As a mother, we all have fears, hopes, dreams, and desires for our children. We grow those babies in our bellies for nine months wishing for 10 fingers and 10 little toes, a beautiful head of hair, and a healthy bundle of joy. We let them bake and hold them safely as they grow and wonder what the upcoming years will be like. Who will they become?
As a mother, I’ve been inspired by other mother’s and their journey’s into the most amazing job a woman can have. I have looked up to some mother’s and hoped I could be the kind of inspiring mother they have been to me. When I was pregnant, I started watching all of the reality TV shows out there featuring mothers and their babies. I was never a fan of Jon and Kate Gosselin, because I never found her inspiring, but I was inspired by another sextuplet mom.
I remember my friend telling me about the reality series on WE TV called “Raising Sextuplets” and telling me she was such a great mother and so much more of an inspiration to watch than any of the other reality tv mom’s. I set my DVR to record “Raising Sextuplets” and was instantly drawn in by what an amazing mother Jenny Masche was and what a great job she was doing taking care of those six beautiful babies!
The Masche family was unlike any of the other reality tv families out there. You could tell by watching them hands on with their children, they were not like the other families who were seeking something more than the best for their families. I was drawn Jenny’s faith in God and her determination to give the babies as normal a life as possible. How normal can a family of eight really be!?
With six toddlers (Savannah, Bailey, Grant, Cole, Molli, and Blake) running around, Jenny fills her heart with patience, and that is something that is admiring in itself for any mother. I only have one very active toddler and sometimes I struggle with patience! Months ago, I had the opportunity to chat with Jenny about some things related to Charlotte Mommies and she was so warm and friendly, I was so thankful to know what you see on tv is really what Jenny is like. Recently, when I decided to do my next Celeb Mom Spotlight on Jenny, I contacted her again and asked if she would be willing to be a part of my post and answer some questions. She agreed and was nice enough to take a few moments from her busy life as a working mom to answer some of my questions.
1.) What was it like for you finding out you were pregnant with sextuplets?
The day I found out I was having sextuplets was one of the most surreal and fearful moments of my life. Instantaneously I thought it was going to be another failed pregnancy because I couldn’t fathom how anyone could have 6 babies at the same time and how the babies would survive much less me survive! The doctor told me immediately that I had to have selective reduction to increase the chance of a successful outcome and healthy babies. That of course made me cry more and be more fearful because I knew for me I could not do that. It was about 3 weeks of fear and depression…. the day I met Dr. Elliott all of that changed and he gave me hope that we could do this and it was possible.
2.) What sorts of advice did you seek out from other mom’s throughout your pregnancy and after the babies were born?
Immediately Bryan and I wrote the other sextuplets families out there. It was encouraging to see that some people did have successful pregnancies and that it was possible! We got advice from when I should quit work, when I should go on bedrest, what medications to take and what medications to avoid, what type of baby equipment to invest in (horseshoe shaped table with the seats in the table), what type of strollers, etc. The mothers that gave advice were amazing and they gave advice and answered questions we didn’t even know to ask!!! We had never had any children so it was all very new to us!
3.) What has been your most treasured moment to date with the babies?
There literally have been hundreds of moments that we have treasured with the babies, from first steps in central park, to first time at the beach, to the first time we had them all home from the hospital and the first night at home after the trials of pregnancy and NICU. But probably the most memorable time for me was when we had the baby dedication and dedicated the babies to the Lord. To have all our family there and to pray over them and bless them…. it was truly one of the most treasured moments to date for me.
4.) What kind of advice would you like to give to mom’s out there struggling to get pregnant?
HAVE HOPE!!! There were days I thought I would NEVER get pregnant, NEVER experience a pregnancy, and NEVER have a healthy baby. So Don’t give up!! BELIEVE it can happen….. and know that the desires of your heart to GET PREGNANT and HAVE a baby is a good desire………a GREAT desire………. and I simply believe that God wants to give you the desires of your heart and He will!!! That is what I believed for me……. and that is what I believe for other women out there who are desperately wanting to have a baby. I believe it will happen for most women…….. and I believe God will bless other women with children through adoption and it will be just amazing if not more!
5.) As a mom of multiples, can you offer any words of encouragement to mom’s expecting multiples?
You Can Do It!!! All the fear and anxiety is normal, but know you can do what God gives you…… I truly believe He will not give you more than you can handle. During moments where you think you just can’t make it anymore…… remember……… IT IS ONLY A SEASON!!! Everytime I would get fatigued and let depression creep in like “I can’t do this one more day” I would remember, it is only a season…….. it is going to pass so quickly, and I don’t want to miss one moment!!! Don’t let the work of multiples stop you from doing things you want to do!!! If there was an experience I wanted to have or wanted the kids to have……… I didn’t let anything stop me from doing it!!! Who cares that I had six little ones!!! Yes, it was more work, and more exhausting, but SO REWARDING to actually do things, instead of be paralyzed at home thinking we couldn’t do anything. Don’t let anything stop you from LIVING…… and the more you LIVE and DO and ENJOY life….. the happier and healthy you will be as a mom…….. and your kids will adapt and adjust to the life you create for them.
6.) As a mom, our children are obviously our top priority, but mom’s enjoy some time to themselves or something for themselves too! When you get a chance, what is your favorite thing to do for yourself?
As a mom time for yourself is essential!! My favorite things to do for me are to take a run and enjoy coffee with friends!! If I get to do those two things………. I am a very happy mama!
7.) What has been your biggest struggle being a mom of multiples and how have you helped get through it?
The biggest struggle for me at times has been comparing myself to moms of singletons and guilt over having multiples. There are times I have felt bad that I can’t do normal things with the kids, like normal errands with one kid….. going to the bank, the grocery store, etc. And I feel like I can’t be enough for all six of them…….. how can I meet every need in every way the same way a mom can meet the needs of her one child! Those are real emotions, hard emotions that I have had to battle and pray about. God has really given me peace to know He will meet all the needs that I cannot meet…… and I am thankful for that 
8.) Have you been a part of any mom groups to help you relate to other mom’s as you embarked on such a new path in your life?
I have had limited involvement with moms groups only because I felt so busy with the kids and working outside of the home, it was hard for me to keep up with my family and best friends, much less become a part of a moms group! As the kids get a little older, it seems easier for me to get involved. But the first few years were such a blur… it was mere survival
9.) You’ve had the opportunity to share some of your life on television, what have you gained from that experience and what do you hope to give to viewers watching your personal lives as you and your family share some of the most important triumphs and struggles of your lives?
Sharing life on TV for me and my family ultimately has been a very positive experience! It was a fun, small part of our lives! We only filmed one week a month so we always looked forward to that week of being together as a family and the fun things we would get to do. The hardest part is being in the public eye and being scrutinized for EVERYTHING that you do………. there is always going to be negativity and people who are just plain mean. I had to definitely “toughen up” and just be the best mom and wife I could be…… and leave the rest in Gods hands. I love that we are going to have those videos for the kids.. professional footage of the first 3 years of their lives… that is amazing to me!!! The one thing I always hoped and prayed for is that God would use us in whatever way He saw fit to bless others, to encourage others and to help people think….. “if they can do it, we can do it!” I feel like our struggles are very real and very relatable………. so many people have gone through similar struggles and trials and it really can be so nice to know “hey, I’m not the only one who battles this and I am not the only one in this boat!” I think somedays God gave me sextuplets just to encourage other moms! I think being a mom can be so tough and overwhelming, it can lead to depression and extreme fatigue!!! And as a mom you think ” why am I feeling this way??” Then there is guilt. ALL of these emotions are real and healthy and normal…… but there is a way to conquer these emotions and to gain emotions of HOPE and JOY and STRENGTH, by changing perspective and seeing that other moms feel the same way, but we can make it, we will make it! And to take time out for ourselves
Who wasn’t inspired by Jenny’s words of encouragement and strength? As a mother, encouragement and strength are two of the most imporant things needed to give to your children and spread to the people around you. A mother embodies encouragement, strength, and beauty and Jenny is a face of encouragement, hope, and strength for all mothers.
I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity to talk with Jenny about her journey into motherhood and what it’s been like for her. Athough only my second Celebrity Mom Spotlight, this is my favorite and I think it will continue to be one of my favorite posts, because I have had the opportunity to connect with an inspiring mother and pass that inspiration on to my readers. Thank you Jenny for taking the time to answer my questions and for being such an inspiration and amazing woman and mom!
As a mom, we also need a support system. Mom’s like Jenny who are raising multiples need a strong support system, but so do mom’s with single babies as well. The Mommies Network offers support and advice just for moms and is found all over the US. I’ve been blessed with The Mommies Network in my life into motherhood and have found some of the best advice and best friends I could ask for. Having other moms to relate to and hang out with while being able to participate in fun and charitable events together has been a blessing for me as I have embarked on my journey of motherhood. Make sure you check out www.themommiesnetwork.org to find out more about the organization and to find a group near you!
With Love,
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