After giving birth to her first child a year ago, Hayley Gordon can't wait to finally introduce daughter Sylvia to her grandparents who live in the United Kingdom.
Sylvia turned one on February 1 and Ms Gordon's parents had planned to visit Australia this month but she said it was "still a bit risky".
"We had our first child in February 2021 so obviously my family haven't met her yet," she said. "We've done lots of Facetime but we haven't been over to meet them."
Ms Gordon said her parents had delayed this year's trip and she also had a visit home planned last year that couldn't go ahead.
"We've had a couple of trips we've had to postpone and haven't been able to see them or for them to meet my daughter either. It's pretty tough," she said.
Ms Gordon said it was welcome news that Australia's borders were opening on February 21, and provided more certainty for future plans and her parents could now travel at a moment's notice.
"They had money saved up to come over," she said. "I think if something happened they'd be here in a heartbeat. I think they'll try and plan a Christmas trip here instead."
Ms Gordon is planning a trip home in September and if her parents visit later for Christmas, they'll see each other twice in a matter of months, a treat after being apart for so long.
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"Even through pregnancy not having your family around or having your mum around was pretty tough," Ms Gordon said.
"I was lucky in that we FaceTime every other day or every couple of days, but with the time difference it's not always as easy as it could be if they were here in the same country."
She said the various travel requirements made it difficult to fly home to attend her grandfather's funeral last month.
"Because we've booked flights for September we potentially couldn't go, but even having an option of going 'I could just go for a week and then come back' could have been an option," Ms Gordon said.
"But because of COVID you go, 'what if I have to do lots of rapid tests and take time off work, more time off than I'd like. It's quite stressful."
She said the Warrnambool Breastfeeding Centre and toy library communities had been great ways to meet other mums after moving to the south-west with husband Jacob in December 2020.
Fortunately her first parents group could go ahead and they "managed to avoid most of the lockdowns".
"I think having good connections is really important and having people you can call on if you're having a rough day," Ms Gordon said.
"I think especially as a new mum and with other mothers you just kind of have that relationship kind of already there."
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