Mandy Moore is well aware of the challenges of striving for perfection. From her beginnings as a teenage pop star to her role as the beloved matriarch Rebecca Pearson on the hit series This Is Us, she has had to master the art of filtering out incessant expectations and outside opinions. However, as many parents can confirm, achieving that balance as a mother is often easier said than done.
Recently, following what has been described as one of the toughest years of her life, Moore has reemerged with a newfound sense of tranquility.
In a candid conversation after returning from a family holiday, she shared that, while managing three young children can be chaotic and accompanied by unsolicited parenting advice, her growing confidence as a seasoned mom allows her to more effectively tune out the noise. As a mother of three, Moore feels more empowered than ever to trust her instincts, embracing the inevitability of imperfections in motherhood.
“There’s no ‘right’ way to be a mom,” she emphasizes. “The right way is what works for you.”
Moore is all about finding ways to simplify motherhood, whether it’s during travel days (with snacks and iPads to the rescue), feeding strategies (an enthusiastic partner of ByHeart, expressing her fondness for their portable Anywhere Pack), or enjoying the company of what she describes as wonderful in-laws.
You just returned from family vacations in Montana and Mexico. What stood out about traveling this time—with three kids in the mix?
It can be challenging, but we’ve reached a point where we’re embracing flexibility during travel. You can eat whatever, indulge in screen time, and engage in all the things that simplify travel days.
As our family isn’t typically one to rely heavily on screen time, the boys are thrilled to travel because it means they can use their iPads and choose any movie they like. We also ensure we’re well-stocked with snacks; you can’t predict what you’ll find at the airport or on the plane! So, we come prepared with sandwiches, crackers, and string cheese.
Fortunately, they’re at a great age where they’re quite self-sufficient once you present them with food. Lou, at 10 months, is sweet and easygoing, content with story time and crinkly toys. We’re lucky that my husband manages both boys while I take care of the baby; we’ve figured it all out.
It works for me to allow myself little treats, too.
Right? Knowing there’s something to look forward to can really change the game.
Baby Lou’s first birthday is coming up soon. How does it feel to approach that milestone?
I can hardly believe we’re nearing a year already. It’s surprising to wrap my mind around it. I’m eager to continue discovering who she is and to witness her bond with her brothers. They’re incredibly sweet and gentle with her; no one knows how to make her laugh better than they do. It’s truly heartwarming.
I’m cherishing this phase because, as you know, everything can change suddenly. Someone might experience a sleep regression, teething, or something else; I want to fully appreciate this beautiful moment while it lasts.
With so many parenting opinions out there, was there a moment for you that helped you tune that noise out?
It’s fascinating. I believe there’s no real substitute for the chance to do something again. Now that I’m on my third child, motherhood feels more serene, enabling me to trust my own instincts more easily than I expected. The first time around, I wasn’t certain what to anticipate, making it a bigger challenge to rely on my intuition.
While social media can provide a valuable community and reference points, it can also overwhelm with too many opinions. My greatest revelation was understanding that I often had the answers within me to start with. I just needed to drown out the noise, step away from my phone, absorb the information I encountered, and ultimately trust what felt right for me… acknowledging that what worked for me might not be everyone else’s path.
There’s so much confidence in embracing the messiness of parenthood and relinquishing that pressure.
Feeding kids is a hot topic among moms. What advice would you offer to a new parent feeling pressured to “get it right”?
I completely understand that pressure. I returned to work with my oldest when he was just a month old and my middle child at six weeks. I was fortunate to have a job that allowed me to bring my baby with me to nurse. This time around, however, there were no obligations, which allowed me to truly enjoy every moment with Lou.
With each child, I let them dictate the pace of nursing, and thankfully, it aligned well with my life and milk supply. But when Lou was 3 ½ months old, the California fires hit, and my milk supply dipped dramatically. I was in panic mode, asking my pediatrician whether to look for breast milk elsewhere. He advised me to take that stress off my plate entirely and supplement with formula as needed. I took his advice.
About four months in, I began using ByHeart. By six months, Lou decided she was done nursing altogether, and we transitioned to full-time ByHeart feeding. I was pleased to find that their formula closely resembles breast milk in structure and benefits, meaning I didn’t feel like I compromised anything by making the switch.
Did that transition positively affect your mental well-being?
Absolutely. During the period when I started supplementing, removing that stress relieved me of a weight and allowed me to be a more present parent. Knowing that I could prioritize my mental health and still be there for Lou, Gus, and Ozzie was the best decision I could make for all of us.
I’m relieved I listened to my pediatrician while trusting my instincts. He echoed what I already felt: this is what’s right for me. Once I released those expectations—wondering if I was doing the right thing for both myself and my baby—it became simpler. There was no looking back.
What I would advise women is this: however your feeding journey unfolds, there is no “right” way to do it. Perfection in feeding does not exist—the right way is what works for you.
You’ve openly discussed the loss of your home in the LA fires, and we’re truly sorry you had to endure that. I’ve seen how positively you speak about your mother-in-law, Kathy, which is quite rare. How does she support your family in ways that are meaningful?
I might get emotional. I truly can’t imagine what I would have done in these past eight months without her. Both my in-laws lost their home as well, so we found a rental where we could all live together.
This chapter of our lives, being together, has been everything. I never envisioned we’d share this time under one roof, but it’s been incredibly healing for all parties involved.
We could put the children to bed, then sit down for tea and discuss the challenges of navigating insurance and other adult matters that kids shouldn’t hear about. Sharing those burdens together has been invaluable.
Simply being able to put the kids to bed without needing a babysitter is huge—Kathy often says, ‘I’ll watch the kids. You and Taylor go out and enjoy a dinner; it’s important to have time together.’ Having that built-in babysitter is something I never want to lose. I joke, ‘You do realize you can’t leave now, right?’
It’s been the most wonderful arrangement… she’s a dream.
Image Source: Mandy Moore @ Instagram
