Mother’s Day 2025: A love letter to my younger self
What I wish I could tell my younger self when I was in the thick of it | 5 min read
“What’s one thing that ‘today you’ would tell ‘pre-recovery you’?”
I love this question.
Early motherhood stretched every part of me. My relationship. Breastfeeding. Sleep training. Introducing solids. HItting new milestones. More pediatrician visits than I could count.
Every day felt like a mini marathon. No wonder it all blurs together.
But this question made me slow down. Not just to reflect on how much my kids (now 1 and 3) have grown, but how much I have too.
A love letter to my younger self
I had postpartum anxiety with both kids. It hit way harder the second time – fueled by sleep deprivation and unrealistic expectations.
Now, on the other side, here’s what I’d tell that younger version of me:
Nancy, you're built for this.
Be kind with yourself when things fall apart. The hardest, messiest moments will teach you more about yourself than you can imagine:
When you’re obsessively tracking baby’s sleep and he’s still not sleeping–know that the SNOO will offer rest and therapy, Good Inside, ParentData, and lots of books will help you let go of the pressure to be perfect and do what feels right for you.
When you’re drowning in newborn chaos–know that joining a local moms group will be a lifeline. You’ll find connection with others going through the exact same thing, and who just ‘get it’.
When resentment escalates because your husband forgot the dishes again–know that couples counseling and Fair Play will help you feel like a team again and help you protect your ‘me time’.
When you reach your breaking point and throw a water bottle across the kitchen–know that therapy will help you rebuild and heal–coming back stronger, empowered, and more present than you thought possible.
When you think you’re failing as a mom—know it’s not you, it’s the system. And your mom rage? That’ll become fuel for change. You’ll find your people and fight for better–with Chamber of Mothers and Postpartum Support International.
When you panic about leaving a stable job–know that the pause is a gift. You’ll work with a life coach and start practicing real self-care. You’ll learn to just rest, reconnect with what brings you joy, and find a new purpose in life: to help build a future where every new mom feels supported, prepared and empowered.
Early motherhood will test you. Some days you’ll feel like a shell of who you were. But you’ll keep showing up and every struggle will build your resilience and shape you.
Celebrate every win. Listen to your body when it says enough. Lean on your people. And ask for help.
And most importantly–care for yourself the way you hold everyone else up.
Because you’re not just raising a baby. You’re growing a new, sturdier version of yourself.
Mother’s Day as a reflection of growth
This is the question I want to return to every Mother’s Day: What would today me say to the me who was just trying to survive?
Because as moms, and as women, we’re conditioned to be everything to everyone. We carry it all—and we still find time to question if we’re even doing it right.
But this kind of reflection invites something different: self-compassion, grace, and gratitude for how far we’ve come.
Mother’s Day isn’t just about celebrating what we do. It’s about honoring who we’ve become.
Happy Mother’s Day to the moms holding everything together. I hope you find space to rest, reflect, and truly recognize your own growth.
