Juggling Career With Motherhood: A Fashion Writer On Rediscovering Her Identity

I always knew I wanted to be a mom. It wasn’t a fleeting thought — it was something I felt deep in my bones for as long as I can remember. Growing up as an only child, I craved sibling connection, which only strengthened my dream of having more than one child of my own. I have no idea why this desire was so strong in me, but it was always there, as natural and certain as my ambition for a career that I wound up pouring myself into for over a decade.

I spent years grinding in the fashion industry in New York City, chasing deadlines and goals, proving to myself (and everyone else) that I could achieve it all. My identity was rooted in my career — the fast-paced thrill of achievement fueling me.

But meeting my husband — someone who not only supported my ambitions but encouraged me to chase them in every way — marked the beginning of a shift I hadn’t fully prepared for, no matter how much I had dreamed of reaching this point. Suddenly, I was stepping into a new chapter that felt both exciting and uncertain. Falling in love, getting married, and moving away from the only professional world I had ever known felt like both a leap of faith and a quiet unraveling of everything I had built. I knew this was exactly what I wanted, but I also knew it meant redefining success, fulfillment, and who I was outside of work.

We packed up our New York City life in August 2021 and moved to Denver, but while the city's constant buzz gave way to a slower pace of life, my work remained just as intense. I was still juggling deadlines, pitching stories, and taking on projects, but now with a new layer of anticipation: pregnancy. I started to think more about how I was going to integrate my new identity as "Mommy" into the equation. It turns out, even four years later, I'm still figuring it out — but with the help of Mother Untitled's MotherClasses powered by Momcozy, free, on-demand courses that were designed to empower mothers.

I knew I wouldn’t be stepping away from work entirely, but the question wasn’t whether I could balance both worlds, but how. Unlike a traditional office job, I had no set maternity leave. As a freelance writer, stepping away from work meant stepping away from income — a double-edged sword that gave me flexibility but also a gnawing sense of instability. When my first daughter was born, I let myself fully sink into the experience, absorbing every moment of newborn life: the late-night feeds, the endless diaper changes, the quiet, all-encompassing bond. But as the weeks stretched into months, I started to feel the itch. Not because I wanted to rush back into work, but because: Who was I if I wasn’t working? But also: How could I justify time away from my daughter just to sit in front of a screen?

At first, I tried to do both — working in the margins of her naps, and squeezing in assignments while she played. It was unsustainable, and I knew it. When we finally found childcare around her 11-month mark, I felt both immense relief and an almost unbearable weight of guilt. The internal tug-of-war was relentless. But I knew I wanted both. I wanted to be the mother she deserved, and I also wanted to maintain the parts of me that existed before her. And then, just as I was starting to find some semblance of balance the week of her first birthday, I found out I was pregnant again.

The transition to two kids was a whole new ballgame. My husband and I primarily spent the first year of our second daughter’s life in survival mode. Every time I thought I had a handle on things, a new challenge emerged and I was left to figure out how to divide my time, how to nurture both kids while still keeping a shred of myself intact, how to make peace with the reality that, no matter what, something would always feel like it was slipping. I had already started doing the work: reentering therapy, reconnecting with other mom friends who had been through similar struggles, and reminding myself that I wasn’t alone in these feelings. This sense of community is exactly why MotherClasses, powered by Momcozy, was created — to empower mothers and embrace career pauses as an opportunity for growth and self-discovery. It's part of Momcozy's International Women's Day campaign theme: OtHER Way — this idea that there's no "correct" way to be a woman.

The topics covered feel like they were pulled directly from my own experience, giving me motivation and tangible techniques to work through the inevitable shifts in identity, career, and relationships that come with this phase of life. The episode on navigating identity shifts with Elizabeth Baron, a maternal psychotherapist, put words to the exact push-and-pull I had been feeling — and I couldn't help but breathe an exhale of relief. The session on communicating needs in marriage with Dr. Morgan Cutlip reframed how I approached conversations with my husband, helping me advocate for what I needed without guilt or resentment. It also made me a better listener — something I hadn’t realized I needed to work on. Instead of just expressing my own needs, I became more attuned to his, recognizing that this shift in our lives wasn’t just challenging for me, but for him, too. Our conversations have become more productive, less about venting frustrations and more about actively supporting each other through the ever-changing demands of parenthood. And the deep dive into setting up systems and routines at home with Anna Kornick? Game-changing. I suddenly had strategies to ease the mental load I had been carrying alone for too long.

I had already been working on structuring my time better: batching assignments, setting clearer boundaries, and shifting my mindset to fully enjoy moments with my daughters instead of constantly thinking about what was left on my to-do list. But Momcozy’s MotherClasses have been a reminder to keep at it, offering even more tips I can inject into my day-to-day. The expert-backed insights have helped reinforce why these shifts matter — not just for work-life balance, but for my overall well-being. Now, I’m finding more ease in our morning routine, more patience in the (sometimes endless) bedtime process, and more appreciation for our weekly activities without the nagging feeling that I should be somewhere else. Instead of rushing through, I’m present — and that shift has made all the difference.

Beyond work, I'm working hard to make space for personal fulfillment in ways that have nothing to do with my career or motherhood. Lately, that’s looked like enjoying a more regular workout routine once again, and diving into a new side hustle inspired by my love for antiquing — something just for me, something that reignites a creative spark I hadn’t tapped into in years. It’s also meant carving out intentional time for my husband, planning dates around our shared loves — skiing, live theatre, incredible meals out — so we can reconnect outside of the logistical blur of parenting.

Recently, I even took a trip back to New York City, where I got to see friends, catch up with colleagues, and spend time sourcing for my business — all without tiny hands tugging at me or little voices calling my name. Both parts of my life are incredible. Both are essential. And every day, I feel like I’m learning how to hold space for both, realizing that my determination, ambition, love, and creativity have never faded — they’ve just found new expressions.

The same drive that fueled my career now helps me build a business I’m passionate about, be a more present mother, and nurture my relationships in meaningful ways. I see now that these core parts of who I am don’t need to be sacrificed — they can be applied in ways that benefit not just me, but my husband, my family, my friends, and most importantly, my children. And that is something I am endlessly proud of. Even on the days that don’t go perfectly, even when little “fails” sneak in, I can see past them and focus on the glimmers of success, the small moments that remind me I am not just surviving — I am thriving.