What it's like to be a mom with Crohn's

What’s it like being a mama with Crohn's?

Exhaustion and fatigue

It’s feeling like a walking zombie day in and day out as you deal with interrupted sleep and chronic illness fatigue.

It’s chugging coffee to combat the exhaustion, only to stir up more Crohn’s symptoms.

Stomach pains and time spent in the bathroom

It’s sitting on the toilet, rocking back and forth in pain, wondering how you’re going to care for littles, when you’re struggling to care for yourself.

It’s nursing your child, but needing to put them down mid-feed because the stomach pains force you to go.

It’s changing multiple #2 diapers in a row and worrying about whether your little ones will ever be diagnosed with IBD.

Feeling guilty for IBD

It’s talking to your child, consoling them and apologizing for your disease, even though they’re only a couple months old and don’t understand the words coming out of your mouth.

It’s looking at your child as you give yourself a biologic injection and praying the medication will prevent hospitalizations for as long as possible.

It’s staring at your csection scar in the mirror and knowing that originally that scar was created to remove 18 inches of your intestine and appendix.

It’s flipping the mindset of your body that has been at odds with itself for nearly 14 years, but that’s brought two perfect babies into this world.

Providing for the baby and recognizing strength

It’s being the sole source of nourishment and food for your baby, after years of wondering if you’d ever be able to breastfeed due to your health and medications.

It’s recognizing what a badass warrior you are for taking on motherhood with the odds stacked up against you.

It’s discovering gratitude each and every day for your body enabling you to create a life and care for it from that point forward.

It’s a constant reminder, distraction, and motivation to be strong and focus on the beauty and joy that fills your days all because you’re a mom.

Being a mom with Crohn's is hard, but it is something I will never take for granted

It’s a title that supersedes being a patient, and rather forces you to be patient with yourself and your family.

It’s a dream that wasn’t robbed from me, just because I have a disease.

It’s something that I will never take for granted.

Being an IBD mom is not easy. It’s not typical. It can be overwhelming and scary, but it can also be so much more. It is empowering. It is rejuvenating. It is the greatest gift. It’s beauty, actualized.

Someday, my children will understand why I’m a little different than the average mom. But for now, I’ll soak in their empathetic stares, snuggles, and smiles and constantly try and be everything they need to thrive.