Natalie B

Raymond Terrace, NSW

Tell us about you as a mum right now, what does this season of motherhood look like for you?

Right now, motherhood for me feels like rebuilding in real time. It’s a season of steadiness after chaos, creating safety, routine, and emotional calm for my kids while also continuing to heal and grow myself. It’s not perfect, it’s not polished, but it’s intentional. I’m very aware now that how I show up emotionally shapes how my children feel in their own bodies, so I move differently. Slower. More grounded. More conscious.

What were you doing before motherhood?

Before motherhood, I was working, surviving, and honestly just trying to hold everything together. I was in a long-term relationship that on the outside looked “normal,” but behind closed doors I was navigating emotional and mental abuse, coercive control, and constant emotional disconnection. I was working full time, managing life, and slowly losing myself in the process while trying to keep everything looking okay.

How did you come into motherhood?

I came into motherhood already carrying a lot emotionally. I was young in my identity, still learning myself, and trying to become a mother while also trying to survive a relationship that wasn’t safe emotionally. It was a mix of love, responsibility, confusion, and resilience. I loved my children deeply from the start, but I was also learning how to mother while still learning how to protect myself.

What is something you're currently navigating as a mum?

Right now I’m navigating balance, between being present for my kids and continuing to build my life and business. I’m also navigating healing. Letting go of old patterns of over-giving, over-functioning, and feeling like I have to carry everything alone. It’s about learning to slow down without guilt and trust that I don’t have to be in survival mode to be a good mum.

What has been bringing you joy lately?

My kids. Honestly, the simple moments. Watching them laugh, hearing their little stories, the calm of just being present at home without chaos. My newborn has also brought a deep softness into this season — a reminder of how far I’ve come and how different life feels now. There’s a lot of gratitude in the small, quiet moments.

Was there a moment that really shaped your experience as a mum?

Yes — leaving my marriage. That moment changed everything. Not in a clean way, but in a deeply confronting one. I realised my children were watching what I tolerated. They were learning what love looked like through my life, not my words. That was the moment I knew I couldn’t keep repeating the cycle. It wasn’t just about me anymore — it was about what I was modelling for them.

What’s something that’s felt harder than you expected?

The rebuilding after leaving. I thought the hardest part was the decision, but the aftermath is where the real weight sits. The financial pressure, the emotional load of starting over, the identity shift, and still showing up as a mum through all of it. Holding your children while you’re also holding your own rebuilding is something I underestimated completely.

What’s something you’ve learned recently that’s helped you?

That I don’t have to earn rest. That slowing down, asking for support, and protecting my energy is not weakness — it’s strength. I used to believe I had to prove myself through exhaustion, but now I’m learning that rest is part of how I stay grounded, regulated, and present for my kids.

How has motherhood changed you?

Motherhood has stripped me back and rebuilt me. It’s made me more honest, more grounded, and more accountable to myself. I don’t abandon myself the way I used to. I don’t confuse survival with love anymore. It’s taught me boundaries, emotional awareness, and what it actually means to create safety — not just for my children, but within myself.

What’s something people don’t always see about your life as a mum?

People don’t always see the rebuilding behind the calm. The internal work it’s taken to get here. The layers of healing, financial pressure, emotional processing, and learning to trust myself again after years of doubt and control. They see the strength now, but not always the journey it took to get here.

What would you say to another mum who might be feeling the same way you have?

You are not stuck — even if it feels like it. You’re allowed to question your reality. You’re allowed to want more. And your kids are not better off in a home where you are shrinking. They learn love through you — so make sure you’re showing them what self-respect looks like too. Start small if you need to. But start choosing yourself again.

Is there someone who has supported you in this season of motherhood that you’d love to give a little shoutout to?

Yes — my fiancé and my children.

My fiancé has been a steady, grounding presence in this season. The kind of support that isn’t loud or performative, but consistent. He shows up with respect, emotional safety, and care — and that has made such a difference in how calm and supported this chapter of motherhood feels compared to my past.

And my children… they’re the real heartbeat of everything. They’re the reason I chose to rebuild, the reason I kept going when things felt heavy, and the reason I continue to grow. They’ve taught me patience, resilience, and what unconditional love actually looks like in practice. Every day, they remind me why choosing a different life mattered so much.