Motherhood is often described as a beautiful, transformative and deeply rewarding journey, yet it can also be exhausting, isolating and overwhelming.
Trinidadian-born nurse educator and wellness advocate Sherene Yarde understands this duality intimately. As a mother of four, she has experienced the highs and lows firsthand, and now she’s on a mission to ensure mothers in Saint Lucia and beyond receive the support they deserve at every stage of their journey.
Having called Saint Lucia home for the past nine years, Yarde has dedicated herself to empowering others through her wellness brand, Destyne, which she founded in 2009.
Now, through Destyne Moms, she is creating a community for mothers – one rooted in empathy, education and holistic wellness.
“I work with a lot of moms when it comes to fitness and weight loss,” she explains. “A lot of people are trying to lose their ‘mommy pouch’, but when I do body analysis assessments, I realise that many of the struggles go deeper. A lot of times they have identity issues in terms of how they look after giving birth and how they feel. Moms often don’t feel confident in their bodies, and they’re stressed because they have no time for themselves, not even to eat healthy.”
This recognition was one of the reasons she began hosting wellness events in 2020. Her latest event, a Mother’s Retreat set to take place on May 25, aims to take women through every stage of motherhood, from the dream of becoming a mother to navigating life after years of parenting.
“There are women coming who haven’t birthed a baby yet but would love to be mothers someday,” she says. “We’re preparing them, helping them envision what they’ll need. For pregnant women, we’ll offer birth preparation tips. For lactating moms, there’s a session on breastfeeding, something a lot of people assume is natural, but that many women actually struggle with.”
Yarde speaks from personal experience. “I had trouble breastfeeding and had to see a lactation specialist. That specialist will now be one of our speakers at the retreat. We want to be open about these things. A lot of women feel alone, but they’re not. There’s a community that can help.”
The retreat also offers space for seasoned moms, focusing on what Yarde calls “reclaiming me” – supporting women in rediscovering their identities beyond motherhood. “Motherhood can take a toll on you. Many women burn out. This retreat gives them permission to refocus on themselves.”
Still, she admits the level of support for mothers in Saint Lucia leaves much to be desired. “We’re lacking. If the resources are there, they’re not publicised. Moms don’t know they can access a doula or birth support, and we don’t have enough structured systems in place for mothers during that critical postpartum period. It can take two years before a woman truly feels herself again after birth. Support during that time is vital.”
This is why she’s urging women at every point on the motherhood spectrum to take part in the retreat – from future mothers and pregnant women to breastfeeding moms and veterans of the parenting game.
“I want people to know it’s not just you,” she says. “There’s help and there’s community.”
