If you’re a new medical mom, welcome to the club you never signed up for but are now the reluctant president of. There are so many Medical Mom Truths you’ll come to know. And if you’re a seasoned medical mom, I see you—you’re probably skimming this in the hospital waiting room while juggling a cup of cold coffee and 14,000 unanswered emails.
Before I stepped into medical motherhood, I thought parenting was just about making sure my kid didn’t lick electrical sockets and ate at least one vegetable a week. I was wrong.
Here are 10 powerful medical mom truths that no one warned me about—but they changed everything once I learned them.
1. Every Hard Thing Feels 10x Harder—But the Wins Are 100x Sweeter
You know how parents of typical kids stress about things like sleep schedules and toddler tantrums? Yeah, that’s cute.
In medical motherhood, every decision feels like it has life-or-death stakes. Insurance fights, feeding tube changes, managing meds—it’s all overwhelming. But here’s the thing: When your child hits a milestone—however small—it’s not just a win. It’s a full-blown, happy-ugly-cry, confetti-worthy moment.
First steps? First time off oxygen? First time eating a new food? Unreal joy. You learn to celebrate every single thing because you know how hard-earned it was.
This is one of the most important medical mom truths—the challenges are bigger, but the celebrations? Even bigger.
(Want an easy way to track these wins and stay organized? My Medical Mom Reset Workbook has a built-in system for keeping up with milestones, appointments, and more. Grab it here!
2. Insurance Will Break Your Soul (But You’ll Become a Low-Key Expert in Beating the System)
I used to think insurance was just “You pay, they cover stuff.” Silly me.
In medical parenting, insurance is actually a never-ending maze of denials, appeals, hold music, and people named Karen who “understand your frustration” but totally don’t.
At some point, you WILL cry on the phone with an insurance rep. But over time, you’ll learn the hacks, the loopholes, and the secret language of “getting sh*t covered.”
Among all the medical mom truths, this might be the most frustrating—you’ll become an expert in medical billing, insurance loopholes, and prior authorizations whether you want to or not.
Pro Tip: Always get names, reference numbers, and escalate to a supervisor early. And document EVERYTHING.
(Need a way to track insurance calls, prior authorizations, and medical bills? Check out my go-to ways to stay organized inside the Medical Mom Reset Workbook!
3. Medical Jargon Is Basically a Second Language (And You Will Master It)
Before, I thought “G-tube” was an app and “pulse ox” was a DJ name. Now, I can casually drop words like “bronchiolitis obliterans” in conversation.
The good news? You will get fluent fast. The bad news? Doctors will still talk at warp speed, and you will still nod like you understand, only to Google it later.
One of the hardest medical mom truths? Learning to decode doctor-speak, medical reports, and test results on the fly—because no one is going to translate them for you.
Pro Tip: Ask for written instructions. If they say something confusing, ask, “Can you explain it like I’m five?” No shame.
4. Friendships Change—And That’s Okay
Not everyone will get it. Some friends will ghost you when your life gets “too much.” Others will try to relate by telling you about their kid’s ear infection for the fifth time.
But you will find your people. The ones who check in, who don’t expect you to be “fine,” and who celebrate the weird wins (like getting a prior authorization approved on the first try—legendary).
That said, it’s way too easy to fall into the comparison trap when you see another medical mom seemingly handling everything better than you are. Maybe her kid is hitting milestones faster. Maybe she’s advocating with more confidence. Maybe she just looks like she has it all together. (Spoiler: She doesn’t.)
If you’ve ever caught yourself spiraling in medical mom comparison mode, you’re not alone. I wrote an entire post on why we do this, why it’s so harmful, and how to break free from it. You can check it out here:
👉 The Brutal Truth About the Medical Mom Comparison Trap (And How to Break Free)
A hard but real medical mom truth: Some friendships will fade, but the new ones you build with fellow medical moms? Absolutely priceless.
5. Self-Care Isn’t Optional (But It Also Isn’t Bubble Baths and Manicures)
People love to tell medical moms to “take care of themselves.” Cool. Can you also pay my hospital bills and clone me? Thanks.
Real self-care? It’s sleeping when you can, meal prepping so you don’t survive on crackers, and actually going to your own doctor’s appointments.
One of the most ignored medical mom truths? You can’t pour from an empty cup. Self-care doesn’t have to be luxurious—it just has to be something.
Pro Tip: Make “10-minute resets” your thing. Even if it’s just sitting in the car alone with coffee and a podcast.
6. Your Marriage Will Be Tested (But It Can Also Get Stronger)
One of the most unspoken medical mom truths is how much medical parenting changes your marriage. The stress spills over, exhaustion hits, and you will have moments where you’re just surviving together.
But if you and your partner keep communicating, keep leaning on each other, and keep showing up, you’ll get through it. Even if “date night” is just collapsing on the couch together at 10 p.m. with takeout.
7. Doctors Aren’t Gods—Advocate Like Your Kid’s Life Depends on It (Because It Does)
Doctors are smart. But they don’t know YOUR child better than YOU do. If something feels off, speak up. Ask questions. Push back.
You are your child’s best advocate, and you’ll learn that “Mom Gut” is real.
If there’s one medical mom truth I learned quickly, it’s that advocating for your child is a full-time job. Speak up, push back, and never be afraid to ask, “Is there another option?”
8. You Will Become Weirdly Good at Packing a Hospital Bag
Eventually, you’ll be able to pack a hospital go-bag in five minutes flat. It’ll have:
✅ Extra chargers
✅ Snacks (hospital food is the enemy)
✅ Cozy socks (because those hospital floors? Nope.)
✅ A hoodie (hospitals are freezing)
9. You’ll Never Fully Relax Again (But You’ll Learn to Adapt)
One of the biggest medical mom truths is that you’ll never stop worrying. But you will find ways to manage the chaos—whether it’s through organization systems, support groups, or pure caffeine-fueled determination.
(The Medical Mom Reset Workbook has sanity-saving tools to help you manage appointments, meds, and the mental load. Grab it here!
10. You Are Stronger Than You Think—But You Shouldn’t Have to Do It Alone
You will feel like you’re breaking sometimes. You will hit mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion.
But you will also get up every day and do it anyway—because you love your kid more than anything.
That doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. You deserve support, tools, and a little less chaos in your life.
Feeling Overwhelmed? Let’s Make Medical Mom Life Easier
🚨 Tired of juggling medical chaos?
The Medical Mom Reset Workbook helps you:
✅ Organize your child’s medical info in one place
✅ Stay on top of appointments, meds, and insurance
✅ Reduce stress & feel more in control
You got this, mama. And I’m here cheering you on. 🚀
No responses yet