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Macayla Mae

@macayla_mae_

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In honour of Odin turning 2 months old. This was him at 2 days old 🥹. I cannot believe how fast he’s grown!

#NewMomLife #MotherAndSon #BoyMama #FirstTimeMom #MotherhoodUnfiltered #EverydayMotherhood #GentleMotherhood #SoftLifeMama #MyLittleMan #MamaJourney #LoveInTheLittleThings #MotherhoodAesthetic #MomLifeUnfiltered #TenderMoments #PureMotherhood #OurEverydayMagic #CandidMotherhood #MamasHeart #LifeWithABaby #ForeverMyBaby taken in South Africa by @macayla_mae_

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a year ago

A sacred soul has joined our journey earth side 🤍 by @macayla_mae_

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151

a year ago

A morning for both mama & baby in one of our favourite little spaces. 🤍

The girls at Play Café welcomed Odin with so much excitement & enthusiasm, and off he went to play while I snuck next door for a little barre session.

One of the things I loved most was being able to check in on Odin through the Nanit camera while still having that little bit of time to myself. There’s something so lovely about knowing your little one is happy, safe & having the best time while you get to do something for yourself too.

The barre session was also such a beautiful reminder of how important it is to understand our bodies, especially throughout our postpartum journey. We learnt more about pelvic floor health, something I don’t think gets spoken about nearly enough, and how important it is to reconnect with & strengthen our bodies from the inside out.

Motherhood has taught me that looking after myself doesn’t have to mean taking time away from being a mom. Sometimes the two can exist so beautifully alongside each other.

Afterwards, I joined my little boy back at Play Café for some yummy eats, drinks & a whole lot more playing.

A little movement for mama, a whole lot of fun for Odin & some quality time together to finish off our morning.

These are the little mornings that make me feel so rich in life. 🌿🤍

#PlayCafe #JohannesburgMoms #PostpartumJourney #BarreWorkout #MotherhoodMoments taken in South Africa by @macayla_mae_

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12 hours ago

A little practical magic, a little creativity & a whole lot of intention. 🌞🌿✨

An evening spent painting, playing with herbs, making our own intention candles & being reminded that there is something so beautiful about creating with your hands.

For my little pot, I chose to paint the sun, surrounded by sage, rosemary & flowers. Each element carrying an intention of its own.

🌞 The sun — a reminder that even through the darker seasons of life, the light always finds its way back. New beginnings, warmth, growth & choosing to see the beauty in the everyday.

🌿 Sage — cleansing, releasing old energy & making space for what is meant to come.

🌱 Rosemary — protection, remembrance & staying rooted in who I am while allowing myself to grow into who I’m becoming.

And for my candle, I intuitively chose three beautiful botanicals:

💙 Blue cornflower — intuition, clarity & trusting my inner voice.

🌼 Chamomile — peace, softness & allowing my nervous system to find moments of stillness.

🤍 Jasmine — self-love, feminine energy & opening my heart to all the beautiful things still to come.

I think what made this evening so special was realising how much intention we can pour into the smallest things. Every brushstroke, every herb, every little choice became a quiet reminder of what I’m calling into this next chapter of my life.

A little more peace. A little more trust. A little more sunshine. And a whole lot of love.

Maybe that’s the real magic — creating something with your hands while quietly planting intentions for the life you’re growing. 🌿🤍

#PracticalMagic #IntentionalLiving #CandleMaking #CreativeHealing #SlowLiving taken in The Creatory by @macayla_mae_

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8 days ago

September 🤍

A month that had me reflecting on where I am, who I’m becoming & what I actually want this life of mine to feel like.

Seeing the world through my child’s eyes has changed so much of that. Suddenly the smallest things feel like the biggest things. Sunshine on our skin. Slow mornings. Being outside. Watching him discover something for the first time. Being present enough to actually notice it all.

This month reminded me that sunshine really is medicine, healing isn’t always linear, and sometimes becoming the version of yourself you’re searching for simply means coming home to yourself again.

I was so beautifully spoilt for my birthday & felt incredibly loved. I poured a little more of myself into Mother Mae, into my healing, my practices & the things that make my soul feel good.

There is still so much I’m figuring out at 27. So much I’m healing. So much I’m learning to release, rebuild & trust.

But I looked around a lot this month and thought…

wow, I am rich.

Rich in love.
Rich in little arms that reach for me.
Rich in sunshine.
Rich in experiences.
Rich in people.
Rich in lessons.
Rich in the opportunity to keep becoming.

Maybe not every part of life looks exactly how I imagined it would at 27 — but there is so much beauty here.

And I’m really, really grateful for it. 🤍

September, you were good for my soul.

#SeptemberRecap #RichInLife #MotherhoodJourney #HealingJourney #LifeAt27 taken in South Africa by @macayla_mae_

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16 days ago

I think one of the most freeing things you can do is stop looking over the fence. 🌱🤍

Stop comparing timelines.
Stop questioning why someone else has something you don’t.
Stop measuring your life against a version of somebody else’s that you only see from the outside.

I’ve learnt that whatever you continuously give your energy to, grows.

So lately, I’m choosing to water what’s mine.

My home.
My relationships.
My motherhood.
My health.
My dreams.
My healing.
And most importantly, myself.

Some seasons will bloom beautifully and others will require a little more tending, patience & love.

I can’t tell you if the grass is greener on the other side…

I’m too busy watering my own. 🌱

And I think there’s something really peaceful about that.

#IntentionalLiving #GrowthJourney #MindsetShift #HealingJourney #WaterYourOwnGrass taken in Johannesburg, South Africa by @macayla_mae_

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17 days ago

God really saw my heart & decided to gift me you. 🤍

Sometimes I look at you and genuinely wonder what I did to deserve a love this pure.

A love that has softened me, stretched me, healed parts of me I didn’t know needed healing, and shown me a version of myself I never knew existed.

You’ll grow up knowing me as your mom, but you’ll probably never fully understand how much becoming yours changed me too.

In every lifetime, in every version of me, I’d choose being your mom.

My greatest blessing. My safest love. My little piece of heaven on earth. 🤍

#MotherhoodJourney #BoyMom #MotherAndSon #PresentMotherhood #MyGreatestBlessing taken in South Africa by @macayla_mae_

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22 days ago

The face looks very serious 😂 but lately, my practice has been anything but just serious.

I’ve been practising my Ujjayi breath, and Vinyasa has slowly become such an important part of my daily practice. Connecting each movement to my breath has taught me to get out of my head and come back into my body.

And somewhere between the wobbles, falling out of poses, laughing at myself and trying again, I’m learning how much yoga asks you to trust yourself.

Trust your breath.
Trust your body.
Trust that you’re stronger than you think.
Trust that even when you wobble, you can find your centre again.

“Sthira sukham āsanam.” — Yoga Sutra 2.46
The posture should be steady and easeful.

I love this Sutra because it reminds me that strength doesn’t always have to look rigid or perfect. There can be softness within strength. Ease within effort. And sometimes the practice is simply learning when to push, when to soften, and when to trust that your body already knows.

Turns out I’m learning a lot more on this mat than how to hold a pose. 🧘🏼‍♀️🤍

#VinyasaYoga #YogaTeacherTraining #YogaJourney #YogaSutras #YogaBeyondTheMat taken in South Africa by @macayla_mae_

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25 days ago

A little recap of our One Fun-Guy’s first birthday 🍄🤎

This day was honestly so special.

Play Café has been such a big part of mine & Odin’s little world over the last year, so having his first birthday there just felt right. So many normal days spent there playing, having coffee, meeting other moms & watching him grow — and then getting to celebrate ONE there with our family was such a full-circle moment. 🥹

I gave the team my slightly crazy “One Fun-Guy” theme 😂🍄 and somehow they took everything that was in my head and brought it to life. They did all the setup for us and were just incredible from beginning to end.

But my favourite part was honestly watching Odin & all his little friends just play. Crawling around, exploring, eating cake and having the best time. Seeing him surrounded by so many people who have watched him grow through his first year was really special.

And a very special thank you to Angelique, who made the most beautiful platters for everyone and Odin’s smash cake. 🤍 Everything was made with so much care and was absolutely delicious — and watching Odin get his little hands into his very first birthday cake is a memory I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

Thank you to every person who came to celebrate our boy. Some of you have been there from the very beginning, through pregnancy, newborn days and all the different versions of us this first year has brought. To have so many of the people we love in one room, celebrating the little person who completely changed my world, meant more to me than I can put into words.

I think that’s what I’ll remember most about his first birthday. Not necessarily all the little details, but the feeling of looking around and seeing Odin happy, surrounded by people who genuinely love him.

A whole year of our boy & a whole year of being his mom. 🍄🤍

What a privilege it has been.

#PlayCafe #JohannesburgMoms #MomLifeSouthAfrica #ToddlerMom #MomAndBaby taken in Dunkeld West by @macayla_mae_

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a month ago

A little something new has made its way into our home & I’m very excited to start incorporating it into our everyday rituals. 🤍🌿

Meet Macadamia Gold — Nurture & Nourish.

Nurture is a lightweight, fast-absorbing macadamia oil designed for skin, hair & overall wellness. Naturally rich in omega-7 and vitamin E, it can be used to moisturise dry skin, nourish cuticles and dry areas, or add softness and shine to your hair without weighing it down. Basically, one beautiful little bottle with so many uses.

And then there’s Nourish — 100% cold-pressed extra virgin macadamia oil for the kitchen. 🫒✨ Naturally rich in monounsaturated fats, with omega-9 fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamin E. It has a smooth, buttery flavour and can be used for sautéing, roasting, baking or simply drizzled over salads and meals.

I love discovering products that fit into the way I’m trying to live lately — a little more intentionally, a little more naturally, and with more thought around what I’m putting in and on my body.

From the bathroom shelf to the kitchen counter… I have a feeling these two are going to become little staples in our home. 🌿🤍

I’ll keep you updated as I start using them properly & share some of my favourite ways to incorporate them into our routine.

#NaturalWellness #HolisticLiving #IntentionalLiving #NaturalSkincare taken in South Africa by @macayla_mae_

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a month ago

The hardest parts of breastfeeding aren’t always the ones we talk about. 🤍

We often focus on the physical side of breastfeeding, milk supply, pumping, feeding, and routines. Still, the mental and emotional load of those early months can be just as challenging, and it’s something many moms carry quietly.

Macayla’s honesty about everything she pushed through to reach her one-year breastfeeding milestone is exactly why we believe in sharing real stories.

Because sometimes, the hardest battles are the ones no one else can see. 🤍

If you’re going through a tough season, please know you’re not alone. And if breastfeeding feels overwhelming, reaching out to a lactation consultant or healthcare provider can help ensure you have the right support for your journey.

Leave a 🤍 if you’ve ever had a season of breastfeeding that felt harder than expected.

*This is one mama's experience. Always follow your healthcare provider's guidance for your baby's care. by @macayla_mae_

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a month ago

There’s something sacred about water. 🌙

For centuries, bathing has been used as more than simply cleansing the body — it has been ritual. A place to soften, release, restore & return to yourself.

Lately, I’ve been creating my baths intuitively, depending on what my body and energy are asking for that evening.

✨ Epsom salts for a warm soak after a day held in my body — especially when my muscles are craving rest.

🧂 Himalayan salt to turn an ordinary bath into a grounding ritual, reminding me to come back into my body and into the present moment.

🌿 Essential oils chosen according to what I need energetically — sometimes grounding, sometimes calming, sometimes something that simply makes me feel held.

And then… water.

The element I imagine carrying everything away.

The tension.
The heaviness.
The conversations I’m still holding onto.
The energy that doesn’t belong to me.
The version of today that I don’t need to take into tomorrow.

I soak with intention, breathe deeply and let the ritual mark the end of the day.

Not every form of healing has to be complicated.

Sometimes it’s warm water, minerals, plants, intention & allowing yourself to be still long enough to hear what your body has been trying to tell you. 🌿🛁🌙

Mother Mae — rituals for returning to yourself.

#MotherMae #BathRitual #SacredRitual #EnergeticCleansing #holistic by @macayla_mae_

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a month ago