Author: Mariah Z Leach

Mamas! I’m not sure why it took me so long to write this book review! I read this book quite a while ago (and have since gone back for a re-read!) and I can honestly say that it has made a huge difference in how my husband and I manage the load of caring for our busy household. It’s high time that I share my thoughts with you! We all know that running a household and parenting kids requires endless emotional, mental, and physical effort. Unfortunately, without an explicit negotiation of how the workload should be split, research shows that…

While the impact of living with chronic illness, chronic fatigue, or chronic pain on a person’s sex life may seem pretty obvious, I’ve always been surprised and frustrated by how few stories and resources there are out there to help patients deal with this sensitive topic. It’s the reason that I started writing about my own sex life on the internet years ago – I want people struggling with these issues to know that they are not alone. Of course, that’s not to say that my husband and I have sex and intimacy all figured out. With our own jobs,…

Missed the beginning of this series? Click here for Strategy #1 and Strategy #2! I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at the age of 25, and by far the biggest challenge I have faced since my diagnosis has been in becoming a mom. Today I have three children – ages 9, 7, and 3 – and all three of my pregnancies took place after being diagnosed with RA. Because there wasn’t as much data available ten years ago, my first pregnancy was completely unmedicated, the postpartum flare made infant care extremely difficult, and I was advised to stop breastfeeding…

Missed the beginning of this series? Click here for Strategy #1! I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at the age of 25, and by far the biggest challenge I have faced since my diagnosis has been in becoming a mom. Today I have three children – ages 13, 11, and 8 – and all three of my pregnancies took place after being diagnosed with RA. Because there wasn’t as much data available ten years ago, my first pregnancy was completely unmedicated, the postpartum flare made infant care extremely difficult, and I was advised to stop breastfeeding to restart medication.…

I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at the age of 25, and by far the biggest challenge I have faced since my diagnosis has been in becoming a mom. Today I have three children – ages 13, 11, and 8 – and all three of my pregnancies took place after being diagnosed with RA. Because there wasn’t as much data available ten years ago, my first pregnancy was completely unmedicated, the postpartum flare made infant care extremely difficult, and I was advised to stop breastfeeding to restart medication. Fast forward to my third pregnancy: I was able to stay…

Mamas Facing Forward Stay Home Summer Camp was a project I first developed during the isolated summer of 2020. For each theme I provide a menu of options to choose from, including: virtual learning resources, easy craft & snack ideas, simple activities, books, and movies/TV to watch. Trust me, whether you do it for a full week or just for a day, there’s something magical about doing a few activities that all share the same theme. In fact, my kids kept requesting “Stay Home Camp” even when we went back to regular summer camp and vacations. I’ve also added “field…

Facing Forward Stories shares real stories from parents and parents-to-be living with chronic illness and disability—highlighting both shared experiences and unique journeys. Through these voices, we offer connection, representation, and encouragement, reminding readers they’re not alone and that there’s no single way to keep facing forward. To launch this new series, we’ll hear from Mamas Facing Forward founder, Mariah Z. Leach, a mom of three who has been living with rheumatoid arthritis since the age of 25 and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis since childhood. After personally experiencing the unique challenges of pregnancy and parenting with chronic illness, Mariah launched our Facebook group…

Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way! Long Covid Transformed My Mommy by Sara Robitaille Mariah Leach copy of this book from the author. She was not compensated for this review and all opinions are her own. “Long Covid Transformed My Mommy” by Sara Robitaille fills a growing gap that most people don’t even realize exists: resources to help children understand what it is like…

Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way! Kenzie’s Little Tree by Alison McGauley Mariah Leach received a digital advance reading copy of this book from the author. She was not compensated for this review and all opinions are her own. “Kenzie’s Little Tree” by Alison McGauley is a beautifully illustrated picture book about a little girl whose mom lives with a chronic illness. With whimsical,…

Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way! Mommy Has To Stay In Bed By Annette Rivlin-Gutman Mamas Facing Forward purchased a copy of this book to review. All opinions in this review belong to Mariah Z. Leach. In this sweet, rhyming story, a little girl shares all the things she loves to do with her mom – even though Mommy has to stay in…