MODERN FAMILY
SIX weeks after giving birth to my children it was a major achievement if I made it to the corner shop at the end of the street for a pint of milk before lunchtime.
The local shopkeeper would applaud my entrance if I got out in one piece, dressed and complete with baby, pram and change of clothes (always better to be prepared!).
Despite taking multiple exams, getting a degree and starting a career, being able to get out of the house with a tiny baby proved almost impossible in those early days of motherhood.
It is one of the many things they don’t prepare you for in those cosy antenatal classes as you caress your bump and dream of how peaceful and serene it is going to be.
In fact no matter how many courses you take or books you read, nothing prepares you for the reality of those first few weeks after the birth.
I have to admit the adjustment first time around after having one child and subsequently coping with two young children, was a struggle.
So I take my hat off to brilliant footballer Helen Ward, who has not only managed to get out of the door, but made it all the way to Russia for an international football match.
And not to watch it, actually in the hope of playing in it.
This week saw the 31-year-old’s return to international duty for the Wales women’s squad – less than seven weeks after giving birth to her second child.
The proud mum, who already has a three-year-old daughter Emily, joined the squad in Russia and is crediting a one-and-a-half-hour delivery and the fact baby Jack came early as factors in her successful fight back to fitness.
It was not all easy, and Helen made sure she got expert advice on fitness and exercise throughout her pregnancy and in the weeks since.
She did go to the gym, but only after speaking to the “right people” and getting the “right advice”.
Helen is not the first woman to go back to work so soon after giving birth. Actress Cate Blanchett addressed a summit one week after giving birth to her third son. Rachida Dati, a former minister in the French cabinet, returned to parliament, in heels, five days after a Caesarean section.
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer took just two weeks off after the birth of her first baby, although she did take 16 weeks when a year later she had twins.
Every mum is different, and whether you go back straight away, or leave it as long as you can, there is no right or wrong.
What is important is that you listen to your body, know your limitations and understand how far you can push it – whether it is getting to the end of the street or travelling hundreds of miles to realise your dreams.