Brittany Mahomes on Family Life During NFL Playoffs: ‘It’s So Important To Take Care of Yourself’

Throughout NFL season, Brittany Mahomes and her two children travel around the country to support her husband, Patrick Mahomes. She tell us the kids’ bath time is usually a peaceful respite from the pace, but one night in September 2023 was anything but when her 10-month-old son Bronze seemed fussier than usual. Brittany says she wasn’t sure if it was typical crankiness from exhaustion or something more concerning. As she undressed the baby for the tub, she got her answer.

“At first there were just a few hives on his tummy, but then they turned into large welts,” she shared this week in an interview with The Healthy by Reader’s Digest. “They spread over his body, then up his neck and to his face. That was when I started to get really worried, because they were so close to his throat,” Mahomes recalls.

Patrick McDermott/getty images

An hour earlier, Mahomes had fed Bronze a small amount of a peanut drink to expose him to the possible allergen. (Some children’s health clinicians now recommend exposing babies to peanuts in a controlled way around four to six months of age, as this can help prevent peanut allergies or reveal an existing peanut allergy. Keep in mind all decisions concerning and individual child’s health should be made under the guidance of a licensed pediatric healthcare provider.)

“He was clearly having a bad allergic reaction, so at that point we took him to the emergency room,” she says. “Thankfully Bronze was fine—but it was one of the scariest things I’ve experienced as a mother.” Mahomes adds how she believed she understood infant food allergies when her daughter Sterling, now three, was allergic as an infant to milk, eggs and nuts when she first started formula. “She immediately started to vomit, sneeze, and get itchy eyes, but Bronze’s allergic reaction looked totally different,” she says. “Severe food allergies can look very different between kids.”

Since then, Mahomes says she’s carried four AUVI-Q injectors with her at all times—two per child, as sometimes a second dose is necessary to treat a reaction. “Everywhere the kids are, the AUVI-Qs are,” says Mahomes, who has partnered with AUVI-Q to help educate and empower caretakers of children who may have food allergies. Representatives for AUVI-Q describe this prescription medication as the first and only FDA-approved epinephrine auto-injector for infants and toddlers weighing 16.5 to 33 pounds. “What I love about it,” Mahomes says, “is that it actually talks you through the steps of how to use it, in a very calm voice, so that if you’re panicking, you’ll still know what to do.” She adds that the device even reminds users to call 911. (A representative for the brand says individuals “should always get emergency medical help after using epinephrine or a severe allergic reaction.”)

Ahead of the Chiefs’ AFC championship game Sunday against Baltimore, Brittany Mahomes—who herself played soccer at a high level and has worked as a certified fitness trainer, and is also a founder and co-owner of the professional women’s soccer team, the Kansas City Current—opened up about managing family life during the pressures of football season, and carving out some balance for self-care.

Get The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter

Sarah Stier/getty images

The Healthy by Reader’s Digest: What is it like to juggle pressing moments as a parent with the uniquely busy schedule your family has at certain points of the year?

Brittany Mahomes: We are a family on the go—in our daily lives, on weekends—and I’m always carrying my kiddos on my hips, so I am definitely a planner. Thinking ahead and planning things out helps a lot when it comes to managing our busy schedule and helps to keep things from feeling so overwhelming.

The Healthy: Some of Patrick’s fans might be curious about the nutrition program he follows, and in your case, add your little ones’ allergies of differing types and severity. How do you respond to your family’s range of nutrition needs?

Brittany Mahomes: You have to think about every little detail. It requires a lot of research and planning ahead. (Editor’s note: Mahomes added that her favorite breakfast used to be peanut butter toast, but that dish “no longer comes anywhere near my home!” she said.) I always make sure to have apple sauce packets with me and we also love bars for a quick game day snack.

Jamie Squire/getty images

The Healthy: Does your family have any favorite game day meals?

Brittany Mahomes: Sterling is a big fan of mac and cheese, but it must be dairy-free because of her allergies. She is also really big into Cuties right now and is even learning to peel those on her own!

The Healthy: Go Sterling! That’s so cute. With your own accomplishments in sports and fitness and as a founding owner of a pro women’s soccer team—would you say you’re passionate about the topic of female strength?

Brittany Mahomes: Yes, absolutely. I’ve found that as a mom, it’s so important to take care of yourself so that you can be the best version of yourself. For me, that means staying strong and active.

Stacy Revere/getty images

The Healthy: As a longtime athlete, are there any particular exercises you to do stay strong and prevent potential injury down the road?

Brittany Mahomes: I love strength training, and I try to work out three times a week. (Ed note: Mahomes said her current favorite exercise is hip thrusts— “Gotta get that booty!” she laughed.) 

The Healthy by Readers Digest: What is a self-care practice you refuse to skip?

Brittany Mahomes: Self-care is really important to me. The one thing I really swear by are my weekly massages. Deep tissue all the way!

For more wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:

• Cyndi Lauper Talks Vibrant Aging—and Staying a ‘Working Girl’ at 70
• Can You Reverse Food Allergies? What Experts Want You to Know
• “Here’s How I Knew I Had a Brain Tumor”: One Survivor’s Story After a Common Complaint Became Too Much
• Experts Just Named the 8 Best Places to Go on Vacation That Zap Stress (Even After You Get Home)