Female NASCAR Driver Confesses to ‘Struggling Mentally’ as Pregnancy Takes a Toll on Her Body

Natalie Decker has been out of action in the NASCAR scene for a fairly long time. Admittedly, a lot of it can boil down to the fact that she has only been running part-time. Her last full-time season was in 2018 when she raced in the ARCA Menards Series. Most of the part-time seats are largely because she has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since the age of two. For the 2024 season, though, her long absences are because she is now an expecting mother.

Back in December 2022, she got engaged to her long-time partner, Derek Lemke. The couple then tied the knot in 2023 on New Year’s Eve. Later on in August this year, Decker announced that she was pregnant with their first child. She confirmed that the baby would be a boy, and now the waiting game begins for her and Derek. Unfortunately, all the waiting seems to be taking a toll on her. Of course, there is the physical aspect, but her biggest issue has to be on the mental side.

NASCAR driver Natalie Decker revealed her struggles with pregnancy

Natalie Decker kept fans updated about her pregnancy journey on Instagram. Whether it’s trips to a short track with her husband Derek Lemke or an update on their house, she has kept fans involved in her journey. In her recent Instagram vlog, Decker narrated a particular aspect of her pregnancy she struggled with, her mental health.

She revealed on her Instagram, “I feel so guilty even saying this, but I’m so over being pregnant. All my symptoms from my first trimester have come back. The nauseousness, the fatigue, the migraines, I could go on and on and on, but the biggest thing I’m struggling with is mentally. Just feeling good about myself and feeling like myself. I do not feel like myself at all and I do not like looking at myself in the mirror. Don’t like the way I look, and I could talk for days about that. I know with pregnancy, you’re going to get swollen, but I didn’t know how swollen. My feet grew so much, I used to be a youth, child size 3, now I barely fit into a woman’s size 6. There is not one part of my body right now, that is not swollen. It is so crazy, I did not expect that.”

The 27-year-old is trying to take her mind off her troubles by staying active. However, she admitted her efforts are arduous. The NASCAR driver confessed that finding the motivation is difficult, even to the most basic exercises. Before pregnancy, she used to enjoy working out, and since she was a race car driver, it was even better. Unfortunately, the situation has changed completely, and not for the better. One thing she has used to stay active is to drive an iRacing sim. Although it may be a simulator, it still needs a lot of physical strength to tackle the realistic features of the experience.

She added, “I planned to do maternity photos by now because they say to do it between 28 weeks to 32 weeks of your pregnancy. And I just have not committed because I don’t like the way I look. I know I’m going to regret it so I need to just do and suck it. Get these maternity photo shoots done.” 

Decker’s experiences are an important part of the NASCAR community as a whole. Outside of her impact of being one of the few female NASCAR drivers at the moment, sharing her struggles during pregnancy is important for fans all over the world. Similarly, she hasn’t been shy about sharing the struggles of the couple’s journey getting pregnant. When the couple first tried to have a baby, they were told it would be difficult to conceive, yet they managed to overcome the hurdle. Needless to say, NASCAR fans will come out in support of the driver and her candid vlog.

Decker’s racing journey is a testament to her strength

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When Natalie Decker was a child, she was diagnosed with arthritis. However, she wouldn’t let it keep her away from racing. She struggled with nausea and headaches regularly, similar to what she faces during her pregnancy. Despite the hectic schedule of visiting doctors and treatment, Natalie Decker didn’t give up on her NASCAR dream.

Along the way, she has managed several accolades, becoming the highest-finishing female NASCAR driver in Truck Series history with her fifth-place finish at Daytona. She also won the NASCAR Whelen All-American ROTY trophy. Not to forget, she also became the first female racer score a podium on the ARCA Midwest Tour. What’s the secret to her success, you ask?

She goes on to explain, “I learned early on the importance of having a great support system and believing in myself to achieve whatever I put my mind to. This helped me manage the symptoms of my disease and stay active while also pursuing my dream of becoming a NASCAR driver.” Fortunately for Decker, she has a strong support system in the form of her husband Derek Lemke. The two are often seen together at race tracks as well as other events.

In a recent update, she shared an update about a new fireplace that was installed in the baby’s room. With a December due date, the couple hopes to finish all renovations and changes to their house to properly welcome their baby boy.