You come back different': how rugby players change after motherhood

England's Women's Six Nations team will be without Zoe Stratford, Lark Atkin-Davies, and Rosie Galligan as they prepare for motherhood. Kelsey Gentles, a rugby league player, emphasizes the importance of embracing the changes that come with childbirth. After giving birth, Gentles returned to the sport as a different player, facing challenges like weight gain and physical limitations. She had to adapt to a new playing position and cope with shifting priorities. Charlotte Caslick also anticipates challenges returning to elite sevens after childbirth.

"Kelsey Gentles, who returned to rugby league after giving birth, stated, 'Pregnancy isn't easy. Every woman and her body reacts differently. I gained a lot of weight and was breastfeeding. I got really extreme morning sickness and a pelvic problem towards the end, so I could barely walk.'"

"'I could no longer play on the wing. My body had changed, so I had to learn a whole new position. I was learning how to operate as a forward... mentally, the person you are pre-baby and the person you are when you come back is very different.'"

"'That was a difficult pill to swallow, not just for me, but for a lot of people around me as well. My priorities had shifted.'"

Read at www.theguardian.com