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“That’s the thing about motherhood and IBD - you need to stop trying to be a superhero.” Natalie Ann Hayden was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at age 21, right after her college graduation and right before going into her dream career of being a television newscaster. Fast forward through years thriving in this career despite the ups and downs of Crohn’s, and Natalie is now married and has two beautiful children that are her biggest inspirations and motivators to fight through the difficult times that come along with IBD. Natalie now focuses on her blog, Lights Camera Crohn’s, and IBD advocacy work. She is a huge inspiration for other IBD moms or moms-to-be and provides so much valuable insight in this episode. From breastfeeding while on biologics, to resources for IBD parents, to navigating the fear or whether your children will develop IBD or not, Natalie shares all of her knowledge. Whether you are a soon-to-be IBD parent or not, this episode will teach you so much about prioritizing yourself, accepting help from others, and standing strong on your journey. You can follow Natalie’s journey at https://lightscameracrohns.com/ and on Instagram at @natalieannhayden. Key quotes from this episode: “That’s the thing about motherhood and IBD - you need to stop trying to be a superhero.” “Embrace help and take it one day at a time.” “Instead of beating yourself up and thinking that you’re less than or not as good of a parent because of your illness, I think IBD mothers and fathers need to see what their children see which is a resilient warrior.” “As you mature as an adult, you mature with your disease.”