#EncourageAMom to Take a Moment and Love Her Heart #spon

This post is part of YummyMummyClub.ca’s and Becel’s “Encourage a Mom” program. In its role as founding sponsor of The Heart and Stroke Foundation’s The Heart Truth™ campaign, Becel wants to empower moms and encourage them to prioritize their own health and well-being as much as they do others. I received compensation for my participation. This post reflects my personal opinion about the information provided by the sponsors.

Copyright Stacey Martin, This Lil Piglet

As a young woman at 21 years, I was beaming with the news that my first child, a son, was on the way; little did I know that my health would be jeopardized as my pregnancy progressed. I became ill with pre-eclampsia, a condition that presents with high blood pressure and risk of stroke. With my third pregnancy I became ill with this same condition on a more serious level causing the induction and delivery of my daughter Squeakers, 5.5 weeks early, medications during delivery to prevent me from seizing or having a stroke, a stay in the NICU and a long-term diagnosis of cardiac issues from my cardiologist. Fortunately with a healthy lifestyle I was able to prove my cardiologist wrong, become medication-free and be a devoted mom to now 5 amazing kids.

According to a Becel commissioned survey, the majority (60%) of Canadian mothers say they don’t have enough time to take care of themselves. 70% of Canadian mothers surveyed don’t rank themselves among their top three priorities. In the hustle and bustle of daily life, moms make excuses for why they don’t take their me time and have a guilty complex if they self-indulge even the slightest. Kids deserve to have their moms to be there long into adulthood however too many kids lose their mothers to heart disease and stroke, a leading cause of death for women in Canada.

There are many women in my life that I hold in high regard; my paternal grandmother has always been a woman who I greatly respect for a lifetime of contribution.  My grandmother, a young widow and mother to my father, educated herself and worked as a Registered Nurse caring for many. After a long life of nurturing others she was diagnosed a couple of years ago with a heart condition that required a Pacemaker only to be further diagnosed with an inoperable aortic aneurysm.  She has had a long life full of hard times but never complained; she is and will be remembered as an amazingly strong woman who will be celebrated. Recently I was able to give her an extra special sentiment of appreciation to her life when I gave birth to my last child on her birthday.  She may not make it until her next birthday but I will always remember her saying her great-grandsons birth was the best birthday present she has ever received.  In the name of my grandmother, remember life is a gift that before long has passed by too quickly. Take a moment to recognize and encourage those deserving moms in your life.

As an extension of heart health awareness and the founding sponsor of The Heart and Stroke Foundation’s The Heart Truth™ campaign, Becel wants to encourage moms to take a moment to care for themselves and encourage a mom. All moms are deserving of a little recognition, many need reminding to take time for themselves for being the amazing moms that they are.  I already have a list of moms I know personally in need of a reminder with a personalized encourage a mom video; who will you be sending yours to?

Becel made this amazing video to empower moms and encourage them to prioritize their own health and well-being as much as they do for others.

You can go to the Becel website to easily personalize and send the video to moms in your life to remind them to take care of themselves too!

Encourage a Mom today! #EncourageAMom