While the opinions below are my own, I was provided product and compensated by Kimberly Clark Corporation / Poise for this post. The post was written by Kerri Jablonski.
Before kids, going on a road trip was easy. Grab the keys, some water and go. If I was lucky, maybe even an overnight bag. A trip to the grocery store or heading for a walk in the park was, well, a walk in the park.
But now? It’s like training for a marathon.
If we’re being honest, going anywhere in the car with kids is a production. Pack snacks – do we have enough snacks? Do we have everyone’s favorite snacks? Do we have MY favorite snacks? I mean come on, moms need love, too. OK, back to the mental checklist. Kids’ electronic devices are fully charged and handed out. Charging cables plugged in (I’d like to say a quick thank you for the genius who put THOSE in my minivan). Do we have everyone’s favorite toys? It doesn’t matter if we’re only going for a bite to eat, my oldest has to take his little cars with him. In fact, we have to ask him if he has the “right ones” – if not, it’s hell in a hand basket.
I haven’t even loaded the kids in the car yet and my mind is spinning.
Last call for potty. Get everyone to put his or her shoes on. Line them up next to the door. This part is like herding cats. Mostly because the cats are also underfoot, tripping all of us. Count the kids. One, two, three, four… what? FOUR? Oh, that extra head is my daughter’s doll.
Then there’s the bickering, always right at the front steps, the hesitation before they walk out, causing me to have fast reflexes so I don’t trip over one child while carrying another, and asking a third to please move a little faster. It’s mayhem.
I wish someone had written in one of the million parenting manuals out there that getting kids ready to go anywhere should be considered light exercise.
Remember when I said last call for potty? Yeah, that includes me. No one told me that I would need to factor in light bladder leakage (aka LBL), that pesky pregnancy-induced problem I experience, into something as simple as going on a road trip.
There’s been at least two dozen times… OK, MORE than two dozen times where kids getting underfoot, or lifting them into their car seats or putting something in the back of the van have triggered LBL. Ninety percent of those times? Not at home. So it’s not like I can go inside and change.
It’s not pretty y’all, and I’ve been dealing with it for about 8 years. I’ve tried different pelvic floor exercises to improve the issue but they haven’t really helped.
That’s why I’m thankful for Poise Thin-Shape Light Absorbency pads – the thinnest pads available for LBL, also featuring Thin-Flex Technology that moves with your body. Poise Thin-Shape pads are up to 40 percent thinner than original Poise brand pads and stay three times drier than leading period pads., which means that I’m not telling my husband I’ll be right back after loading the kids in the van. I may be exhausted from getting the kids ready, but at least I know I’m protected, and my clothes are protected.
I also know I’m not alone. One in 3 women experience LBL; common little leaks which can be triggered by exercise, laughing, coughing and sneezing. Like me, many women experience LBL during and after pregnancy.
So in addition to all the kid paraphernalia that goes with going ANYWHERE in the car, I make sure to throw some Poise pads in my purse, too. That’s right, I’m taking road trips and family outings back! I am going to Seize the Moment with Poise! Visit www.Poise.com to learn more and request a sample, so you too can seize your Poise moment.
