Society, our medical system and Dr. Google have a lot of things to say about health management if you have Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and plan on becoming a parent. The expectations can feel nearly impossible to achieve. There never seems to be enough hours in the day to achieve optimal health while doing everything “right” for your family. There are moments you feel like you are on top of the world and then seconds later everything is toppling down….this is sometime often said by individuals and parents with MS.
Not all the recommendations out there will work for you, and the same applies for parenting. Everyone’s journey is different so try not to compare yourself to what you see on social media or what somebody’s friend or relative experienced. The best thing you can do for yourself and loved ones is learn what works best for you and know when to adapt. This takes a lot of reflection, patience and openness along with integrating recommendations that are of benefit to you. This will change depending on many factors and where you are on your journey.
You are more than capable to be an amazing parent, partner, etc. while optimizing your wellbeing. Look for strategies that work for you and don’t be afraid to experiment a bit. Any new wellness or health habit on average takes three months to see results, so try to stay as consistent as possible. There will be moments when that’s not realistic and that’s ok, try again tomorrow or at another time. If you see that things are not working out or not fitting into your life, then change it (with appropriate medical supervision as needed).
Lastly, it’s the little things that add up to the bigger changes, try not to overload yourself to do everything. Remember, you can do this and you don’t need to prove anything to the world.
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