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Moms do it all. They feed, clothe and take care of everyone in the household, managing sports schedules, doctors’ appointments, social calendars, and more. But there’s one thing that often slips through the cracks: the mom herself.
“You’re always focused on your child because that’s your primary goal in life: to make sure they’re fine,” says Dr. Natasha Adams-Denny, an OB/GYN with Atrium Health Women’s Care Creek Pointe OB/GYN. “Of course, we always make sure our kids go to the pediatrician, but when it comes to taking care of themselves, they may feel guilty for taking that time.”
Dr. Adams-Denny said many moms tell her they haven’t had an annual exam or pap smear since their child was born.
“It’s so easy to forget that you have to take care of yourself,” she says. “But it’s so important. Pap smears are now done every three to five years, and not every disease or issue hurts. Lots of problems are preventable, and preventative help is the key.”
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Here are some of Dr. Adams-Denny’s suggestions for prioritizing your health as a mom:
• Make time for yourself.
“While your child is sleeping, take five minutes to walk around or read a book quietly in another room,” she says. “Spend that quiet time with yourself and make sure you’re checking in with yourself.”
• Make an appointment for your annual physical, including blood work.
“You need a blood check every year,” Dr. Adams-Denny says. “Particularly if you have a family history of an issue, like diabetes for example. And you need someone to actually look at you once a year to make sure you’re OK.”
If something comes up that needs to be taken care of, it’s easier to catch when you have a baseline for doctors to refer back to. And if it’s a good report, that’s an instant serotonin boost for you.
“It’s such a good feeling to go to the doctor and have them say ‘Everything looks good,’” Dr. Adams-Denny says. “It’s like going to the dentist and getting told you have no cavities.”
• Take a mental health day.
“Stop feeling guilty about going to get coffee with your friends or whatever you do for your mental health,” she says. “That’s another way you’re taking care of yourself.”
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• Check in with friends.
Speaking of friends, you can be a good one by checking in on your mom-pals.
“If your friend talks about being tired all the time, ask if they’ve been to the doctor,” Dr. Adams-Denny suggests. “Moms are often afraid to ask for help because they feel they’ll be judged for not doing what they’re supposed to do. So you may have to be the one to ask your friends those questions, and it might be hard.”
• Know that this too shall pass.
“When you’re in the thick of it taking care of kids, it seems like you can’t imagine doing anything else,” Dr. Adams-Denny says. “But the fact is that the kids will grow up and leave, and you want to be able to have a healthy, enjoyable next chapter of life.”
Have more questions about taking care of yourself? Make an appointment with your doctor. Need help finding one? Visit Atrium Health’s provider directory.
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Dr. Adams-Denny is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN). She specializes in laparoscopic hysterectomies and hormonal management of menopause symptoms. Dr. Adams-Denny is married to a transplant surgeon, Roger Denny, and they have 2 children. They love traveling the world as a family and exploring different cultures. She also enjoys listening to medical novels and biographies. She is the site-based medical director at Atrium Health Creek Pointe OB/GYN.
