Zoe Marshall tells about life inside the NRL hub, motherhood

Just weeks after giving birth to her second baby, Zoe Marshall, podcaster and wife of NRL star Benji, moved to Queensland with her family to live in a hub for the rest of the soccer season, describing all the ordeal as “the strangest two months”.

Talk to UKTN of the Rabbitohs apartment complex in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, Marshall, 37, said she “is more than grateful” to have her young family reunited.

Amid criticism from the Queensland government of double standards in allowing Sydney NRL wives, partners and families to leave Sydney for a dedicated NRL bubble, Marshall says it has not gone unnoticed.

“I almost feel guilty for being here,” she said.

“It’s my husband’s job. They [the NRL] worked with the Queensland government to make this happen. There are some incredibly strict protocols, but I am so privileged and grateful to be here.

“[It] does not go unnoticed with the number of people who have suffered and have not been able to travel and see their loved ones… people have missed life’s events.

Between giving birth in Sydney in June, two weeks in quarantine at the hotel and settling in at the hub, Marshall took on an ambassadorial role in support of the International Day of Awareness of All Disorders Caused by fetal alcohol abuse (FASD) on September 9.

With two young children Fox, 3, and Ever, 11 weeks, she recently teamed up with DrinkWise to encourage women to avoid alcohol when planning a pregnancy, while pregnant and breastfeeding.

The COVID birth rate is rising, so this is a timely reminder, given that July birth rates in Victoria alone are up 20% from last year, from 4,508 to 5,448 births.

Marshall said she knows the importance of saying no to alcohol during her pregnancy and her breastfeeding journey now with Ever.

“An alcoholic drink will pass directly into my breast milk. I am his food. I know, it’s my job, it’s the season I’m in. I have to commit. I want them to thrive and I’m responsible, ”Marshall said.

“All moms want to give their babies the best possible start in life, and for me that meant not drinking alcohol during pregnancy and continuing to avoid it while breastfeeding.

“The pandemic has presented so many additional worries for pregnancy, childbirth and those precious birth months for us moms, and although I’ve been here with… Fox before, it can be extremely overwhelming and difficult to filter. relevant information. “

She said that Benji is the “head of the family”: “He supported me, even to the point that he doesn’t drink because I don’t drink. It’s a natural choice. We are in the same atmosphere.

Life inside the hub

Living in the Crossroads has its perks, as it creates connections with other WAGS who also have young families and where she can spread the word about FASD.

“We are with them. I feel very grateful to have the support of some of the other women ”.

“We have WhatsApp groups where we share things. Foxy banged his head against a table and slit his head open. I went to the moms (there is a team doctor but the club had a game that night), what do I do?

“It was nice to have immediate people around. I only met these women in July but I feel very close to them because we are all… in the same boat and that was a comfort.

“I was able to share the message with them, and in turn they can support me.

“If we socialize and they drink, they understand it and ask for what we can offer you, sparkling water. It opened everyone else’s eyes as I talked to them about it… and then they shared.

Tweet from @DrinkWiseAus

Marshall says the hotel’s quarantine was aimed at entertaining Fox, with more screen time and chicken nuggets and fries than she wanted, but she admits she had to “just surrender.”

The furnished apartment means a kitchen, laundry room, and a decent bedtime, allowing her to indulge her guilty pleasure - watching the occasional episode of Island of love.

Regarding the hub violations - like the infamous AFL violation in Queensland last year with a Richmond WAG - Marshall is very clear: “We are so committed to being here. No one is putting anything at risk ”.

“Everyone wants the best result. Everyone has sacrificed the same amount that no one wants to stuff them.

“I am grateful that the NRL continues for entertainment. Lots of people in the lockdown areas live for soccer weekends and I don’t think anyone wants to spoil it for anyone else.

“I find it quite charming.”

FASD is a “preventable condition”

Meanwhile, FASD statistics show that 30 percent of women report drinking alcohol during pregnancy, according to a recent government study.

And 48% said they had consumed alcohol while breastfeeding.

Obstetrician Dr Vicki Woodward, who has seen first-hand the devastating effects of alcohol on newborns, believes all Australians need to know the facts.

“FASD is a preventable disease that can cause irreparable damage,” said Dr. Woodward, who has also delivered babies for Pippi Box and Eddie Betts.

“It’s not just a problem that women should know about, it’s just as important that their partners and families know it too.”

DrinkWise CEO Simon Strahan said that while abstinence rates during pregnancy are heading in the right direction (from 58% in 2013 to 70% in 2019), there is still a long way to go.

“It’s great that more and more pregnant women are saying no to alcohol, but we won’t be happy until that number hits 100 percent,” Strahan said.

Marshall adds, “Let’s talk about it. Let’s talk about children affected by alcohol if you drink during pregnancy or breastfeeding, because there is something missing if 48% of women drink while breastfeeding ”.

“No one wants to put a child in danger, so it’s kind of like jumping on board and being in the same boat.”