Mandy Moore Says It's 'About Having Grace' When Trying to Find Time for Self-Care as a Mom

Mandy Moore is mom to son August "Gus" Harrison, who turns 1 later this month

Mandy Moore for Health, On sale February 11th. Photo: Photograophed by Ben Watts

Mandy Moore is opening up about how her wellness routine has changed since becoming a mom.

The This Is Us star, 37, covers the March issue of Health, in which she speaks candidly about her experience with motherhood and how she finds time for self-care as mom to son August "Gus" Harrison, who turns 1 later this month.

Moore, who shares her son with husband Taylor Goldsmith, says she's "being easy on [herself]" right now when it comes to practicing a wellness routine.

"Right now, it's about having grace — being easy on myself when being able to practice self-care doesn't feel as available and accessible to me," she explains. "It was so much easier when I was pregnant, to find the time to take care of myself. I was at the chiropractor. I was at acupuncture weekly. I had prenatal massages. And then as soon as baby arrives, all of that pretty much goes out the window."

While the actress says she wishes she could "find the time to sort of incorporate some of those practices again" she continues to stay positive when "it's not feasible."

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Mandy Moore for Health, On sale February 11th. Photograophed by Ben Watts

"I try not to get down on myself about it," she says. "If I do have free time and I'm not working, I'd much rather go on a walk with Gus than rush off to go get a facial. However, that's not to diminish how important that stuff is, too. I feel like I'm just constantly walking that tightrope of what is going to suit me best today."

The mom of one also shares what has been the biggest surprise to her about motherhood.

"Every day is different. It is overwhelming on a level that I never expected," she admits. "All of the clichés are true. The love is so immediate."

"In the very beginning it was like, 'Oh, you're nursing. The baby's sleeping.' You figure out your routine. Then maybe three months in felt like, 'I don't know what I'm doing. I don't have the skill set for this. Maybe I'm not a good mother.' I questioned everything," she continues. "I looked at my husband, who seemed so at ease — it was so natural for him. I felt bad about myself and what I brought to the table as a mom. And it made me question everything."

Mandy Moore for Health, On sale February 11th. Photograophed by Ben Watts

"And I was like, 'Is this feeling going to last forever? Am I just going to feel unworthy, unprepared? Is this just the foreseeable future?' And a week later, I found my equilibrium again," says Moore. "I remember people telling me that everything is a phase and not to get too set in your ways about anything — and it's true."

The "Candy" singer and Goldsmith welcomed baby Gus on Feb. 20, 2021.

Moore also described her experience as a first-time mom while gracing the cover of Parents magazine's December 2021 issue.

"Not to sound cheesy, but all the clichés are true. Life is Technicolor now. It just makes sense in a way that it didn't before," she said. "I had no idea that this degree of love existed in the world."