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Double Down With The Derricos

Source: Photo courtesy of TLC / Photo courtesy of TLC

Karen and Deon Derricos have 14 children. Yes, you read that right. Karen, the matriarch of the Derricos family, gave birth to four sets of naturally conceived multiples and singletons. We get a glimpse into the daily lives of the Derricos tribe every week on TLC’s Doubling Down with the Derricos. This season, we watch Karen and Deon admit heir son Diez into the hospital, where he undergoes skull reshaping surgery. We also learn Karen suffered a miscarriage. Despite the heartbreaking experience, Karen constantly thanks God for her children on earth and, Carter, her unborn child who she said is “now in heaven.” She equally praises her body for its strength and uses affirmations to remind herself to be kind to the vessel that allowed her bear so many children.

“A lot of women, we all are hard on our bodies,” Karen said in a quick chat. Without even having children. We have this this made up way of, ‘a person’s body is supposed to, you know, be, you know, pristine – clear skin, no stretch marks, nothing. It’s even more added pressure. This body has blessed me to have a healthy baby. It has blessed me to nurse that baby by providing breast milk. So why am I beating up this beautiful body that has blessed me with such a gift?”

Like many women, Karen struggled with skin blemishes during her pregnancy due to increased progesterone during the first trimester. She decided to love on herself through kind words.

“I say body affirmations to myself, ‘You are beautiful. You helped me to give birth to 15 beautiful children, one being Carter. Um, that’s in heaven. And I just can’t, I can’t, I can’t allow myself to be my own worst critic in this. I have to embrace what my body has allowed me to do.

So how does a woman with such a large family find time for herself? Groupon.

“I get on Groupon and try to find the best massage places. I love shopping, getting out, the small things, you know? A massage, shopping, just going out for a few minutes and walking around the neighborhood. Those things definitely helped me with my mind and then trying to set up a decent bedtime for myself. Whatever I have not accomplished before 10:30pm will not be accomplished that day. So those are things that I love to do that make me say, ‘Ok, I am still in tune with myself. Awesome.”

Catch up with the Derricos every Tuesday night (10 p.m. ET) on TLC.

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