Model mum

While her two children, River and Sway, and pro-surfer husband Nathan Webster, keep her on her toes, Helena says they are just like her – she finds it “really hard to sit still”. “I’m always wanting to do something creative or productive.”

And this is unbelievably evident when North Shore Living asks her to list some of her hobbies.

“I surf, I do yoga, I practice mindfulness, I do cold water swimming, sew clothes for my kids and paint. However, my main hobby now is changing nappies and being a personal chef and human carrier for my children!” she laughs.

As we speak with the model, it seems she couldn’t be happier in life – admitting that becoming a mum has “completely changed her life for the better”.

“Motherhood has made me a better person. I’ve learned to be calmer, less selfish, much more patient, and I just love my kids so much. They make my life more meaningful, even though it can be bloody hard at times, it’s always worth it and I wouldn’t want it any other way,” she reflects.

The modelling industry is, Helena puts it, “a tricky one” – with constant concerns of unhealthy model images, lack of confidence and a push to stay thin always at the fore.

After traveling all over the world for work as is so in demand, she confides that sometimes she even “struggles with body image”. Yet with the downside, one specific modelling job turned her world upside down in the most wonderful way possible.  

“My most memorable job was the swimwear campaign where I met my husband! I was living in Los Angeles at the time and flew to Hawaii for the job and the guy that was running the photo shoot is now my husband and the father of my kids! I ended up moving to Australia for him and have never looked back.”

Helena believes the modelling industry is moving in the right direction.

“It isn’t what it used to be. Seeing we now have social media influencers, it has totally changed the game,” the model explains.

“But it has also made ‘models’ of all different shapes, sizes and looks, and I think that is a really good thing so that young girls aren’t just looking up to these super thin and ‘perfect’-looking women.”

“I would love all women to feel comfortable and confident in their own skin, but I know how hard it is at times, and it’s so much easier said than done,” she muses.

“All we can do is try to love ourselves by eating healthy, exercising and looking after ourselves. Our bodies are truly incredible things, so hopefully we can all try to respect the hell out of ourselves!”  

So, what’s next for the ever-active mum and her family?

“We always have upcoming plans – but they are totally last minute. As a family, we tend to travel a lot, but we usually only decide a couple of days before we go. I think our next big thing will be building a holiday house somewhere in the world…” she shrugs with a smile.