Mom Guilt, POTS, and MCAS: When Chronic Illness Meets Motherhood (And Why You Need to Let Go of the Guilt)
From The Ashley Ventrice Show by Ashley Ventrice
April 7, 2026 · 12 min · Episode 24
About this episode
Ashley Ventrice discusses the intersection of chronic illness and motherhood, focusing on the challenges of mom guilt and the importance of awareness around conditions like POTS and MCAS.
What happens when you’re managing a chronic illness and drowning in mom guilt? In this episode, I’m getting personal about my diagnoses — POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) and MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome) — and why I’m talking about it openly. More women than men are diagnosed with autoimmune and chronic illness conditions, and awareness matters. I share a conversation I had with a nurse at my cardiologist’s office — a mom of a toddler and a kindergartner — who was carrying a guilt so many of us know way too well: the guilt of choosing one kid over another, of working, of not being everywhere at once. Sound familiar? We’re also talking about the noise — the opinions from parents, friends, family — and how it all piles on top of an already heavy load. I’m sharing how hitting my 40s (and finally getting answers about my health) pushed me to get intentional about ditching guilt and building a life that actually works for me and my family. If you’ve ever felt the weight of everyone else’s opinions pulling you in every direction, this one’s for you. Topics covered: ∙What POTS and MCAS are and why more moms need to know ∙The real story behind mom guilt vs. a new…
People in this episode
Host: Ashley Ventrice
Topics covered
- chronic illness
- mom guilt
- parenting
- autoimmune conditions
- intentional living
- motherhood
Keywords
- chronic illness
- mom guilt
- POTS
- MCAS
- parenting
- autoimmune
- intentional living
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