Over the last few decades, there has been a major shift in the age where women enter motherhood. During olden times, it was quite a common occurrence to see young moms, but now there is a rise of older mothers. This isn’t exactly breaking news, but there is one impact that is not discussed often; menopause. When you have a child at a later age, you will be that much closer to menopause.
There is a growing number of women who experience menopause while actively raising a child. This can be quite a hindrance due to those raging hormones. Hormonal fluctuations at this time are quite elevated and can result in clashes between you and your child. We have curated a list of some basic coping frameworks that can help you in managing your children as well as your hormones.
Communicate openly
The best thing to do when you are experiencing these sudden surges of emotions can be to talk about it as a family. There is a lot of stigma surrounding menopause, which needs to be cleared up. Talk about it with your children and tell them what is happening to you. Tell them that you might be irritable for no reason at all, but this is something that is temporary and will go away. Remember, your kids also have a lot of highs and lows to deal with during their teenage years, they will definitely understand your hormonal changes.
Use humor as a coping mechanism
One of the best positive coping mechanisms to use is laughter. Humor can help loosen up hesitant family members and break the ice in such awkward situations. You can joke about your hot flashes with your husband, you can chuckle about night sweats, and can even use menopause as a way to talk to your children about menstruation. Making it funny and humorous can be quite an advantage while talking about such a complex topic.
Supplements are your best friend
Your hormones are the main things that are affected during menopause. Hormone therapy or the use of natural supplements for menopause can really go a long way. This is because, as your ovaries start to shut down, you produce less estrogen, and with that come side effects. Some women report that they feel more anxious, depressed, and irritable while going through perimenopause and, of course, this is going to have an effect on the relationship you have with your family, friends, and children. That is why you should try to manage these symptoms as much as possible. One effective method is to go through HRT, while another is to utilize herbal remedies in the form of a combined supplement, such as MenoPhix. Both of these have previously shown the ability to increase estrogen production in some women and can thus help with the symptoms of a hormone imbalance.
Beyond this, the use of hormones can be quite effective in preventing bone loss and reducing fractures among menopausal women. It is important to talk to your doctor about what medication would be right for you. It is also vital that you make healthy lifestyle choices such as exercising and following a healthy diet.
Get an adult on your side
No matter the dynamics of your household, it is important to have an adult ally in such situations. It can be your partner, spouse, or another adult family member who can back you up and help you cope as a family. They should be understanding about what you are going through and supportive in the way you handle your children. In situations when you are experiencing immense hormonal fluctuations, they can communicate things on your behalf to your children as well.
It is not easy to balance out being a mom along with dealing with menopause. Use these tips to help you navigate your way through these tough times.