The motto of women today is they can have it all. Does this apply to the elite athlete who is also a mom? These top athletes have shared how they feel about working out after giving birth.
Amy Rodriguez (Soccer Player)
Amy is blunt about the difficulties she has faced, “It’s certainly not easy to bounce back after having a baby—I can say that firsthand.”
She’s back on top now but compares returning after pregnancy to returning after an injury! “I had relatively easy pregnancies and deliveries, but by no means was the post-partum easy. I had to completely retrain and get in shape from the ground up. I had never taken that much time off from my sport. My muscles were essentially gone (compared to what I had before) and I had to lose 35 pounds of baby weight.”
When asked what recommendations she have for new moms, sha replied: “Be prepared for the craziest, hardest roller-coaster of your life, but it will also be one of the proudest accomplishments you will have. I was fortunate to play for a great organisation and to have wonderful support around me (my husband and my family). Without them, I couldn’t have done it.”
Dana Vollmer (Swimmer)
Dana says she’s very content with the way things were after the birth, “I feel happier with my sport than I ever have.” She indicates that for her, things are in better balance now.
Nia Ali (Track And Field)
Nia says that having a baby has given her an advantage, “My mentality in training and competition has gotten leaps better.” Which is ideal for a hurdler like Nia.
Paula Radcliffe (Marathon Runner)
Paula says that she finds that being an athlete and a mom is a perfect combination because it gives her lots of time to spend with her kids. She certainly didn’t have any problems getting back to the top after becoming a mom.
Whether moms work in an office, fly helicopters, or run marathons for a living, it’s always an adjustment to return after having a baby. But whatever it “all” is, moms are no less capable than anyone else to have it.
