A pregnant doctor and mother says she's overwhelmed by the positive feedback she's received to a viral photo on Facebook, which shows her treating an athlete at a football game while carrying her child on her back.
The photo shows Dr. Megan Meier, who is eight months pregnant, examining a high school athlete's arm at a game in Oklahoma City, while carrying her three-year-old daughter on her back in a harness. Meier specializes in sports and dance medicine, and had to bring her daughter to her gig as a sideline physician after the babysitter fell through.
The image was posted online by a friend and has been shared more than 6,000 times online.
"This is what happens when you are 35 weeks pregnant, (your) husband leaves town for the weekend, childcare for (your 3-year-old) falls through, and you have a game to cover!" Meier wrote in a separate post, after the image went viral. She called the photo a "visual representation of what (working mothers) do each and every day."
She added, “We have come a long way in 2016.”
Many on Facebook hailed Meier for her multi-tasking abilities. "What an amazing snapshot into the world of being a mama and a dedicated professional," wrote Facebook user Melissa Jeffcoat, in a comment on Meier's post. "The sweet girl strapped to your back and the baby in your belly both have a very strong role model," added commenter Blair Norris.
Meier credited other members of her Facebook group for doctor/mothers for their support, and said she's happy to be both a mother and a physician. She also thanked the teams she works for, as well as her family, friends and colleagues, for helping her juggle her duties.
"I really believe that you can have it all and find a great balance to a multi-faceted career and life," she wrote. "However, it takes a lot of work and improvisation at times."
