Zoe and Benji Marshall with son Fox and daughter Ever on October 4. Photo / Zoe Marshall, Instagram
Zoe and Benji Marshall with son Fox and daughter Ever on October 4. Photo / Zoe Marshall, Instagram
Zoe Marshall says she is suffering from "post natal depletion" after giving birth to her second child in June.
The wife of recently retired Kiwi NRL star Benji Marshall posted on Instagram about her feelings of exhaustion since welcoming daughter Ever into the world.
"It got me. I'm depleted. I got the bloody post natal depletion!" Zoe wrote on Sunday. "I thought I could outrun it. But it got me.
"Here we are. On and off since she was born. I know moving states, quarantine, lockdowns, etc don't help. This overwhelming feeling, it's exhaustion. Then getting sick, just the sniffles or a cough but it lingers, for months. Then getting frustrated because I'm missing out on getting out because I'm so exhausted.
Benji and Zoe Marshall with baby Ever. Photo / Zoe Marshall, Instagram
"It's boring. It's really boring. And I'm not sure how to navigate it. I've done the bloody podcast on it! I should know! I've been resting. I've been eating. Restraining from exercise. But it's got me in it's clutches and I get moments of relief but it comes again in another wave.
"Supplements, rest, feeding, more feeding, cancelling plans, more rest. Benj was thinking maybe I should supplement some of my feeds? But I just can't. I don't want to. I'm okay to sacrifice my health for hers. But I also don't want to feel like this for 18 months.
"Are there any magic tricks I've missed? Please tell me what helped you get on top of it?"
Her revelations come after Zoe spoke earlier in the year about the challenges of living in a Queensland hub with two young children as Covid-19 forced NRL teams to relocate to the sunshine state to keep the season alive.
"Giving birth, a lockdown, two weeks in quarantine, another hotel for two weeks and finally arrived to where we will live for the next few weeks," Zoe wrote on Instagram in August.
"I've had a few breakdowns - some tears. Lots of tears. And I feel for my fellow Aussies in NSW and Vic who are slammed day in and day out with hopeless news.
Benji Marshall leads the haka before the international match between New Zealand Kiwis and Samoa at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium in October 2010. Photo / Getty Images
"I'm deep in the newborn world, drowning in feeds, sleeps, changes, baths, dinners, reading eggs and the rest. You wouldn't believe me if I said I've hardly seen Benj. We've been sleeping in hotel rooms across from each other with kids on different schedules. Finally we have a little lounge we can squish together on. Heaven.
"We are tired. I'm tired. I've even been thinking of taking a longer break from recording @whatsthedeep. I know lots of you will be disappointed but right now I'm not there. I haven't resurfaced. I don't have my life sorted yet."
Benji retired from the NRL after South Sydney lost this year's grand final to Penrith and last month opened up on how he felt watching Zoe give birth.
Speaking on Zoe's podcast The Deep, the footy legend said his love for his wife "went to another level" and he felt like wanting to "make another baby" as she gave birth.
"In that moment, after she has given birth and seeing her go through all of that stuff, your love for your wife or my love for Zoe went to another level," Benji said.
"I can't even explain it. I was looking at her and it sounds crazy but in that moment I was thinking like, 'Let's just make another baby now'. That's how I was feeling.
"She was … I won't say turning me on, but she had me in a zone where I was just like, 'I am all for this'. You've got to remember, she is making my dreams come true as well at the same time."
