A Gentle Invitation Back to You
Motherhood is transformative, but for many women, it’s also disorienting. In the process of giving so much of ourselves — our time, energy, body, sleep, and presence — it’s easy to wonder… Where did I go?
In this week’s episode of Breathe, Laugh, Parent — The Shine Om Podcast, we explore what it means to rediscover yourself after baby and reclaim your identity after motherhood, not to return to your pre-motherhood self, but to honour your evolution and consciously shape who you are becoming. We discuss what reclaiming your identity in motherhood can look like through rituals, reflection, and gentle postpartum self-discovery.
Table of Contents
Rediscovering Yourself After Baby When You Feel Like You’ve Lost Yourself…
It’s a common conversation I have with mothers in my community: “I don’t feel like me anymore.” And I get it. As a stay-at-home mum of two young children, I’ve felt this deeply.
But here’s the truth:
You haven’t disappeared. You’ve simply been transformed.
Your identity hasn’t been lost — it’s just waiting to be remembered, reshaped, and reclaimed with intention.
This isn’t about bouncing back. It’s about growing forward — with tenderness, curiosity, and honesty.
The Power of Reflection in the Motherhood Identity Shift
In the episode of Breathe, Laugh, Parent — The Shine Om Podcast, From Maiden to Mother: Navigating and Reclaiming Your Identity in Motherhood, I guide you through two deeply healing and grounding practices to support your journey that have worked for me on my path to reclaiming my identity after becoming a mother for the second time.
1. Write a Letter to Your Maiden Self
Take a moment to write a letter to the version of you who came before motherhood.
Thank her. Celebrate her courage, curiosity, and all the lessons she gathered that helped you arrive at this sacred point in your life.
Acknowledge the parts of her you carry, and the parts you’re releasing — with love.
This practice offers emotional integration. It allows you to honour the transition and step into your identity as a mother with reverence.
2. The Wardrobe Ritual: Do My Clothes Still Fit Me — Energetically?
Gently hold each piece of clothing from your pre-motherhood days.
Ask: “Does this align with who I am becoming?”
If the answer is no, it doesn’t just go back in the drawer — it leaves the house.
Give it to charity. Create space, physically and energetically, for the version of you that’s emerging.
This ritual offers symbolic clarity and spaciousness — it’s a way of saying “I choose me now.”
Why Reclaiming Yourself Helps Your Children Thrive
Science backs what many of us intuitively feel — when we prioritise our emotional well-being, our children benefit too.
✨ Emotional contagion is real — our children absorb the emotional energy we live in.
When we feel more regulated, more seen, and more in touch with our authentic selves, we:
- Respond with more patience.
- Set more loving boundaries.
- Feel more joy in the ordinary moments.
- Model self-respect, self-awareness, and self-care.
Reclaiming your identity isn’t selfish. It’s a gift to your whole family.
Let’s Redefine What Joy Looks Like As Self-care for Mums
Joy doesn’t always have to be loud. It doesn’t have to look like the highlight reels on Instagram.
In fact, in the season of raising young kids, quiet joy may be your most powerful tool.
Think:
- Eye contact while feeding your baby.
- A warm tea in the sunshine.
- Breathing deeply while pushing the pram.
- Journaling in the dark while the house is asleep.
These are micro-moments that ground you. And these moments matter.
Listen Now
This brief, nurturing episode will provide a space for you to reflect, release, and reconnect with yourself.
It’s part pep talk, part meditation, and all heart.
Tune in and be reminded that you’re not lost — you’re in progress.
🫶 Support Services for Parents & Mental Health
If this episode brings up big feelings or you’re navigating challenges in your motherhood or mental health journey, please know you are not alone. Support is available. Here are some organisations that can help:
📞 Lifeline Australia
24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention.
Call: 13 11 14
Text: 0477 13 11 14
Web: www.lifeline.org.au
🌸 PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia)
Support for expecting and new parents struggling with perinatal anxiety or depression.
Helpline: 1300 726 306 (Mon–Sat)
Web: www.panda.org.au
🌿 Gidget Foundation Australia
Emotional well-being support for parents experiencing perinatal depression, anxiety, or adjustment difficulties.
Call: 1300 851 758
Web: www.gidgetfoundation.org.au
🫂 Perinatal Wellbeing Centre (ACT-based)
Support for parents in the Canberra region experiencing emotional health challenges during pregnancy and early parenthood.
Call: (02) 6288 1936
Web: www.perinatalwellbeingcentre.org.au
🧠 Beyond Blue
Support for mental health, anxiety, depression and wellbeing.
Call: 1300 22 4636 (24/7)
Web: www.beyondblue.org.au
🐾 The Parentline (Various States)
Confidential phone counselling for parents and carers.
NSW: 1300 1300 52
QLD & NT: 1300 301 300
VIC: 13 22 89
WA: 08 9368 9368
Web: www.parentline.com.au
🖤 Black Dog Institute
Resources, research and support for mental health across life stages.
Web: www.blackdoginstitute.org.au
💛 Please reach out. Asking for help is an act of strength, not a sign of weakness. You are not alone on this journey.
