How to Feel Your Best Through Motherhood: Navigating the Growing Years + Beyond

Motherhood is an evolution – constantly reshaping your identity, priorities, and sense of self. 

→ But in the process of raising a family, have you ever felt like you’ve lost a part of yourself?

Along the way, it’s easy to lose sight of your own well-being.

This is the heart behind our self-health philosophy: as your little one grows, the demands of motherhood may change, but caring for your mind, body, and skin remains foundational. Not just for you, but the life you’re creating for your family. 

This next chapter explores how to support yourself through:

→ Transitioning to a working mom (or embracing full-time motherhood)

→ The non-stop nature of toddlerhood

→ The packed schedules and independence with young kids and tweens

→ The changes of adolescence and beyond

This is the second post in a two-part series on prioritizing wellness in motherhood. As your role shifts, you have an opportunity to nurture your mind, body, and skin in a way that empowers you with greater purpose, joy, and intention.

The Toddlerhood + Life Juggle Begins

Whether you're returning to work or becoming a full-time stay-at-home mom, the first few years bring major transitions. This season is about adjusting expectations, managing emotions, and finding rhythms that work for your family.

Supporting Your Mind in the Early Years of Motherhood

The mental load of motherhood shifts with each phase. Maybe you’re adjusting to a new routine, navigating identity shifts, or setting boundaries – regardless, mindset is essential.

Navigating Guilt, Stress, and Identity Shifts

This stage of motherhood can bring a mix of emotions. As a working mom or a full-time at-home mom, every path has challenges. Questioning your choices and feeling the weight of shifting priorities is natural. Finding ways to process can help you step into this season of motherhood with confidence.

  • Shift your mindset as a working mom – Instead of striving for balance, aim for presence. Some days, your work will take priority; others, your family will. Be present where you are in each moment.

  • Be open to changing your plans – Maybe working feels different than you imagined pre-baby. Maybe you love it more than you expected. Or perhaps you’re realizing your dream job is being a stay-at-home mom. (Or, maybe there’s a mix of both!)

  • Lean on others – When things get tough, ask for help. Motherhood isn’t meant to be done in isolation. 

    • Ask your family or close friends for help when you need a break

    • Nurture common ground with your partner – discuss expectations + needs

    • Create a group chat with close friends

    • Find an in-person mom group to connect with other moms

    • Don’t feel shame if you need a babysitter or daycare

  • Release relationship guilt – As your family grows, friendships and family dynamics may shift. Rather than holding onto old expectations, allow space for relationships to evolve and align with your current season of life.

Prioritize Self-Health Practices 

Caring for yourself isn’t a luxury. It’s necessary for you and your family’s well-being. Small, intentional habits help sustain energy and set an example for your children. We love to call this concept self-health.

  • Set aside time to do something small for yourself every single day (Even if it’s an extra 5 minutes in the shower!). Caring for yourself doesn’t always have to be an hour-long routine.

  • Try simple mindfulness practices that you can do with your child.

    • “Smelling the flower, blowing out the candle” breathwork exercise

    • Grounding outside together with barefoot walks, sunshine, and fresh air

Nurturing Your Body in Early Motherhood

As your little one becomes more active, your days are filled with movement, multitasking, and unpredictable schedules. This is why it’s even more important to nourish your body in ways that support energy, strength, and resilience in early motherhood.

Supporting Energy + Balance 

Motherhood requires a lot from you. Ensuring your body is well-nourished and supported helps you stay energized for the demands of daily life. Here are a few ways you can find balance during this time:

  • Get a hormone + nutrient panel run – most functional doctors can run these comprehensive tests to get a screenshot of your overall health to know what you should prioritize!

  • Support energy with nourishing foods like:

  • Lymphatic support practices help with detoxification and circulation, which are vital for energy production, like:

Embrace Play + Movement

Movement should feel exciting, not like another task on your to-do list. Integrating movement into your daily life can boost mood, reduce stress, and support long-term health. Here are some ideas to add movement to your days:

  • Let your kids lead you into the wonder of childhood – exploring, running, and playing outside. 

  • Make movement part of the family routine instead of a chore.

    • Take walks after dinner each night 

    • Habit-stack and workout while your kids play or work on homework

  • Add simple bodyweight exercises into pockets of your day. 

    • Do 20 squats while you let the dog outside

    • Do a few planks while your toddler is immersed in an activity

Focus on Quality Sleep 

Sleep is critical for repair and energy. But with young kids, uninterrupted rest can feel like a luxury. While you may not always control how much sleep you get, there are other things you can control. Create a wind-down routine to promote deeper, more restorative rest.

*Tip: Check out our Deep Sleep Guide for in-depth information on getting better sleep.

Busy Schedules

With a packed schedule, finding time for yourself may feel impossible. To free up more space for yourself, notice small windows of free time, delegate tasks, and batch responsibilities.

  • Meal prep + planning – keep it simple with nutrient-dense whole foods and high-quality animal protein.

*Tip: Balance each meal with healthy fats, protein, and fiber to support balanced blood sugar. 

  • Delegate household tasks. 

    • Create a chore system for kids

    • Trade childcare with friends or family

    • Share responsibilities with your partner

Caring for Your Skin in the Early Years of Motherhood

As the speed of motherhood picks up, quick, effective, multi-tasking skincare routines are your best friend. Simplifying is a win-win. Supporting your skin becomes a grounding ritual rather than a chore.

Simplify Your Routine 

Adopt a skinimalism routine that focuses on hydration, nourishment, and consistency. Here are a few time-saving skincare strategies:

Dealing With Stress-Related Breakouts

Stress can show up on your skin in unexpected ways. By providing care for your nervous system and even your gut, you can proactively help minimize breakouts. 

Support your skin through high-stress seasons of motherhood with:

Though it can be challenging to make time and might not always be consistent, modeling healthy mental and physical habits sets the stage. It’s teaching your kids to see self-health as a normal and necessary part of life.

Young Kids & Tweens: Navigating New Phases of Independence

As your kids gain independence, this phase of motherhood is about reclaiming parts of yourself. Whether you’re pursuing personal goals, setting boundaries, or rediscovering what makes you feel energized and whole, it’s time to shift out of survival mode.

This is your intentional self-health era, learning to prioritize what nourishes you.

Supporting Your Mind in the Young Kids + Tween Phase of Motherhood

The early years of motherhood may have felt like an all-consuming blur. (That’s normal!) But now you get to rebuild the relationship with yourself. 

Reclaiming Your Time & Identity

As your child becomes more independent, you have the space to rediscover the parts of yourself that’ve been on hold. Carve out time for you. Whether that’s something small (like reading again) or bigger (like starting a business or passion project), invest in rebuilding and refocusing on: 

  • Intentional community with friends or family 

  • Personal goals that have been on the backburner 

  • Hobbies you used to love, or new ones you want to try

  • Career growth, or maybe scaling back

*Tip: If you feel isolated in this phase of motherhood, get involved at your kid’s school on the parent planning committee or as a chaperone to stay plugged in with other parents. 

Setting Boundaries for Mental Peace

Protecting your time and energy allows you to be more present and intentional in motherhood and personal pursuits. Support your well-being by: 

  • Saying no – especially commitments that drain your energy

  • Protecting your time for solitude, reflection, or personal projects

  • Creating pockets of rest, even if it’s 15 minutes alone with tea + a book

Managing Stress & Emotional Overload

In this phase of motherhood, you’re juggling kids, school schedules (mom math, anyone?), meal planning, sibling arguments, and more. Nervous system regulation is essential to stay grounded and present. Here are some practices to help:

  • Free journal or keep a gratitude journal

  • Start therapy with a licensed professional 

  • Brain-dump your stresses or to-do lists before bed to quiet your mind

  • Use our magnesium-rich Sleep Spray to wind down and drift into restorative sleep

Nurturing Your Body in the Young Kids + Tween Phase of Motherhood

As your children gain independence, it’s time to reconnect with your body, not just for function, but now for vitality. Shifting from reactive care to intentional choices equips you for the evolving demands of motherhood.

Finding Joy in Movement Again

This stage of motherhood asks us to view movement as the path to long-term strength and longevity, not just necessity. As the days of carrying babies and running after toddlers fade, movement becomes about what feels good to you. Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Strength training – incredibly beneficial at this stage to help maintain muscle tone, support metabolism, and improve energy. 

    • Resistance training

    • Pilates

    • Bodyweight exercises 

  • Restorative movement – incorporate movement that helps relieve tension and built-up stress.

    • Long walks

    • Stretching

    • Hiking

    • Dance-based workouts 

    • Swimming 

Intentional Nutrition 

If you’ve been stuck eating “kid-friendly” meals, the tides are changing. Use this phase of motherhood to reconnect with nourishing your own body through inviting and nourishing foods.

Simple, high-impact changes can stabilize blood sugar + sustain energy. The best way to build a balanced meal to support blood sugar is:

  • A focus on animal-based protein

  • Healthy fats

  • Fiber-rich foods 

*Tip: Try habit-stacking meal prep for yourself. When you prep lunches for your kids, make an extra one for yourself so you don’t accidentally skip meals.

Caring for Your Skin in the Young Kids + Tween Phase of Motherhood

With more time to focus on yourself in this phase of motherhood, skincare becomes a meaningful ritual rather than just another task. 

Elevate Your Skincare 

Finally, you can add more “extracurriculars” to your skincare routine to maximize your results. Try one of these practices: 

*Tip: Check out our Mask Trio bundle. ;) 

Address Premature-Aging + Oxidative Stress

Protecting your skin from premature aging and oxidative stress starts with supportive, nourishing ingredients. This helps maintain strength, elasticity, and overall vitality. 

Treat Skincare as a Whole-Body Experience

If you’re dealing with hormonal breakouts, dryness, or dullness, start with your body’s stress response. Take a foundational holistic approach, returning to the basics like:

*Tip: Think of your skincare as self-health, not just a vain routine. Even one choice or 5 minutes of mindful nourishment can make an impact.

Make Skincare Feel Restorative, Not a Chore

Through the years, you may not have had enough time to focus on skincare, and over time, it became a rushed task on your to-do list. Here are a few ways to return to it as a daily ritual.

This phase of motherhood is about more than just meeting your child’s needs. It’s about reconnecting with who you are outside of them. It’s okay to want more time for yourself, explore new interests, and prioritize your well-being in ways that felt impossible before. You’re finding your balance in motherhood.

Adolescence & Beyond: Providing Guidance While Letting Go

As your child matures into adolescence and beyond, your role shifts yet again. This stage is about offering guidance while also stepping back. It’s about allowing you and your child to grow in new ways.

Supporting Your Mind in Mature Motherhood

In this phase, motherhood shifts. Instead of daily caretaking, you offer steady guidance, trust, and space for their independence. But this can be difficult to navigate.

Emotional Resilience

Teens experience intense emotions. Having grace for their hormonal shifts (and yours) is key. Independence can sometimes feel like emotional distance. But maintaining patience, understanding, and open communication helps strengthen your connection. Build resilience by:

  • Journaling to process your thoughts and emotions without judgment

  • Talking to a counselor for guidance to navigate with understanding

  • Keeping a list of positive interactions to remind yourself of the bond you share

  • Investing in your community – or getting involved with a local organization or charity 

  • Spending more intentional time with your partner, appreciating extra time together

  • Listening when your child talks, being a sounding board and trusted confidant

  • Reminding yourself that they’re finding out who they are and emotional lessons are learned through repetition, guidance, and patience

Reconnect to Yourself

It’s time to consider what brings you fulfillment beyond motherhood. You get to rediscover passions and create space for personal growth. Spend time on:

  • New hobbies you’ve always wanted to try

  • Developing a useful skill 

  • Taking a course at a local college or university

  • Joining a book club 

  • Volunteering at local businesses 

Nurturing Your Body in Mature Motherhood

As your role in motherhood shifts once again, so do physical needs. This is a time to focus on long-term vitality. Support your body to feel strong, energized, and resilient for the years ahead.

Hormonal Shifts

As you move through this phase of motherhood, your body undergoes changes. Perimenopause and menopause bring hormone shifts, decreased energy levels, and slower metabolism. Working with your body instead of against it, you can create a foundation of strength and resilience.

  • As your cycle changes, ground yourself by aligning with these other cycles:

    • Circadian rhythm – Get morning sunlight, maintain a consistent sleep schedule, and reduce blue light exposure in the evenings.

    • Ultradian rhythms – Tune into your body's natural energy cycles by taking small breaks throughout the day instead of pushing through fatigue. 

    • Nature’s seasons – Practice seasonal living through diet, movement, and lifestyle habits to stay in sync with your body's cyclical nature.

*Tip: To learn more about how to support your body through hormonal shifts, check out this post on menopause.

  • Manage stress intentionally – Chronic stress accelerates aging and hormonal imbalances. Incorporate daily relaxation techniques such as:

    • Breathwork

    • Magnesium (topical and internal)

    • Gentle movement

  • Remove environmental toxins – Reduce your exposure to endocrine disruptors. 

    • Opt for non-toxic personal care products

    • Filter your water

    • Avoid plastic food containers 

*Tip: Check out this guide to non-toxic living for specific swaps + brands we trust. 

  • Implement longevity practices – aka, regenerative health strategies to support long-term wellness.

    • Strength training

    • Protein intake

    • Blood sugar balance 

    • Fasting 

    • Hormetic stressors (like cold therapy or sauna use) 

    • Optimizing sleep 

Caring for Your Skin in Mature Motherhood

With kids becoming more independent (even moved out), you have the opportunity to reinvest in skincare with much more intention. Create a routine that nourishes your skin and your well-being. These moments become less like maintenance and more like a deeply indulgent practice.

Intentional Routines 

You get to decide how involved your new skincare routine is. Here are some ways you can try a more indulgent + targeted approach to support a youthful glow: 

  • Daily massage + wellness tools 

  • Red light for cellular energy

  • Sweat for detox support 

  • Dry brushing for cell turnover 

  • Masks for enzymatic exfoliation + replenishment 

Moisture is Key

Here’s a secret: Aging gracefully is all about prioritizing moisture. Have you ever heard the phrase: “aging is simply drying out”? It’s true! Here are a few ways to keep moisture front of mind: 

  • Hydrate internally – hydration also comes through a diet rich in:

  • Layer + protect the moisture barrier – preserving the moisture barrier has a protective domino effect on your skin. 

Addressing Crepey or Loose Skin

Along with intentional hydration, internal and external nourishment can help address loose or crepey skin. You can support vibrant, youthful skin with:

This phase of motherhood is as much about rediscovering yourself as it is about supporting your new adult child. Embrace the changes with gratitude. Prioritize your wellness as a daily ritual of restoration.  

Prioritizing Wellness Through Every Season of Motherhood

Through every season of motherhood, it’s easy to put yourself last. But prioritizing your well-being shouldn’t be an afterthought. 

It’s essential to show up fully for the life you’re creating.

Whether you’re adjusting to new routines, navigating shifts in identity, or embracing a renewed focus on yourself, create new rhythms. Caring for your mind, body, and skin with intention allows you to feel more present, capable, and resilient.

Because when you care for yourself, you’re not just tending to the present. You’re building a foundation for a healthier, more fulfilled future. 

To all the beautiful mothers out there – you’re needed. You deserve care.

XO


 

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Motherhood reshapes your identity. Learn how to rediscover yourself while nurturing your mind, body, and skin as your child grows and gains independence. | Primally Pure Skincare

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