Nurturing Ourselves Through Each Season of Motherhood

Just as the festival of Beltane celebrates growth, vitality, and new life, motherhood asks us to honour our own inner seasons. Even in times of giving, we are still allowed to bloom.

Motherhood unfolds in seasons, each filled with change, learning, and its own set of challenges. With every new stage comes different emotional and physical demands, making self-care a vital practice. Nurturing your well-being helps you remain resilient and present for those you love. This post explores simple, practical ways to care for yourself as your needs evolve throughout motherhood.

Embracing the Newborn Season

The early months after birth can feel all-consuming. Between physical recovery, sleepless nights, and learning your baby’s needs, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed and exhausyed. In this season, self-care is less about doing more and more about allowing yourself to rest and recover.

"Rest is not a luxury, it is essential"

Prioritise rest whenever possible

This is easier said than done, right? I know. Sleep may come in short stretches, so rest when your baby sleeps. Even the very briefest of naps can restore energy and improve your mood. If you can't nap, just putting your feet up with a cuppa will still add to your rest bank.

Accept support

Let family and friends help with meals, household tasks, or baby care. Receiving help allows you to recharge and focus on healing. Don't be afraid to ask them to watch your baby so you can sleep, they can wake you in the time you ask for. If you are in a position to hire help, there are plenty of amazing post natal doulas out there. We have been conditioned to believe that asking for help, is weak and a failure of sorts. All I can say is have a word with that part of yourself and reframe what help means. I wish I had and so will your future self.

Move gently

When your body feels ready, light stretching or short walks can ease discomfort and support recovery. Always make sure you feel comfortable and nourished. A good idea is to ask yourself this question - 'do I feel nourished and nurtured while doing this activity'? if you don't, then don't force it, try something else. We are all different and need different types of movement. My favourite when my energy is low is restorative yin yoga and walking across the moors or next to a river.

Practice mindful breathing

Simple breathing exercises can calm your nervous system and help you stay present during difficult moments. This is easier with practice as you start to realise just 2 minutes breath work sends a message to your nervous system that you are safe to relax and you'll be amazed how your baby will too. Research shows that mothers and babies remain deeply interconnected after birth through shared hormonal responses (especially oxytocin), synchronised brain activity, and ongoing emotional and physiological attunement that supports bonding, regulation, and development.

This means everything you do that nourishes your emotional, mental and physical wellbeing will also nourish your babies.

Finding Balance in the Infant and Toddler Years

As your baby becomes more mobile and curious, daily life often becomes busier. This stage calls for emotional care and routines that support both you and your curious child.

Create small moments for yourself

Even ten minutes of journaling, reading, or listening to music can help reset your mind when it becomes frazzled or pickled with to do lists. I like to listen to audible stories when I'm driving and popping some music on for both myself and the kids to dance to always resets any negative or stressful vibes.

Connect with other mothers

Whether in person or online, sharing experiences with other mums can provide comfort and reassurance. Find out which local groups may suit you both and try them all out to find a fit for you. There are free and paid groups, often your local council or facebook page can direct you to local groups.

Set realistic expectations

Not every day will go smoothly—and that’s okay. Focus on your needs for the day, not perfection. If you wake feeling exhausted then be gentle and slow. Its ok not to entertain you child all the time. Its good for them to be bored and explore what interests them. IIt'salso healthy for them to witness you responding to the days differently depending on your energy. Remember they learn by imitation so if you want them to have compassion and self care, you also need to.

Embrace play

Engaging in play with your child can reduce stress and deepen your connection while creating joyful moments. Personally I was never good with play so I had to find what I enjoyed too. Playdoh, clay or wax was always a hit for both of us and you can make your own at home. Plenty of recipes online. We also enjoyed jigsaws and dancing.

Nurturing Yourself During the Preschool and Early School Years

When children begin school, your role evolves again. You may gain more personal time while taking on new responsibilities like schedules and parental taxi duties or you may find yourself wanting to go back to work or you may even start the journey of home educating.

Establish a consistent self-care routine

Regular activities such as exercise, hobbies, or social time help you maintain balance no matter what your situation looks like. Even if its ten minutes a day of finding some joy in simple activities such as mindful colouring in or a daytime exercise class. I find an exercise class or regular class in learning a skill ticks both social, hobby and exercise at the same time and sometimes just once a week ts enough to fill your cup a little. I have recently joined a dance exercise class where the lights stay off and it feels like a club. It is so much fun with a licence for you all to let go of self consciousness.

Practice mindful eating

Nourishing meals support steady energy levels and emotional well-being. This can often be the hardest habit as you settle in to new ways of busyness. I found meal planning for the week helpful and prepping breakfast the night before. For example I would make a bowl of overnight oats loaded with healthy proteins and prep dinner in a slowcooker for the evening from the meal list i'd made on the sunday. I also found each week needed to be the same for my brain to get into the habit so every monday would be baked potatoes and chilli and so on. Another healthy tip is always carry healthy snacks so you dont get tempted with a sugar filled snack which will only have a detrimental effect later on.

Set healthy boundaries

Protect your time by saying NO to commitments that overwhelm or exhaust you. (This can take practice, if you're a people pleaser).

Celebrate your growth

Pause to recognise how much you’ve grown and learnt or unlearnt (in the case of unhealthy patterns) and the strength you’ve built as a mother.

Caring for Yourself During the Tween and Teen Years

The teenage years can be emotionally intense. Supporting and educating yourself during this phase helps you remain grounded and present.

Maintain your sense of self

Continue nurturing your interests, friendships, and passions as well as find simple ways to keep a connection with your growing child. Watching a film, playing football or tennis or simply taking a dog for a walk. (My daughter has started to come to the dance exercise class with me).

Manage stress intentionally

Practices like yoga, meditation, or creative outlets can help you stay centered. They give us focus and distract a stressed or ovewhlmed mind back to the perception of whats important. This stage of childhood can often be a huge trigger and the less we react and stay strong and compassionate towards ourselves and our children, the better our relationships will be.

Seek support when needed

Therapy or support groups can offer guidance and reassurance during challenging times as well as books and podcasts. Whats right for you and your family may not be right for someone else so explore many avenues and don't compare your child or yourself to others. If there is anything I have learnt, its that what we see on the outisde of peoples lives, is never a true indication of whats going on behind closed doors.

Encourage open communication

Building trust with your child reduces stress and strengthens your emotional connection. I suggest starting open conversatioons about body changes and feelings, early on before they become too embarresed and then keeping the conversations open and brief. Try not to leave sex education or drugs awareness to the schools as in my experience, its not great and doesn't have the same impact as a parent and child talk. I started to talking to all my children around 8-9yrs of age about things and as they got older, these conversations were more like familiar chat, casually in the car. By the time my eldest son was 13, I had covered sex, porn, responsibilities in intimacy and how decisions impact consequences whether its sex, drugs or how we treat people. He's 26 now and I'm very proud of the man he's become. Obviously every child is different and although I had a similar attitude with the others, I navigated it slightly differently but always with the same frame.

Preparing for the Empty Nest Season

When children leave home, many mothers experience a period of grief or adjustment. This stage offers space for reflection, growth, and renewed purpose but it also asks for self care and kindness. .

Explore new passions

Try new hobbies, take classes, or pursue projects that inspire you. You may also find you want to start a new job or business. This is a great time as you can really get to know yourself with the extra life experience. I have found so much grief as my elder two left home and yet i'm still mothering young ones so it's a strange time. I have definitly been drawn to a new way of looking at my life now as get nearer to being a grandma.

Reconnect with loved ones

Invest time in relationships that may have been sidelined during busy parenting years. Relationships always become a secondary priority while parenting growing chidlren. Energy levels often don't allow us to meet everyone's needs.

Reflect on your journey

Journaling or creative expression can help process emotions and honor your motherhood story. These activities can also help process loss and grief of losing your purpose as you know it or the knowledge those years have passed. I think I cried for a year while adjusting to not having my son at home and then the 2nd son, I found myself grieving all over again. I really didn't expect to feel so much grief.

Prioritise your health

Regular exercise, balanced nutrition, socialising, finding enjoyment and purpose in your work, even if its not paid work, can give the sense of wellbeing the mind and body need in order to adjust and enjoy life to it's fullness.

Everyday Ways to Nurture Yourself

No matter the stage of motherhood, these habits can support ongoing self-care:

• Make time for quiet moments

• Stay hydrated and eat nourishing foods

• Move your body in ways you enjoy

• Ask for help without guilt

• Acknowledge and celebrate your efforts

Caring for yourself is not a luxury—it’s an essential part of caring for your family.