Moment | Motherhood Breaks You Open — and That’s Where You Find Yourself

About this episode

Motherhood doesn’t just change your routine – it can completely unravel who you thought you were. In this episode, Zoe is joined by Estelle Bingham to talk about the inner reality of becoming a mother – the identity shift, the loneliness, and the moment you realise the old version of you no longer fits. They explore why the early months can feel so disorientating, why so many mothers hit a point of exhaustion and self-doubt around six months in, and why this isn’t failure – it’s transition. Estelle shares how motherhood brought her to the “ground zero” of herself, surfacing unmet needs and old patterns, and why this cracking open is often an invitation rather than a problem to fix.  At the heart of our conversation is a powerful reminder: compassion isn’t optional in motherhood. It’s what stops shame from taking over and allows us to show up for our children with steadiness and care. If you’ve ever thought, Why does this feel so hard? or What’s happened to me? This episode will help you understand what’s really going on. In this Moment, you’ll hear: Why motherhood can feel like an identity earthquake – lonely, disorientating, and nothing like you expected How your child can surface your own unmet needs, and why that discomfort is a sign of growth, not failure Why compassion, not perfection, is the skill that keeps shame and burnout at bay If you liked this moment, listen to the full episode: You’re Not Lost, You’ve Just Forgotten Who You Are with Estelle Bingham Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. Community growing. Feeling different since becoming a mother? Get clarity on who you’re becoming now and  download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on Instagram  Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’ This Motherkind episode is sponsored by: Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply. For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices