Photo courtesy of Amanda Babicke, Lobo Photo NM
At Needed, we believe that motherhood doesn’t flatten your identity — it expands it. Thriving isn’t about “bouncing back,” but growing forward with strength, nuance, and an ever-evolving sense of self.
For international human rights lawyer and ultramarathoner Stephanie Case, thriving recently looked like running and then winning, a grueling 100-kilometer race through the Welsh mountains just six months postpartum, while still breastfeeding her daughter, Pepper.
Stephanie didn’t set out to win the Ultra-Trail Snowdonia. Her goal was simply to finish, and to feed her baby along the way. This was something she arranged special permission from race organizers to do. In the end she breastfed Pepper three times throughout the course of the race, and still crossed the finish line first among the women.
“The win wasn’t even on my radar,” she told CNN. “But what it tells me is that we really aren’t telling enough stories about new moms living full and multidimensional lives.”
That race, and the viral photo of her nursing mid-run sparked both celebration and criticism. But Case’s message is clear: there is no one way to navigate new motherhood. For her, running reminds her of who she’s always been. For others, thriving may look like a 5K, a book club, or simply a quiet moment alone. All of this is part of the endurance of motherhood.
In her own words, here’s how Stephanie Case is navigating early motherhood, healing from loss, reconnecting with running, and redefining what strength looks like for herself:
Needed: Tell us about yourself.
Stephanie: I am a human rights lawyer, founder of the non-profit organization Free to Run, an ultrarunner and most importantly, Pepper’s mom! As a new mom, I’m still figuring out how to describe myself to others. I used to lead with my career or my running, but now I have this amazing daughter who has become the centre of my world. I’m sorting out these questions around identity.
Needed: What’s one thing you wish people understood about your world, whether it’s your work, your parenting, or both?
Stephanie: I am incredibly passionate about my human rights work and my running, and I haven’t figured out yet how to make that all fit in with being a mom. It might look like I have pieced this all together, but there are quite a few questions bopping around my head about what the path might look like long-term. Priorities really shift when you have a baby, and that’s not a bad thing. I know I will find a way to keep pursuing my passions and dreams as a mom, but it might just look a little different than it has in the past. I’m excited to see where life takes me – where it takes us!
Needed: First things first, how are you, really?
Stephanie: Honestly, I feel like I’m in the honeymoon period of motherhood. Perhaps it is as a result of having to struggle so much to get to this point – through miscarriages and IVF – but I just feel incredibly grateful to finally have my baby here! Even at the start when she was waking me up six or seven times in the night, every time I opened my eyes I was reminded that I was a mom, and that cured any exhaustion that I should have had. I think I’m really lucky with Pepper – she’s a very happy baby.
Needed: What does thriving look like for you these days?
Stephanie: Thriving used to mean pushing limits and chasing extremes. Now it looks more complex – being able to show up for my daughter with laughter and lightness, while still carving out space to challenge myself in the mountains. If at the end of the day Pepper is fast asleep and I’ve got a workout logged in my training plan, whether it is a 5km run or a 50km adventure, I know that I’ve won.
Needed: What’s something that’s surprised you about your own endurance, physical, emotional, or otherwise — since becoming a mother?
Stephanie: No one really talks enough about how hard breastfeeding is – and how hard it can actually be to stop! I had a really tough time at the start breastfeeding Pepper. The doctors were worried about Pepper’s weight, and we were admitted back into the hospital overnight for monitoring just a few weeks after she was born. At one point, I was on a schedule that involved pumping ten times a day on top of breastfeeding to try to get my milk production up. It was intense! I couldn’t imagine making it to six months, which I knew was recommended.
Slowly but surely, we got the hang of it, and six months flew by. As Pepper started to take in solid food, I started to wean her off breastfeeding, and it surprised me how that affected me. I found it emotionally difficult to cut down on breastfeeding – those moments of bonding with Pepper were really special.
Needed: Have you ever felt totally depleted?
Stephanie: Absolutely. I was really at the end of my rope during the process of going through IVF. It is so emotionally, physically and financially taxing. You put your entire heart and soul (and bank account) into a process that comes with no guarantees. After suffering multiple miscarriages and implantation failures, it was hard to keep a positive mindset. When I finally got pregnant again after the third IVF round, I knew I needed to make a mental shift. Rather than think about all of the things that could potentially go wrong, I thought to myself, “what if it all goes right?” That has become a bit of a mantra for me. What if life ends up being way more amazing than we dreamed it could be? So far, that is ringing true!
Needed: Do you have a morning ritual or routine that helps you feel like yourself?
Stephanie: My morning showers are sacred. Even if they are just a few minutes long, I really try to pause and concentrate on feeling the hot water on my face. Just over ten years ago, I was living as a humanitarian worker in a tent in South Sudan, and my showers consisted of just a few buckets of warm water poured over my head. I think about those days every time I turn on the tap and hot water comes out. It feels slightly miraculous. It is a good reminder at the start of each day to be grateful for the little things (that really might be big things!).
Needed: What’s your go-to movement or workout and what does it give you?
Stephanie: While I adore running in the mountains, being a busy working mom, it is often difficult to find time to escape to the trails. To make sure that I get my workouts in, I often rely on treadmill workouts – with the baby monitor by my side – or even body strengthening exercises with Pepper in the baby carrier! The added bonus of doing exercises with Pepper is that as she gets heavier, I get stronger at the same time. She likes the stair climbing. She is a better workout tool than a kettlebell!
Needed: What’s on your plate? Literally?
Stephanie: I try to rely on fresh, local produce for my meals. I live in a small French village and local farmers come to town every Friday to sell whatever is in season. There is a bread man as well, who is so popular that you have to reserve your loaves of bread in advance! On days when neither my partner nor I have the energy to cook, we often pick up a loaf of fresh bread, local cheese, and vegetables to snack on. It is quick, easy, and fills us up in no time. We love knowing where our food has come from!
When I want to make a healthy dessert, I will mix frozen berries, Greek yogurt, nuts and drizzle a bit of maple syrup on top (I am Canadian after all, so maple syrup is a staple in my kitchen!). It is a really satisfying and tasty way to get a hit of protein and sweetness at the end of the day.
Needed: Favorite product or supplement that makes a difference in your day?
Stephanie: I love the Needed hydration support packets. I’m really bad at staying hydrated and when left to my own devices, I would happily live off diet soda and caffeinated beverages, which is not a healthy way to live! Simply drinking water doesn’t work for me. I need a little something extra to entice me. I love the taste of the Needed hydration support packets. The grapefruit flavour is my favourite! I pair them with ice and sparkling water, and they really help to keep the headaches away.
Needed: Any rituals or hacks for sleep, yours or your child's?
Stephanie: I am a notoriously terrible sleeper, particularly as a result of working for so many years in areas of conflict where I’ve had to be on high alert around the clock. I’ve had to learn how to sleep properly now that I’m transitioning to life in a “normal” setting. Being a mom has actually helped me do that as finding a routine for Pepper has brought structure to my own evenings!
For Pepper, we start the bedtime routine around 7pm with a meal, a bath and a bottle, and then we read her a nighttime story before playing with her in the crib. She is learning to fall asleep much more easily now, but on the difficult nights, I need to bounce her to sleep in my arms. Sticking to the same schedule every night really helps. With Pepper, it is all about predictability. She knows that when she has a bath, sleep is coming! I’m trying to bring back nighttime reading into my own sleep routine as well. It is so much healthier than screen time, and helps to quiet my brain.
Needed: What’s one mantra or mindset shift that’s helped you get through the hard days?
The thing you come back to when it all feels like too much.
Stephanie: I am definitely prone to biting off more than I can chew sometimes, and that can be overwhelming. In those moments, I remind myself that showing up fully, even imperfectly, is enough. That’s probably a good lesson for motherhood too!
Needed: What’s one misconception about thriving in motherhood you wish we’d all let go of?
Stephanie: I think we tend to assume that thriving in motherhood means having it all together. It doesn’t. Thriving can look messy. It can look like chaos. It can involve asking for help – and lots of it! Thriving in motherhood isn’t about perfection. It is about resilience, flexibility, and humility when nothing is going the way you thought it would. We need to stop equating thriving with looking effortless.
Needed: How do you reset when things feel off?
Stephanie: I get outside – always. Movement in nature always gives me perspective. It doesn’t have to be an epic run on mountain tops. Even just a short hike along my local river path helps my brain breathe and process whatever issue I’m trying to work through. I always come back from time outdoors with clarity and a sense of calm.
Needed: What are you most proud of in this season of life?
Stephanie: You would think that I would be most proud of one of my race performances – winning a 100km race in Wales at six months postpartum or coming in 5th in a hundred mile race in Colorado at eight months. However, it is actually the weeks and months of training that led up to those races that I am most proud of. Participating in races is relatively easy. You have lots of people cheering you on, supporting you every step of the way, and motivation is high to get to the finish line. All you have to do is show up for that one event and give it your all. By contrast, the hours spent training are often lonely, exhausting, and tedious. You need to show up time after time, whether you are in the mood or not, and put in the hours, through the rain, snow, and heat. The fact that I was able to train six days a week postpartum, including since I’ve gone back to work, is a much bigger achievement to me than any race finish.
Needed: What’s bringing you joy right now?
Stephanie: Seeing Pepper’s two bottom teeth make me deliriously happy. The way her face crinkles into a smile, with her toothless gums on the top and her little baby teeth sticking out on the bottom, just kills me. It reminds me of how fleeting these precious moments are, and how quickly she is growing up. I want to see more teeth come in, but I also just want to freeze her in time as she is now! It is true what they say: the days are long but the years are short. I’m still trying to figure out how to shorten the days and lengthen the weeks, months and years.
Needed: Finish the sentence: I feel most like myself when…
Stephanie: …I’m covered in dirt and sweat, legs are burning with lactic acid, and I’m returning home to Pepper after a long run. There is nothing better than pursuing my passion as an ultrarunner while showing Pepper what is possible.
