New mum Kate Ferdinand has shared a kindly note given to her by one of her stepchildren after they overheard her sobs.
The 29-year-old wife of Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand, 42, has opened up about struggling after welcoming baby Cree in December.
Kate, who says her emotions and anxiety are at an 'all time high', says she sneaked away to her room to have a cry.
Thinking her crying baby had drowned out the sound of her tears, she was touched when the note, written on a torn-off piece of paper, was passed through the door.
It read: "Pls stop crying I love u."
Kate is a doting stepmum to Rio's children Lorenz, 14, Tate, 12, and Tia, nine.
Kate penned on her Instagram: "Just when I thought the screaming baby would drown out the sound of my tears, I get this through the door as if I wasn’t emotional enough."
She continued: "To new mums, mums, step mums ... and anyone who is struggling in lockdown, I feel you! "Sometimes we just need to sneak in our room and have a little cry ... even then, because of lockdown, we may have lots of little ears listening in."
She told followers that her feeling low might be a combination of having a baby, having an emergency C-section and the third national lockdown.
She said: "A mix of the new baby, lockdown, kids at home and lack of sleep have well and truly got me.
"I feel like I’m a robot going through the same routine daily, feed baby, wind baby, wait for him to wake and repeat.
"Don’t get me wrong I am blessed to live the life I do; a husband, 4 beautiful kids, 2 dogs (1 that’s still protesting because of baby!!) ... some moments I’m feeling amazing and full of love, but I’m too often left feeling low, like I can’t escape.
"I’m not sure if this is the after effects of a emergency C- section, or the stress of another lockdown - maybe it’s even a mix of both."
She added: "I feel so lucky to have just welcomed a beautiful baby boy into the world, some people never get to experience this amazing feeling, but my emotions and anxiety are at an all time high ... all my coping mechanisms I’ve learnt over the years to keep my anxiety at bay I can’t utilise. A workout, a long walk, some alone time.
"Everything passes, and I know too this soon shall pass, I'm just in it right now."
