I remember being pregnant with my first. I was taking in as much information as possible. I joined groups for moms expecting babies in the same month, followed influencers and perfect install moms, and read parenting advice—anything I could get my hands on.

At first, it felt like I was getting ahead—like I was setting myself up to be the best mom I could be. But as time went on, that feeling of preparedness started to shift.

Instead of feeling informed, I felt behind. Instead of feeling encouraged, I felt exhausted.

Everywhere I looked, there were conflicting opinions, impossible standards, and picture-perfect moms who made it all look effortless. The constant stream of advice—most of it unsolicited—made me question my instincts. And the comparison? It was unavoidable.

Then my son was born, and I was thrown into something I never saw coming—breastfeeding grief. My struggles with insufficient glandular tissue (IGT) were already heavy, but social media made them unbearable. Post after post about “just trying harder” or “trusting my body” made me feel like I was failing at the one thing that was supposed to come naturally.

That’s when I knew something had to change.

Every time I opened social media, I found myself spiraling. Breastfeeding content. Pumping content. And the comment sections? They were the worst. It all triggered something profound in me. No matter where I looked, I felt like I was the only one struggling. I felt so utterly alone.

But I kept going back, hoping to find someone who understood and some reassurance that I wasn’t the only one. Instead, I just felt worse.

At some point, I had to ask myself: Why am I doing this?

So, I stopped. I unfollowed. I muted. I stepped back. And little by little, I started to breathe again.

Instead of letting my feed tear me down, I started looking for creators who actually got it. 

People who validated my experience instead of making me feel like I wasn’t trying hard enough.

There aren’t many, but they’re out there. And finding them made all the difference.

I’ll have a post in the future with resources for women navigating low supply—because no one should have to feel as alone as I did.

Looking back, I don’t miss it. I don’t miss the pressure, the noise, the constant feeling of falling short. What I do miss is the time I wasted believing I wasn’t good enough. But now? I’m learning to just be—to embrace my own version of motherhood without the filter.

Since I purged my feed, my whole perspective on motherhood has shifted. It’s funny how much noise can cloud what should be a simple, personal experience.

I’ve realized that I am the expert on my own journey. No one on the internet knows my child like I do, and no one knows my body like I do. Instead of looking for advice from every corner of the internet, I’ve started trusting myself more—knowing that my choices are valid, even if they don’t align with someone else’s idea of perfect motherhood practices.

I’ve also come to accept that no one has it all together. That perfectly curated post? It’s just one moment in a whole day of struggles, messes, and decisions that didn’t turn out as expected. Real life doesn’t look like an Instagram feed, and that’s okay.

Most importantly, I’ve learned to embrace the mess—the mess of my emotions, my journey with IGT, and my imperfect, beautiful, real experience of motherhood. The guilt I once carried for not being able to breastfeed the way I “should” is slowly being replaced with gratitude for what I can do. I’m learning to focus on the moments that matter, not the ones that are filtered through a screen.

In the mess—the emotional, physical, and real-life mess—I’ve found freedom. The mess is part of my journey, and now I welcome it. It’s proof that I’m living a real life and not chasing perfection. It’s the stuff that makes me feel alive, connected, and human.

Motherhood isn’t about fitting into a mold. It’s about being present with your child in whatever way that looks for you.

It wasn’t just about the advice or the comparison anymore—it was about how all of it was eating away at my peace of mind. That’s when I realized the most significant impact social media had on me: it was affecting my mental health in ways I wasn’t even fully aware of.

For so long, I’d been drowning in a sea of expectations that weren’t my own. Every scroll, every post, every comment made me feel like I wasn’t enough. There was always something I was missing, something I “could” do better. And it ate at me. It weighed on me. I felt exhausted as if I had never measured up.

But now? There’s a sense of freedom in my headspace. I can breathe without feeling like I have to be perfect. I’m no longer chasing after an impossible ideal. Instead of constantly measuring my worth against someone else’s, I’m learning to be in the moment.

I’ve found that without constant comparison, I’m more present in my day-to-day life. I’m not fixated on what’s missing in my life. I’m focused on what’s right here, right in front of me. And that’s a game changer for my mental health.

Most importantly, I’ve been able to be more gentle with myself. The constant negative self-talk has quieted me, and I’ve learned to recognize when I’m too hard on myself. The pressure to do it all? Gone. And in its place is a sense of peace.

Motherhood isn’t about doing everything the right way. It’s about doing what works for you and your family and trusting that you’re doing the best you can.

When I first started feeling the weight of comparison, I didn’t even realize how much social media was affecting me. It felt like everyone else was doing it right—except me. But now, with some distance and reflection, I can see just how much of that was an illusion.

If you’re a mom feeling drained by social media, here’s the thing I wish I had realized sooner: It’s okay to step back. It’s okay to unfollow, mute, or even delete accounts that make you feel less than. You’re not alone in this, and you certainly don’t have to navigate motherhood based on someone else’s version of it.

Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way that I hope will help:

• Trust yourself. If something doesn’t feel right, it isn’t. Your instincts are valid.

• It’s okay to not have all the answers. Social media is full of advice, but you don’t have to follow every single one. There’s no one right way to be a mom.

• Set boundaries. If certain accounts or content leave you feeling drained or inadequate, it’s okay to unfollow or even block them. You don’t need to justify your choices to anyone.

• Focus on real-life connections. Nothing compares to face-to-face support from the people who genuinely know you and care about your well-being.

Most importantly, remember this: you are enough. You’re doing the best you can, and that’s all that matters. No one else’s curated highlight reel should make you feel like you’re falling short.

In all of this, I’ve found strength from a source beyond social media, beyond comparison—something much more profound and more lasting. For me, leaning on God’s plan for my motherhood has been a game-changer.

I used to think that I had to have it all figured out—follow every piece of advice, be the “perfect” mom, and meet every expectation. But over time, I’ve come to realize that the perfection I was chasing wasn’t even mine to claim.

God has given me the unique journey of motherhood for a reason. It’s not meant to look like anyone else’s. I’ve learned that the imperfections—the struggles, the messy moments, the things that don’t go according to plan—are exactly what I need. These are the things that shape me and teach me patience, humility, and gratitude.

And I can hear Him when I step away from the world’s noise. I can feel His presence in the moments that matter most—when I’m holding my son when I’m trusting myself when I’m leaning into my own strengths.

If you’re struggling to find peace in motherhood, I encourage you to reconnect with your faith. Whatever that looks like for you—prayer, scripture study, quiet moments of reflection—let it remind you that you are loved, you are enough, and that your journey is exactly as it should be.

Finding peace through my faith made me realize that being a good mom isn’t about striving for perfection. It’s about being present and trusting that the imperfect moments are often the most meaningful ones.