This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of 1 Natural Way, a TRICARE breast pump provider. All opinions are entirely my own.
We are nearing the end of our military adventure and I’m over here reminiscing about our crazy military life (that picture above was from nearly 10 years ago!). I mean my kids are all preteens, climbing the walls from boredom and a need to be reigned in and redirected. Doesn’t sound much different than our first deployment with three under the age of 5, but I’m losing sleep for other reasons this time around. Now I’m worried about crushes, homework, friends, and frenemies. Then I was more concerned with playdates, diapers not hormones (well not theirs anyway), how to keep them from coloring on the walls rather than staying off YouTube, but still the need for more sleep.
So how did I navigate motherhood while my soldier was deployed or away at training? Have you read my book, Finding Joy: The Year Apart That Made Me A Better Wife? There’s a whole chapter in there dedicated to my need for help and how I ended up outside nearly nude because…. Well, you’ll have to read the book for the juicy bits.
Motherhood During Training and Deployment
Here’s my seasoned advice for how to survive a year of being physically on your own with little ones:
- First, you are not actually on your own. This community rocks! Get to know other military spouses, especially those whose soldiers are deployed with yours. It’s a great time for bonding. I met my best-life-long friend during my soldier’s second deployment. We raised each other’s babies together. We co-parented. We survived! You will too!
- Second, give yourself grace. I’m a big, I mean BIG, believer in grace. Not just the kind Jonah taught me or the Jesusy stuff. I mean that grace you offer to others, start offering it to yourself.
- Third, and this ties into the grace. Give yourself a break, a literal break. We all hold onto these idealistic ideas of what motherhood means. We judge each other relentlessly and even more so ourselves. You’re about to hear some of my motherhood/breastfeeding struggles, bear with me. Remember, we’re in this together.
- Fourth, and this is important, use the resources at your disposal. I’ve put together a deployment toolbox for you with some great resources by other military spouses. Be informed, and be true to who you are. Don’t try to fit someone else’s mold. Don’t try to fit into this community, this community is diverse and your tribe is here. You just have to look.
Letting Go
I nursed my first child 15 months. I would have kept going but I got pregnant with # 2 and was losing weight rapidly. Breastfeeding was an amazing weight loss program for me (can someone please figure out a way to duplicate those results that still allowed me to eat everything). Baby #2 the goal was to breastfeed for one year, but at 6 months we discovered she had cancer and stopping just wasn’t in the cards. She nursed up until she decided I was a snack bar and would crawl up in my lap and help herself whenever and wherever she felt like it. I believe she was 23 months when her shy, modest mother said we’re through. Baby #3, well her story is so very different. That child was holding her own bottle at 3 months.
You think I’m exaggerating? Did you read that chapter from my book yet? No… Ok, I’ll wait.
When I say let go, I don’t mean of yourself. Yes, find time to bathe and slap on some deodorant. Seriously, bathing during deployments can be a struggle. Hire a babysitter for your bath time, I promise it is worth it.
Let go of whatever idealistic reality you had envisioned of motherhood. Your children need the best version of you and that means asking for help when you need it. One way you can get help, especially if you want to continue breastfeeding but are juggling multiple little people, is to pump. Make sure others are capable of feeding that baby while you nap or I don’t know brush your teeth. (Again, been there. No judgment)
Tricare Breast Pumps
The good news is breast pumps are covered under your Tricare insurance plan at no out of pocket expense to you. This includes the Medela Freestyle and the Spectra S1 Breast Pump, and the Medela Pump in Style Tote/Backpack.
To make it even simpler, 1 Natural Way handles contacting both your health insurance provider and your physician on your behalf. They offer the easiest process in the industry-backed by thousands of reviews and testimonials from moms everywhere. Their goal is to make receiving your insurance breast pump stress-free and with minimal or no out of pocket expense to you.
It only takes five simple steps and 5 minutes to have your Tricare breast pump on its way. It’s that easy!
What Tips Would You Add
I’d love to hear how you have survived and yes, I know some of you are super moms and I applaud you. Remember this is a no-judgment zone and for those of us who have forgotten to shower for, um, let’s say a week in order to keep the toddlers from painting the house and the baby in nail polish (sadly true story) let’s try to play nice and not get too judgy in the comments.
Being a mom is hard enough. Let’s start offering some support and a helping hand to one another. I know I’d appreciate it, would you?
