How I Manage IBS While Working From Home as a Busy Mom
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How I Manage IBS While Working From Home as a Busy Mom is a journey I never expected to take. Juggling deadlines, virtual meetings, and noisy toddlers while battling unpredictable IBS symptoms has been one of the hardest things I’ve had to manage. But over time, I’ve learned a few things that help me function daily without losing my mind or affect my gut health.
If you’ve ever dealt with IBS and stress, especially while juggling work and motherhood from home, then you know how exhausting, confusing, and downright overwhelming it can be. I’m a mom, I work from home, and yes—I also live with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
This isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” situation. Some days are manageable. Others it feels like my gut has declared war on me during a Zoom meeting or while chasing my toddler around the house.
I’ve learned the hard way how powerful the connection is between IBS and stress, and I’m here to share what’s worked for me in the hope it helps you too.
What an IBS Flare Feels Like in Real Life
Let me paint the picture. You’re prepping a healthy breakfast, answering emails, and trying to keep your kids entertained. Suddenly, your stomach cramps, bloats, or sends you straight to the bathroom with no warning.
This, my friend, is what an IBS attack feels like. You can’t predict it. You can’t fully prevent it. But you can learn how to reduce its intensity and frequency.
When I started experiencing IBS attacks, I initially thought it was just stress or something I ate. Turns out, it was both—and more. IBS is incredibly personal, but for me, working from home with kids made the stress element almost impossible to ignore.
The Gut-Stress Connection No One Talks About
We often hear that stress affects our hearts or our skin, but very few talk about how deeply it impacts the gut. Our gut is basically our “second brain,” so it’s no surprise that emotional stress can directly lead to digestive upset.
That’s why managing IBS and stress isn’t just about food. It’s also about mindset, habits, and support. I noticed my flares became worse during work deadlines, toddler tantrums, or even when I was sleep-deprived.
Over time, I began tracking patterns in my symptoms using my IBS journal. This helped me connect emotional moments to physical flares. That awareness was a game changer.
My IBS Gut Reset Plan
When I hit my lowest point, I knew I needed a gut reset. But not just a trendy juice cleanse or some “miracle” pill. I needed a lifestyle reset that would support my IBS gut health while allowing me to still live, work, and parent.
Here’s what I started focusing on:
1. IBS Friendly Food
I began slowly eliminating and reintroducing foods to find my personal triggers. For me, onions, garlic, dairy, and beans were big offenders.
I swapped them out with IBS friendly meals like:
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Grilled salmon with roasted zucchini
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Rice bowls with lean protein and cooked spinach
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Smoothies with banana, almond milk, and chia seeds (IBS juice recipe hack!)
2. Mindful Eating
This was hard. As moms, we often eat while multitasking. But I started creating 10-minute meal breaks where I’d sit down, breathe, and chew slowly. It reduced my bloat more than any tea I’ve tried.
3. Daily Stress Relief Habits
Even five minutes of deep breathing before starting my day helped. I also started stretching before bed and taking short walks—even if it’s just around the backyard with my little one.
Realistic IBS Attack Relief at Home
Here’s how I handle an IBS attack while working from home:
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Step away from the screen or task. I pause my work and give my body attention.
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Sip warm peppermint tea.
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Use a heating pad on my stomach.
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Practice deep belly breathing to reduce stress signals to my gut.
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Avoid eating until the cramping eases.
Sometimes I’ll journal how I’m feeling in my IBS journal, even if it’s just a few lines. This helps me process both the physical and emotional parts of the flare.
What I Eat in a Day (IBS Edition)
To keep things simple, here’s a sample day of IBS healing foods that usually work for me:
Breakfast:
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Oatmeal with banana and a dash of cinnamon
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Green tea
Lunch:
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Grilled chicken wrap with spinach and zucchini on a low-FODMAP tortilla
Snack:
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Blueberries or rice cakes with almond butter
Dinner:
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Baked cod, mashed sweet potatoes, steamed carrots
Evening:
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Chamomile tea + journaling in my IBS journal
IBS Foods to Avoid (What I’ve Learned the Hard Way)
You may have different triggers, but here’s my list of IBS foods to avoid:
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Onions and garlic (sadly!)
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Legumes like black beans
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Dairy (especially milk and cheese)
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Artificial sweeteners (like sorbitol)
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Carbonated drinks
Whenever I mess up—even accidentally—I turn to my IBS relief kit (tea, quiet time, heating pad), and make a mental note in my journal.
How I Involve My Family
Having supportive people around makes a difference. I told my partner what to do if I have a sudden flare. I also let my kids know when “mommy needs a quiet moment for her belly.”
Family dinners now include IBS friendly meals that we all enjoy. No one even notices the tweaks I’ve made because I focus on flavor, not restriction.
Final Thoughts: IBS and Stress
Living with IBS and stress while working from home and caring for kids isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible either. I’ve found that listening to my body, making small food swaps, keeping a daily IBS journal, and creating mini moments of calm have helped me reclaim my health.
IBS and stress no longer rule my day. This is just something I manage like laundry, work tasks, or bedtime stories.
If you’re navigating this too, you’re not alone. Small shifts add up to major healing.
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