By Cornelia Postma
Motherhood is often viewed through the lens of our children’s achievements. We celebrate their first steps, their first words, their first day of school. But somewhere along the way, the milestones of the woman at the centre of it all—the mother—are overlooked. At Zoie Health, we believe your journey deserves just as much recognition. Because while you’re busy raising a whole human (or more!), you’re also evolving, healing, growing, and becoming a new version of yourself.
The Invisible Growth of Motherhood
Becoming a mother is one of life’s most transformative experiences. It reshapes your identity, your body, your relationships, and your daily rhythms. Yet the quiet, often invisible moments of growth that mothers experience—like finally getting your baby to sleep through the night, asking for help without guilt, reclaiming time for yourself, or returning to work—rarely receive the spotlight. These are real milestones. And they matter.
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Too often, mothers are expected to carry the load without complaint. A 2025 survey from Talker Research found that nearly 70% of moms feel completely overwhelmed, and more than half say they rarely prioritise their own needs. The same study revealed that what most mothers really want is support, not just gratitude—and especially not just one day a year.
A Radical Act of Self-Love
The truth is, recognising your own milestones as a mom is not a selfish act. It’s a radical act of self-love. It’s how you remind yourself that you’re not just surviving motherhood—you’re growing through it.
Celebrating yourself can take many forms. Sometimes it’s as simple as pausing to acknowledge how far you’ve come. Maybe it’s reflecting on the fact that you navigated your first year of motherhood with patience, tears, laughter, and late-night Googling. Maybe it’s making peace with your birth story. Maybe it’s finally setting boundaries with well-meaning family members or deciding to wean on your terms. These moments, big or small, are turning points in your life—and they’re worth honouring.
The Science of Celebration
Psychologists agree that acknowledging your progress builds resilience and confidence. According to mental health professionals, recognising and celebrating even small achievements can have long-term benefits for emotional wellbeing, improving self-esteem, motivation, and stress management. In fact, a resource from Innovative Resources highlights how regular celebration is key to better mental and physical health outcomes—not to mention it just feels good to give yourself credit where it’s due.
You Deserve to Be Seen
And yet, so many mothers struggle to give themselves permission to celebrate. There’s a deeply ingrained narrative that motherhood must be all-sacrificing. That joy should only come from your child’s success. But at Zoie Health, we reject that idea. We believe that your joy is just as important. We believe that mothers deserve to be celebrated not only for what they do, but for who they are becoming. Because you’re not the same person you were before motherhood—and that evolution is worth recognising.
Making Space for Your Own Wins
So how do you begin celebrating yourself as a mom? Start by being intentional. Notice the changes in yourself. Maybe you’re more assertive than before, or more patient. Maybe you’ve rediscovered an old passion, or simply managed to drink your coffee while it’s still hot. Create rituals of reflection. Journal your wins. Speak kindly to yourself. Share your growth with other women. And most importantly, allow yourself to feel proud.
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At Zoie Health, we’re here to walk that journey with you. Through community, access to trusted professionals, and real conversations, we’re helping moms take up space—not just as caregivers, but as whole, evolving humans. You deserve to be seen. You deserve to be supported. And yes—you deserve to be celebrated.
Because motherhood isn’t just about raising a child. It’s also about raising yourself.
