‘Really scary’: The struggle Matildas icon Lydia Williams didn’t expect after becoming a mum

Exclusive: Matildas legend Lydia Williams always wanted to be a mum. But for much of her 19-year football career, there was never an obvious time to start a family.

The former Tillies goalkeeper spent years travelling the world and competing at the highest level before taking matters into her own hands.

“As I started getting older and moving towards the end of my career, I made the choice individually to freeze my eggs and start looking into IVF,” she tells nine.com.au.

From the moment Williams and now-wife Grace met, starting a family together was a no-brainer. 

That didn’t mean the process came without challenges.

“One of the hardest realities we had was to choose the right IVF clinic and doctors that were the right fit for us,” she says.

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“That took some time and a lot of research. 

“But really, the most important question to us was the timing of the process and who would carry.”

Now 38, Williams gave birth to baby Coen in January.

While welcoming her son was one of the most incredible moments of her life, she admits early motherhood brought something no baby book could have prepared her for.

“During the first few weeks, I had baby blues, which was really scary,” she says.

“I had to let my body deal with the comedown from all the hormones.

“I wasn’t expecting the symptoms from that to hit me, so when they did, I had to really rely on Grace to not only help me, but then help with Coen too.”

It was an early reminder that all the preparation in the world could only go so far once Coen was actually home.

“The most challenging part is that you know nothing,” Williams adds.

“Everything you read or practice before birth completely changes once you bring home your baby. So it’s a constant learning process for both you and your new baby.”

But through all the sleepless nights and learning curves, the athlete says one moment stands out above the rest.

“Watching your baby’s personality start to come through is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever witnessed.”

Williams, who played 138 games for Australia across five Women’s World Cups and two Olympics, says balancing mum life and professional life was always crucial.

“It was always important to me that any opportunities I take, that there would be the option to have my child’s life be a part of that,” she says.

"Whether that’s being there in person or the flexibility to travel along with a plus one to take care of him too.”

Life at home got even busier – and a little louder – around the same time when the couple adopted their rescue dog, Addie.

After a foster carer matched them with Addie based on her temperament, Williams saw firsthand the value of having experts guide the adoption process.

“There are so many wonderful animals in shelters waiting for loving homes.

“Shelter teams work incredibly hard to care for them and help them find the right match with their new family.”

Williams is supporting the Mars Global Adoption Weekend, running this weekend, with participating shelters covering half of all adoption fees.

As part of the initiative, PEDIGREE is also launching an online adoption hub to offer prospective pet owners expert guidance.

“If you’ve been thinking about adopting, it’s a great opportunity to take that first step and meet some of the animals looking for their forever homes,” Williams says.