{"id":21709,"date":"2023-12-11T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-11T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/?post_type=article&p=21709"},"modified":"2025-12-15T05:11:05","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T05:11:05","slug":"athletes-should-not-feel-they-have-to-delay-motherhood","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/athletes-should-not-feel-they-have-to-delay-motherhood\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Athletes Should Not Feel they Have to Delay Motherhood\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\n 11 Dec 2023 <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>Articles<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

\u2018Athletes Should Not Feel they Have to Delay Motherhood\u2019 <\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Category<\/div>\n Human Performance<\/a>, Leadership & Culture<\/a> <\/div>\n
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The recent Women\u2019s Sport Breakfast highlighted advances in the understanding of post-partum parenthood, the company policies that provide support, and opportunities to return to competition.<\/p>\n \n \n \n

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By Rachel Woodland<\/h6>\n
The days of female athletes compromising their careers and prospects of motherhood \u2013 or both \u2013 are increasingly being consigned to the past.<\/h6>\n

The Women\u2019s Sport Breakfast at November\u2019s Leaders Sport Performance Summit in London brought together a panel of guests well-versed in the historical experience of women working in elite sport and the choices that were often forced upon them when it came to the most personal of decisions.<\/p>\n

Moderator Claire-Marie Roberts, a chartered psychologist who serves as the Head of Elite Development at the English Premier League, was joined onstage at the Kia Oval by Ros Cooke, a physiotherapist specialising in pelvic health who works with the UK Sports Institute and MSK Physiotherapy; Sarah Evans, a new mother, current Leaders employee, and former GB Hockey player who now represents Surbiton Hockey Club; and Lauren Forrow, the Head of Operations at GB Cycling, who is expecting her first child in the New Year.<\/p>\n

For three quarters of an hour they explored parenthood, policies and return-to-play protocols in front of an audience of coaches and practitioners drawn from across the globe.<\/p>\n

There was pride in what has been achieved thus far, and lessons learned in the process, but there is still a long way to go for the vast majority of sports. In fact, no one can rest on their laurels \u2013 everyone can continue to learn and do better.<\/p>\n

Policies and guidance<\/strong><\/p>\n

In reflecting upon her time as an international player, Evans never felt she had the option of having a child and maintaining a place in the Great Britain squad \u2013 a situation perpetuated by a lack of role models. Several years later, she understands the importance of taking it slowly, looking after her pelvic health, and not expecting an immediate bounce back. Evans, who was accompanied onstage by her baby daughter, said her body has changed having been through a trauma, but she\u2019s focusing on celebrating her body\u2019s ability to grow and sustain life rather than being frustrated by it. She\u2019s conscious that she has a good support system and has invested in the services of a pelvic health expert. Hockey, as she put it, lets her have something for herself and control her identity, as well as be a role model to her daughter.<\/p>\n

The improved environment, even during the course of just one individual\u2019s career, is noteworthy. Cooke explained the importance of the likes of UK Sport, the RFU [Rugby Football Union] and FIFPRO, football’s global players’ union, publishing their guidance and policies on maternity, especially in the post-partum period.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s uplifting to see sport moving to a more open dialogue and recognising that it\u2019s not one-size-fits-all. Not only do different sports need different things, and have different funding pools, but each individual is affected in different ways too. The importance of this work has grown as we see an increasing trend for athletes to not delay motherhood, supported by such policies and guidance.<\/p>\n

Help people to better understand being a parent<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cooke also reflected on her biggest learnings from working with athletes pre- and post-partum. Firstly, everyone needs space to understand their new role as a parent \u2013 this applies to men too. Secondly, where there is a lack of evidence, because people have been nervous to conduct research with pregnant people, this causes cognitive dissonance with athletes who crave certainty and timelines.<\/p>\n

She highlighted how we\u2019ve set ourselves up to expect what isn\u2019t necessarily best for our bodies. There has typically been judgement of how quickly people return to sport, and celebrations of quick returns, but what is best for the long-term health of the body?<\/p>\n

With her athletes, Cooke aims to share information on the risks of quick return, but in a supportive way. She is also working to integrate pelvic health support with all athletes and colleagues, making it more normal to do so. There\u2019s an opportunity for people to gain so much from the experience of becoming a parent and it\u2019s important to look after anyone going through this change. Cooke emphasised the importance of pelvic health as a normal bodily function for everyone, supporting sexual health, urination, and defecation; and she sees this being an area that will increase in importance for men too. It also has an impact, she added, on performance and plays a key role in how our bodies transmit force through the pelvic area. Not only that, but sub-optimal physical health can impact mental health and cause anxiety and depression, as well as impact social interactions.<\/p>\n

Change the language around returning<\/strong><\/p>\n

Forrow revealed that GB Cycling approve of the guidance provided by UK Sport and can point to five riders who have returned to racing having given birth. She added that the behaviours illustrated within the guidance have been fundamental in establishing an athlete\u2019s preferences upon their return. Forrow said that it\u2019s important for practitioners to ask positive questions to help them better understand each individual\u2019s experiences.<\/p>\n

The team have worked on changing the language around returning, focusing not just on performance plans and structures, but on a happy, healthy mum and baby, as well as remembering the joys of riding. They talk about \u2018exercise\u2019 rather than \u2018load\u2019 or \u2018training\u2019, and refer to \u2018milestones\u2019 not \u2018dates\u2019 \u2013 it\u2019s a process they hope will alleviate pressure.<\/p>\n

Forrow sits on the senior leadership team [SLT] at GB Cycling and has witnessed the influence of the guidance at first hand, both as a leader and as an expectant mother herself. As she explained, it has been empowering for Forrow, learning so much about her body, and sharing that knowledge in a workplace sense, whilst hearing from others. People are GB Cycling\u2019s first competitive advantage so helping people in every way will only increase that. It is also worth noting that GB Cycling have extended paternity leave.<\/p>\n

Forrow\u2019s first six months as an expectant mother were tough, so having the SLT role-model the value of well-being was powerful. In her case, this played out around the UCI Cycling World Championships, which took place in Glasgow in August. Her usual field-of-play role wasn\u2019t possible, but where the team value and focus on staff development, the team told her \u201cwe got this\u201d and the values and culture of GB Cycling allowed mum and baby to be put first.<\/p>\n

There remains much work to be done and Forrow hopes that current statistics will change. At present, 80 percent of people don\u2019t return to full-time work, 20 percent don\u2019t return at all, 50 percent return to admin roles even if they were previously in a position of management.<\/p>\n

Whilst personal preference is OK, hopefully the stats will tell a different story in the future.<\/p>\n

Ask \u2013 don\u2019t just assume<\/strong><\/p>\n

Roberts worked with an Olympic committee over ten years ago. At this time, athletes tried to meticulously plan and align their pregnancies with Olympic cycles, or to combine them with an injury. There were high levels of expectation, increased stereotyping, and high levels of pressure around how they felt they should approach pregnancy.<\/p>\n

A decade later, Roberts\u2019 topline advice for expecting mothers and those supporting them is to abandon expectations, put each individual at the centre, consult heavily, provide support in line with those consultants, be flexible, and help with changing mindsets to not having much certainty.<\/p>\n

It remains a gamble and a risk to conceive during a career. However, whilst athletes previously delayed the choice as their organisations couldn\u2019t provide the support, they can now return to the same level, and in some cases, even increase their levels of performance.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, expectations can be detrimental, and some women can\u2019t return to the same level. Therefore it is imperative that we respect, support, and neither stereotype people nor make assumptions about them.<\/p>\n

Seven practices we need to see more often:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Physiotherapists need to better understand transitions and movements between performance levels and life stages. For example, as an athlete starts their menstrual cycle, then performing with a consistent, healthy menstrual cycle, then when pregnant and post-partum, as well as during the transition to peri-menopausal and menopausal. It is also key to help athletes maintain performance levels as their hormones change too.<\/li>\n
  2. Conversations with athletes. They know they can speak with no judgement or pressure. These conversations might happen with staff other than physios too.<\/li>\n
  3. Support and guidance for pregnant people, not just return-to-work or play.<\/li>\n
  4. Sharing of best practice.<\/li>\n
  5. People planning.<\/li>\n
  6. Support for unsuccessful pregnancies and baby loss.<\/li>\n
  7. Support for each individual so that there is elevation of diversity and a variety of support offered.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n
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