“Never believe the lie that motherhood will hinder your dreams or hold you back.
In fact, it’s the opposite; these tiny humans give you something more to fight FOR.
The Olympics showcased that some of the strongest, most talented women in the world were MOTHERS!!!!
And yes, several mamas were expecting while dominating in their area 🤍
Absolutely empowering.” – The Real Deal of Parenting Facebook post
What you just read was a very positive post from The Real Deal of Parenting’s Facebook page on Aug. 16 of this year during the 2024 Olympics.
This should be an exciting and encouraging scroll on your Facebook feed. However, as we all know in the world of social media, haters are going to hate. (I just pulled out my Generation X lingo for you.)
Scrolling through the comments, there were hundreds of “This is only true if you have support.” Or “They have lots of money so they have people taking care of their kids so they can achieve their dreams.” (I am paraphrasing.)
Excuse me. How do you KNOW that is true for each of these women from around the world rocking their dreams with a baby on their hips, spit up on their jerseys and a fresh stash of binks and wipes in their athletic bags?
The Facebook post included pictures of many moms showing their maternal strength in Paris.
Top of the stack was the United States’ very own track and field star Allyson Felix. This woman launched the first ever Olympic Nursery, a place for female athletes to nurse their babies and care for their children during the games.
Felix's efforts made it possible for moms to compete at the Olympics without fear of “What about my kids?”
Felix is a woman who helps other women. Her efforts have lasting impacts by allowing these children to bond with mom when perhaps they may have otherwise been hundreds or thousands of miles from home.
[Click here to subscribe to Pregnancy Help News!]
Also featured was Paige Crozon, the Canadian basketball player who is a single mom. She brought her daughter with her to every practice. No babysitter. No dad. Does that mean she doesn’t have support? Maybe she doesn’t. Does it matter in this case?
Nope.
I hope feminists are applauding.
Crozon, for reasons that we do not know - nor is it any of our business – is both mom AND dad. And oh yeah, she happened to be such a competent basketball player that she made it to the World Olympics. Her daughter is not missing her mom. Her daughter is seeing that mom loves her so much she wants to share this unforgettable moment with her.
And the list of amazing women continues…
Some women wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Kim Ji Ye, South Korea, wears hers in her pocket. She was photographed clutching her daughter’s stuffed animal while pistol shooting. Lucky charm? Maybe. Motivation to show her child you can achieve your dreams? Possibly.
Even more so, I love that there were women at the Olympics who did not let pregnancy stop them.
Tweet This: I love that there were women at the Olympics who did not let pregnancy stop them.
For too many athletes, from teenagers to college students and beyond – a positive pregnancy test is a panic attack. Too many fear “losing” their opportunities and their athletic careers.
Two Olympians proved beautifully that pregnancy does not stop a world-class athlete.
Nada Hafez, Egypt, competed as a fencer at seven months pregnant.
Yalagul Ramazanova, Azerbaijan, showed her skills in archery while sporting a six-and-a-half-month baby bump. My heart leapt as I was overwhelmed with support for these ladies.
Then I looked at more comments.
The doubters and critics repeatedly mentioned how these women were only able to do this because they clearly had plenty of support, a reminder that not every woman is this fortunate.
Of that, I am aware.
I not only write for PHN, but I also work in a pregnancy resource center and see women everyday who are lacking support.
We at the centers become that missing link.
Over the course of six years at the center, I have watched countless non-Olympian women pull themselves up and achieve for themselves and their children. They work the late shift at McDonalds on their feet while nine months pregnant and get up the next morning to come into my office for labor and delivery class. They go to school and face the stares at their protruding bellies and hear their own names in gossip circles. Yet they take their lunch period to come into my office and learn how to recognize postpartum depression and where they can sign up for WIC.
No, it isn’t easy. Those who are encouraged are determined.
They become selfless examples of womanhood.
It would have been so much easier for these unsupported women to say no to pregnancy, to motherhood.
The scenario that leaves me most frustrated as a pregnancy help worker is NOT the girl seeking an abortion who lives in poverty and has no support. My heart is tender toward this scenario. My desire to simply be there for her. I listen. Sometimes that is all she needs, and I know full well I cannot control what she decides.
Can I be honest here?
The most frustrating scenarios are the young women who have plenty of support but feel that a positive pregnancy test will ruin their high school athletic or academic career that is already peaking with success. It is the college student who is convinced she cannot finish college while pregnant but is financially secure and has a family who is there for her no matter what. Sometimes she simply does not want children. She does not want to be pregnant.
And society says she doesn’t have to.
It’s perfectly “normal” to go to a clinic or go online, take two little pills over the course of several hours, and voila. Problem solved.
Too many pregnancies are ended based on convenience, not poverty or lack of support, rape, or incest. Someone does not get a starting chance at life because it interferes with mom’s plans.
The “my body my choice” mantra has poisoned young women into believing the lie that they cannot be successful if they have a child. The poison is so potent that even an otherwise positive post from a parenting network about maternal Olympians has its skeptics.
I loved the following comment on the page which summed it up for me:
Commentor: Carlie Anne Bettin
Very few comments that don’t start with, “but.” Holy cow people, the post is about the moms doing this with kids. The ridiculous “reminders” they had help is diminishing the athletes sacrifices, and just plain annoying. CONGRATULATIONS MOMS!! You are an inspiration to most of us working moms. You are an amazing role model for your babies
And this:
Let’s normalize still being awesome and successful after childbirth!
Let’s be compassionate and spur on women who do not have support - as well as the ones who have plenty. Let’s hold up a torch that lights the way to a pregnancy center where they can provide education, resources and most of all, non-judgmental emotional support.
Tweet This: Let’s normalize still being awesome and successful after childbirth!
