Gwen Stefani [1] covers the December issue of InStyle [2], and in her interview with the magazine, she opened up about balancing her family life with her career. Gwen filed for divorce from Gavin Rossdale [3] in early August after 13 years of marriage, and they have three kids together, Kingston, 9; Zuma, 7; and Apollo; 20 months. Since their split, she's opened up about the divorce [4], and this week, it was confirmed that she and Blake Shelton are dating [5].

Of motherhood, Gwen told InStyle, "In the beginning, I didn't want to think of myself as a mother. I was like, 'Wait a minute! Ain't no hollaback girl is who I am!' I had to learn to accept it." She added, "Being a mother and having a career — those are just different roles you play. You're still the same person you were before, but now you're more because you're a mother, too, with a lot to do."

Gwen also talked about her experience recording the 2012 No Doubt album, Push and Shove. "I didn't tour at all. But I did record the No Doubt album, which was super hard. I was torn the whole time," she said. "Every day I would take the kids to school, drive to Santa Monica, work on the album, and then I'd think, 'Oh my god, if I don't leave by 2:30, I'm not gonna get home in time for dinner.' And Gavin being on tour . . ." Acknowledging both the good and the bad, Gwen added, "I'm not gonna say there weren't some incredible moments making that album. But it was a lot of knocking my head against the wall. A lot of struggle."

The singer said that she's "in a really positive place now." She called out her time on The Voice and fellow judge Pharrell Williams, saying, "He helped me with a lot of stuff. I was in a closed-off period before that — I couldn't write, and I didn't feel confident. There were hard times before the baby, personally, that were just not good. And then having Apollo, and being on the show, and being refreshed: It was just like, 'Whoa!'"

See more of Gwen Stefani's interview in the December issue of InStyle [6], which hits newsstands on Nov. 13.