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…
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 motherhood with chronic illness, Mariah became passionate about supporting women with chronic illness who are or want to become mothers. She launched Mamas Facing Forward in 2015 as a private Facebook support group, followed by this website in 2018.
Because there are only a few books available that specifically feature a parent who lives with a chronic illness, we’re branching out to books that focus on other types of illness, books that focus on children with illness, and books that talk about feelings. Hopefully these reviews will help you determine whether any of these books might be helpful for your family as you continue your discussions about having a parent with a chronic illness. In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek Learning to understand, identify, and process different types of feelings is an important skill for…
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…