After a few years studying classical music performance at University, I stumbled into a modelling agency in Sydney without a penny in my pocket. It was a blessing that they took me on, in my first few weeks I had received a modelling contract to goto Japan, for more money than I could have ever earned as a concert oboist (don’t laugh) So my mind was made up, I would be a model, not a musician.

The hours were long, once you sign up to be a model, there’s no ‘checkin out’ You’re a model 24 hours a day. You breath, sleep, walk and talk and eat like a model. The benefits were worth it though, travel all over the world and the chance to be part of most colourful cast of creatives you can imagine, everyday seemed like fun to me. Indeed it was easier to model than the discipline of the finer arts, even though I miss the stage desperately even now. Life is all about choices.

Life was all travel, shooting, suitcases and hotels for years, a lonely existence. It has only been in the past few years of my career I’ve had the inclination to settle down in one place and I chose London my city of dreams. I met my man Andrew Mower another antipodean fulfilling his dream to play international rugby in London (which he did, he has 13 caps) we fell in love (always a difficult process) and we were blessed to have a beautiful baby girl Roxette in 2013. She’s my right hand and I take her EVERYWHERE with me.

I gave birth drug free but not without its dramas, after a massive hemorrhage I was left fighting for my life in emergency, pre-eclampsia set in and I was in seizure for hours. I couldn’t hold or even see my baby. I was told that it was very serious, I had to accept that I might not make it. Moments like this shape and change you. I was determined that I wouldn’t pay with my life for the decision to become a parent and seeing my baby girl for the first time filled me with the love that I needed to fight my condition.

Being a mother has fulfilled me in ways I never imagined, it’s the best thing that has ever happened to me. You lose all identity of self when you become a parent, it’s a humbling experience that challenges you to be better and stronger.

It’s with that feeling in mind that I turned my blog “The Model Experience” into “Model Mom Material” at http://www.jocette.com because there’s so much more going on in my world than just modelling.

I like to work with labels that I believe in, whether its their environmental policies, or that fact that they’re just cool, but there has to be a hook before I get involved.