The Balancing Act of Motherhood
October 10, 2019
This post was sponsored by Avion Pharmaceuticals and should not be construed to constitute medical advice. Miesha Tate’s personal story and opinions are her own. She is not a medical professional and is not qualified to give medical advice. Please talk with your doctor about your individual medical situation.
As a first-time mom I had to adjust my lifestyle in a big way. Our daughter Amia was born a year ago this July. We are really lucky that she isn’t very fussy and adjusted to sleeping through the night pretty quickly. But even with her low-key temperament, motherhood was a big adjustment for me. Just when you feel like you’ve got it all down, life throws you a curveball. My hope is that by sharing my experience it may encourage or inspire other women during their own pregnancy journeys.
Finding Balance in Body, Mind and Spirit
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I struggled with an underactive thyroid during my first trimester. So finding balance took on a different meaning when my journey into pregnancy and motherhood was just starting out. I was completely exhausted, and it was hard to keep a routine at all. I was sleeping all the time and still felt tired. After a while, I started to realize that something wasn’t right. I encourage any expecting mom experiencing symptoms that are limiting your daily activities to talk to your doctor. Don’t just brush them off as pregnancy symptoms that you have to deal with. Once I was able to get my thyroid regulated, then my body and energy felt restored and I was able to focus on my whole self and healthy habits for pregnancy.
As a professional athlete, exercise has long been a part of my life. But during my pregnancy and postpartum I made my workouts my “me time.” I cut back on the intensity of my workout and just made sure I was getting some form of exercise four to five times a week. Carving out this time for myself gives me a chance to reset mentally. During my pregnancy I actually listened to pregnancy podcasts as I worked out. So my workouts doubled as mini-education sessions too. I was able to wrap up my workouts with a sense of accomplishment for me and my baby.
I also try to find time for crafting. It puts my mind at ease. I mostly work on different projects for things around the house. I recently completed button art on canvas for Amia’s nursery. For me, crafting is about the process. I love starting with an idea and seeing it through to the final product. Especially in the final months of pregnancy and first few months after delivery. I found myself at home a lot more during this time, awaiting Amia’s arrival or tending to her those first few weeks.
Maybe your thing isn’t crafting, but I encourage all moms (and women) to find their thing. Pregnancy and motherhood can become all-consuming. Yes, it’s a big deal and requires big lifestyle adjustments. The responsibility of caring for a new life and the logistics of breastfeeding can be overwhelming. It’s easy to see how your baby can start to become your identity. But I believe that it’s important to maintain your own sense of self. Find something that gives you a sense of pride, puts your mind at ease, helps you reset and brings balance to your life.
A Word About Nutrition
If you take away anything from this post, I hope it’s this: Take care of yourself so that you can give your best to the world and your baby, rather than what’s left of you. With that in mind, I feel it’s important to note that mom’s nutrition is just as important as baby’s during pregnancy and postpartum. Healthy eating habits can impact your mood, energy and overall well-being. As a professional athlete, diet and nutrition are a big part of my life. But when I was planning for pregnancy and throughout my pregnancy, I learned a lot about nutrients that are critical for my baby. I think it’s important to note that’s it OK to enjoy an indulgence once in awhile so you don’t feel like you are entirely depriving yourself. But smart nutritional choices are such a big part of finding balance in all aspects of your life and your baby’s.
Understandably you are not always able to reach the recommended daily amounts of nutrients with diet alone. A prenatal vitamin taken before and during pregnancy can reduce the risks of birth defects and support a healthy pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes.1-3 Prenatal vitamins are not only important before and during pregnancy, but they may also be beneficial after pregnancy and during breastfeeding. Don’t let your own goals go by the wayside after your baby’s arrival. I believe that taking care of yourself is the first step to giving your baby the best start in life.
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Prenate® Vitamin Family teamed up with Miesha Tate to help bring awareness to the importance of healthy habits before, during and after pregnancy. Miesha, a women’s MMA and UFC champion, is working with Prenate® to offer insight and advice to women on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, being mentally strong, focusing on nutrition and setting achievable life goals during the transition to motherhood.
About Miesha Tate
Miesha Tate is an American mixed martial arts pundit and former mixed martial artist who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is a former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. Miesha is an accomplished athlete but is also laser-focused on the empowerment of women to reach personal goals and develop life skills for healthy living. She is very involved in staying fit through exercise and proper nutrition, especially before, during and after her pregnancy. Miesha welcomed her first child, a baby girl, in July 2018.
About Prenate® Vitamin Family
Prenate® Vitamin Family offers a line of prescription prenatal vitamins that offer nutritional support customized for the particular needs of every stage of pregnancy. Prenate® Vitamin Family incorporates USP pharmaceutical grade ingredients that provide patients the quality and purity important for prenatal nutritional support. With small prenatal vitamins ideal for preconception, to robust prenatal vitamins with advanced nutritional content, Prenate® offers something for everyone. Ask your doctor if a Prenate® prescription prenatal vitamin is right for you.
