When we hear the name Allyson Felix, the first thing we think is “powerhouse.” Not only is the 38-year-old Olympic icon one of the best American runners to ever hit the track, she’s also a mom of two and a fierce advocate for Black maternal health and maternal equity.
Felix’s long and storied career has spanned five consecutive Olympic games — including after she became a mom at the 2020 Olympics — and has garnered her 11 Olympic medals, including seven golds. If that isn’t impressive enough, since her daughter was born premature at 32 weeks back in 2018, Felix has dedicated herself to raising awareness about the Black maternal health crisis and the risk of preeclampsia for expectant mothers.
Now the Olympic mom who just gave birth to her second child in April 2024 has partnered with Pampers and the Children’s Miracle Network to help provide 1 million diapers for preemie families in need. And she has also helped launch the first-ever Olympic Village nursery debuting this year at the Paris games.
We had the chance to chat with Felix about motherhood, her advocacy work, and the 2024 Olympic games, and she is as fierce and shines just as bright as we imagined, on and off the track.
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Felix's daughter, Cameron, was born 8 weeks early and spent time in the NICU
Back in 2018, Felix was pregnant with her first child and went into preterm labor at 32 weeks. Despite being in the peak physical shape of an elite athlete going into her pregnancy, she developed preeclampsia, a type of high blood pressure that can develop during pregnancy.
Although her daughter, Cami, was relatively healthy for a baby born so early, she stayed in the NICU for a month after she was born.
“It was draining, you know, on top of [worrying about] your life. Just, you know, constantly being worried about the uncertainty of your child,” Felix tells Mom.com. “And you’re constantly wondering, you know, when is your day coming?
“And then for me, also being discharged and going home, that was really scary because there were so many things that the nurses and the doctors were taking care of, and it felt like a really heavy load when she was finally ready to come home,” she continued, explaining that even though it was an overwhelming time, she felt incredibly grateful that she did get to eventually bring he daughter home.
Now she hopes that her partnership with Pampers will help ease some of the burden on other preemie parents.
The Pampers program is an easy way to support preemie families
“I love that this is a small, meaningful way to support families,” Felix says. “So basically, individuals can go to Walmart and buy the Pamper Swaddlers huge pack. And for every one that is purchased, Pampers will donate a preemie Swaddlers diaper pack to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and they’ll donate up to a million diapers,” she continues.
“Some of these little things that are taken care of for you just really mean the world,” Felix says.
Becoming a mom created a new purpose for Felix
“Honestly, now reflecting back, I feel like I really took my health for granted,” Felix shares speaking of her experience with pregnancy and preeclampsia. “And I think being a professional athlete, my body has always showed up for me and, you know, I know how to take care of it. So this was just foreign territory and also really scary because I didn’t know I had a severe case of preeclampsia, and I didn’t even know what that really meant.”
Since overcoming those unexpected circumstances, Felix has been dedicated to spreading awareness and finding ways to help improve outcomes for moms dealing with maternal health issues, as well as postpartum moms in general.
“There’s not always something to look for, you know? And so that is why we have to raise awareness and educate around it,” she says. “I feel like it’s given me a new motivation,” Felix says of her motherhood journey so far.
She hopes that through her career and activism, she can be a good role model for her children
“I’ve really been inspired to be a good role model for my daughter. And when I think about, you know, different points in my career, I really wanna show her, like, you can do this, you can pivot, you can overcome adversity, you know, all of those things,” Felix shares.
But even for someone as driven, motivated, and successful as Felix, juggling children and a career presents a challenge.
“I really don’t feel like balance exists,” Felix tells us. “You know, I try to have things happen in harmony, but there are absolutely days where I feel like, OK, I’m thriving at work, and then I come home and I feel like it’s chaos and I just have to be OK with that.”
Her support system plays a significant role in her ability to do it all
“I feel like it’s really a team effort with me and my husband,” Felix says. “We gotta work together. But I try to make family life a priority, you know, even putting different things on my calendar because you know … Cami has a soccer game or whatever the thing is … making sure that I’m able to show up.”
This year, Felix is excited to have a different kind of Olympic experience with her family by her side
“It’s really a bizarre feeling,” she says of attending the Paris Olympics as a retired athlete. “I’ve competed there for so long, so a lot of mixed emotions. You know, I’ve definitely felt like I had to kind of grieve it,” she explains.
“But on the other side, it’s really exciting to be able to take it in from a different perspective. I’m bringing my family this time and, you know, we’ll be able to take in events and I’ll be doing some other work,” she shares. “I’m excited, you know, for kind of a new phase of life.”
One thing in particular that should be a highlight is being able to utilize the brand-new Olympic Village Nursery with her son, Trey. Along with the International Olympic Committee and Pampers, Felix helped launch the nursery, which features a breastfeeding/lactation area, a diaper-changing area, and toys and books for kids to enjoy.
“I’m excited for moms competing in the Olympics,” Felix says. “We’ll have the Olympic Village Nursery also sponsored by Pampers there. I’m really looking forward to families to be able to take advantage of that.”
And just like the rest of us, she can't wait to watch the US Women's Olympic gymnastic team!
“I’ve been obsessed with gymnastics forever. My daughter, she’s being introduced to gymnastics, so we’re excited to go watch Simone,” Felix shares. “Yeah. Um, and of course all the track and field. Yes. That’s just kind of natural!”
Felix also just wants to offer encouragement to other moms competing in the 2024 Olympics — there are 16 on Team USA alone.
“Give yourself grace,” she says, encouraging the Olympian moms competing this year. “You’re showing up in a new way, but also [remember] that you’re capable, that you’re just as capable as you were before, and to embrace it and have fun.”
