How Irish Model Kerrie McMahon Balances Modeling And Motherhood

You might not be used to hearing “modeling” and “motherhood” in the same sentence, but that has been precisely the journey of top Irish model and blogger Kerrie McMahon, who is now working as a fashion model in America and presenting other mothers in the industry with an inspiring example of how to juggle two demanding lifestyles – that of a world-traveling model and that of a devoted mother. Filled with gratitude for her career in the U.S. and for the opportunity to raise her daughter in Los Angeles, Kerrie has reshaped her professional life to bridge her two worlds.

Kerrie’s Inspiration

One of Ireland’s top models, Kerrie has appeared for over ten years in fashion and beauty advertisement campaigns, on runways and on magazine covers around the world. In a recent exclusive interview, she shared some of her influences, her challenges, and what especially excites her about the path she has chosen.

Kerrie’s inspiration as a model comes from her background in dance. “I originally trained in classical ballet and transitioned to modeling from dance,” she says. “They are closely related in some ways, as both require a certain level of discipline and grace, along with an appreciation of the arts.”

The Challenge Of Life On The Road

The blend of discipline and grace that Kerrie learned from dance has served her well in her modeling career, and life on the road requires a high degree of both. Even before motherhood, modeling presented strenuous challenges – especially for a model with a tight-knit relationship to her family. “As a model you spend a surprising amount of time on your own,” Kerrie explains. “You’re traveling alone, constantly working in new environments with strangers touching and pulling at you, which can be overwhelming and surprisingly lonely.”

“During my earlier years of modeling I would get extremely homesick, even though it was so exciting experiencing new places. It was an odd contradiction and I’d feel guilty for not making the most of the incredible adventures,” Kerrie shares.

Hopping “across the pond” from Ireland to America certainly magnified both the homesickness and the sense of adventure. For her first American Thanksgiving, Kerrie “still barely knew anyone and was sad to have no plans. I decided to volunteer at the Santa Monica homeless shelter to feel part of it and ended up having so much fun serving the food and laughing with all the people there. It taught me what the holiday was really about: being grateful and giving back to others.”

Now, Thanksgiving has acquired a personal significance for Kerrie: the American holiday was her daughter’s due date, making the annual banquet her favorite time of the year, a feast that marks one of her most cherished memories and epitomizes the values she hopes to teach her child.

Strategies For Thriving

Kerrie is no stranger to homesickness. She had to forge deep connections with others on the road, become more practiced at spending time alone, and find ways to connect with family across the distance. She made friends with the stylists and make-up artists, and with her photographers. “It’s a good distraction to be curious about other people,” Kerrie states. “I had to find ways of being comfortable alone.”

Kerrie hopes her example might help younger models who are getting started. “Some things that really helped were scheduling a phone call to my family, finding a local coffee shop to sit and people watch over a coffee, having an indulgent wind down routine like a bath, ordering food, reading a lot, and journaling my thoughts. A half-hour yoga practice I can do anywhere has also really benefited me when I need to feel better in my mind and body after a difficult day.”

Mother And Daughter

Kerrie’s dreams have always included motherhood, and she now has a daughter named Isabel. One of the ways Kerrie has merged her modeling career and her commitment to motherhood is by transitioning to a focus on the mother and daughter photoshoot. “The photos with Isabel as a baby will always be the most treasured to me,” Kerrie says. Besides the “Mommy and Me” shoots, Kerrie is building more contracts with American beauty brands and becoming an active blogger, sharing her experiences about what she calls “the juggle of modern motherhood.” She hopes that her work in the years ahead – both as a model and as a blogger – can inspire other working mothers.

You can learn more about Kerrie McMahon on her Instagram: @kerriemxoxo.

BDG Media newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.