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! In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek Mamas Facing Forward purchased a copy of this book to review, and then gave it away in a raffle on Instagram. All opinions in this review belong to Mariah Z. Leach. Learning to understand, identify, and process different types of feelings is an important skill for any…
Author: Mariah Z Leach
Mariah Z Leach
Mariah is a writer, patient advocate, and mom of three living with rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. After learning firsthand how challenging and lonely it can be to face pregnancy and parenthood with chronic illness, Mariah became passionate about supporting people with chronic illness who are or want to become parents. She launched her private Facebook support group, Mamas Facing Forward, in 2015. Today the group connects parents and parents-to-be with chronic illness from all over the world. In 2018, she added this website, dedicated to collecting and creating resources that focus on pregnancy and parenting with chronic illness.
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,…
This review is based on my personal experience – this product was given to me by a friend when my second son was born. I was not compensated and all opinions in this review are my own. When my second son was born, my oldest had just turned two – and a friend of mine sent me the tag*a*long. The tag*a*long is a colorful plastic handle that you can attach to a stroller, so that a kiddo who is old enough to walk can “tag along” by hanging on to the handle. Mine was neon yellow. I have to admit…
Being a parent is never an easy job – and it gets even more complicated when one parent (or both) lives with a chronic illness like arthritis. This article from the Arthritis Foundation offers five strategies for parenting while living with arthritis. Five Strategies for Parenting with Arthritis
No matter what age your kids are, if you are a parent living with a chronic illness like arthritis you will have to figure out how to navigate the task of talking to your kids about your health. This article from the Arthritis Foundation features six tips for starting and continuing the conversation between you and your kids about your arthritis and overall health. 6 Tips to Help You Talk to Your Kids About Your Arthritis
Taking care of a newborn baby is a lot of work – and a significant portion of the job is ensuring your infant gets all the nutrients they need to grow. This article from the Arthritis Foundation offers tips for infant feeding, whether you are considering breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or a combination. Feeding an Infant While Living with Arthritis
Parents who are living with chronic illnesses like arthritis may experience guilt over their health limitations, and how they cope with their guilt can convey a lot to their kids and affect their own health. This article from the Arthritis Foundation offers tips for dealing with parenting guilt when you are living with arthritis. Dealing with Parenting Guilt When you Have Arthritis
Mamas Facing Forward Stay Home Summer Camp was a project I 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. Trust me, whether you do it for a full week or just for a day, there’s something magical about doing a bunch of activities that all share the same theme. In fact, even though my kids will be traveling and attending regular summer camp this year, they’ve also requested some Stay Home Camp – so stay…
Mamas Facing Forward Stay Home Summer Camp was a project I 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. Trust me, whether you do it for a full week or just for a day, there’s something magical about doing a bunch of activities that all share the same theme. In fact, even though my kids will be traveling and attending regular summer camp this year, they’ve also requested some Stay Home Camp – so stay…
Last week, I was delighted to be invited back to once again co-host the AiArthritis Voices 360 podcast with Cheryl Crow of Arthritis Life and Danielle Dass, a regular co-host on the show. This podcast is produced by the International Foundation for Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Arthritis (IFAA) with the goal of inviting all stakeholders to take a seat “at the table” to discuss the most pressing issues being faced in the arthritis community. One important issues for many individuals living with autoimmune arthritis is motherhood. And there are so many issues to discuss that fall under that umbrella! The path…