How to Overcome Text Fatigue in Stressful Seasons

3 burdens a friend can take off your plate when you're at capacity.

Hey moms—let’s talk about text fatigue for a minute.

We’ve all been there—you wake up to 20 unread texts, but parenting duty calls. You get lost in work and realize you haven’t responded to that friend in over a week. You keep a running mental list of new moms and struggling friends you want to check in on, but the busyness of life always seems to win.

It’s no wonder our friends over at Big Little Feelings started a Substack called Sorry I Didn’t Text You Back. In today’s technology-connected world, keeping up with constant notifications and conversations can feel like a full-time job. And when you add in a hospital stay or medical situation with your child? The exhaustion is next-level.

Here’s the thing: one of the greatest gifts of community is being surrounded by love. But sometimes, even the outpouring of support can feel overwhelming. You finally get a small break from worrying or researching, and suddenly your phone lights up with 50 texts: How are you doing? Any updates? What can we do to help?

I’ll admit—this has been one of my biggest struggles. I’m not someone who leaves people on read. But I also didn’t know how to tell people I wasn’t okay. I needed so much, but I couldn’t even explain what it was. And to be honest, explaining my daughter’s medical situation felt impossible—it was so complex, changing hour by hour, that I was afraid to even give an update.

That’s where having a communication advocate changed everything.

A communication advocate is someone close enough to you that you’re already sharing every detail of your child’s journey with them—and who can then relay information to everyone else.

For me, that person was my sister. She was frequently in the hospital with me, knew every detail of my daughter’s journey, and carried my heart in it too. She also happens to be a wildly eloquent and compassionate communicator. Honestly, it was the greatest gift she could give me. And to put it in perspective—she was driving four hours to and from the hospital, staying with me three or four days every week. That’s the kind of sacrificial love I’ll never forget.

Here are a few practical ways she (and a few close friends) supported me:

By the way, these tips aren’t just about moms with kids in medical situations. Having a “communication advocate” can be a lifeline when you’re caretaking for a loved one, walking through a crisis, or simply navigating a season of overwhelm and overstimulation.