I was very excited to be invited as a guest on an episode of the Arthritis Life Podcast to discuss tips for pregnancy and postpartum while living with rheumatoid arthritis. Host and founder of Arthritis Life, Cheryl Crow, is also a mama living with rheumatoid arthritis – so we had a lot to discuss!! The episode includes discussions about: How to decide whether or not to have children while living with a chronic illnessTips for comfortable sex with chronic painFrequently Asked Questions about pregnancy with rheumatoid arthritis, including how to find out which medications are safeCheryl and Mariah’s experiences with…
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.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, Mamas Facing Forward will be focusing the next two weeks on relationships and intimacy – and how these can be impacted by chronic illness. We’ll share a review of a book about sex and chronic illness, tips for talking to your doctor about your sex life, useful ideas for improving communication with your partner, and some of my own personal experience on managing chronic illness and my relationship. But when we share resources about relationships (or any subject, really!) we know that not every article will speak to every situation. While we always attempt to…
I recently had the opportunity to be interviewed in AUCH.revista (translation: OUCH.magazine), a non-profit magazine for the Spanish community living with chronic illness. While I have always known there was a lack of chronic illness parenting resources, editor and creator of AUCH.revista, María González, has alerted me to the fact that even fewer resources exist for people living with chronic illnesses who don’t speak English. María is doing what she can to fill that gap for Spanish-speaking mamas. I recently had a chance to speak live with María on the AUCH podcast. Though the podcast is ordinarily conducted in Spanish,…
If living with RA has had a negative impact on your sex life, you’re not alone. According to a systematic review, anywhere from 31 to 76 percent of people with RA experience sexual problems. While I’m by no means an expert, here are four things about navigating intimacy and sex with RA I wish I had known sooner.Mariah Leach Intimacy and Sex with RA: Things I Wish I Knew Sooner Healthline
Not long ago I got an email from María González, editor and creator of AUCH.revista (translation: OUCH.magazine), a non-profit magazine for the Spanish community living with chronic illness. She told me that the next issue of her magazine would focus on Parenting & Motherhood, and asked if I would be interested in answering a few interview questions, which would then be translated to Spanish. Of course I agreed! While I’ve known for a long time that there was a lack of chronic illness parenting resources (which is why I started Mamas Facing Forward in the first place!) I honestly hadn’t…
When you think medication or vaccine safety, you think clinical drug trials. Right?!…However, what most people don’t know is that pregnant women are excluded from these studies…Currently, less than 10% of medications approved by the FDA have enough information to determine their risk when used in pregnancy!MotherToBaby So how DO you determine if a medication is safe to use during pregnancy? The answer is pregnancy registries! The article below from the MotherToBaby blog explains the who, what, and why of pregnancy research – and how you can join a registry if you’re interested! DYK: Pregnant women are excluded from clinical…
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…
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…