Strong mom...I bet you are!

You are STRONG!!

**This can be triggering if you are struggling to get pregnant or have experienced issues related to having kids. This is a personal experience written by me, Rachel, the founder of Pride Socks.

You see my body has curves and with that, hips.And it seemed like the perfect resting place for Moxie since I didn’t really show until I was 7.5 months pregnant.Even then you wondered if I was or dared to ask.

I’ve been going to the same gym for 10+ years so everyone knew I was pregnant.I got so much attention about how strong I was for working out and how good I looked.I was told a lot, “wow you really are strong and doing amazing, for being pregnant.”I was so grateful for the feedback because I did feel strong but then I started to wonder.How long would these ‘you’re so strong’ comments last?

After being in labor for 8 hours, I decided to get an epidural.They gave me too much anesthesia and my blood pressure tanked. Normally this would have made your lower half immobile but I was able to move my legs and do everything they asked physically.I heard it again, you are soo strong, I can’t believe you can do all this, under these circumstances.

After I was cleared at the 6 weeks mark, I started working out again.I slowly ran a mile.Wow, you are so strong.I worked myself back up to some harder workouts and ran more. Wow you are so strong.

When Moxie was around 6 months old, I started to wonder when this glory of being strong and the attention I was getting from “just having a baby” would last.When does the magic and attention stop?When do I become a regular person/mom and I am no longer that strong mom for being pregnant or just having a baby?I do not know exactly at what age Moxie was but it happened.I am no longer being told I am strong.

I know I am strong.I was strong before I got pregnant.The difference is, I am no longer being told I am strong because Moxie is older now and that newness of being a mom has worn off, I guess.Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for the motivation I felt after being told I was strong.I know I am blessed for this.Becoming a mom changes everything about you, everything.Adjusting to becoming a fresh strong mom to now the average mom, is challenging on some days because it does take A LOT OF STRENGTH.Not just when I am working out but every minute of every day.

In the last 2 years, four different strangers made me feel strong again after that newness wore off.All four of these times I was on a run pushing Moxie in the stroller.

1- A woman running down the hill I was running up said, “great job running the hill.You're a strong mom”

2- A man yelled out as he passed me on his bike as we both were pushing up a hill “Wow!You are killing it on this run”

3- Running past a woman who was on a jog and looking at Moxie, “tell your mom how strong she is and how you must be proud of her”

4- Lastly, while I was at a red light, a woman yelled from her van “DANG!I’ve been watching you run for a block thinking, she is so strong pushing that baby.She must be so happy to rest at the red light but you don’t rest.Look at you doing squats while I am in my van sitting here being lazy.You are my inspiration.”

I’ve been thinking a lot about this notion of being strong during pregnancy, shortly after and no longer seemingly having that strength even though I do.Not gonna lie, it’s a mind fu*k. I cling to those 4 individuals who took seconds of their time to compliment me.Not because I rely on external voices telling me what I am based on what they see, but because it made a difference.Those strangers fed my soul without knowing it.

For every mom out there, you are strong!! Whether your kid(s) is 6 months, 4 or 54 years old, YOU ARE STRONG.Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

We need each other like I needed those strangers on my run.

Cheers and love,

Rachel