents, and my husband’s.

Taylor Swift helped Victoria Devine through a difficult pregnancy.Credit: nna\BGossling

And then, a miracle. I was in the home stretch of my pregnancy, with just two weeks to go, and things went to plan for one whole day. I got to go to Taylor Swift.

My blood pressure was good, my doctor said it was safe, and I spoke to a security guard about the best exit to take should I go into labour. But none of that happened. Instead, I spent three glorious hours singing at the top of my lungs with some of my closest girlfriends (and 96,000 other people) to Taylor’s greatest hits, at 38 weeks pregnant.

Just as the summer came to a close, our son was born.

Victoria Devine is an award-winning retired financial adviser, bestselling author and host of Australia’s No.1 finance podcast, She’s on the Money. Victoria is also founder and co-director of Zella Money.

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