Program for Pregnancy and Postpartum Health, Physical Activity and Diabetes Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation, Women and Children's Health Research Institute, Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, 1-059 D Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Research Innovation, 8602-112 St, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.
Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Sports Med. 2023 Jan;53(1):269-279. doi: 10.1007/s40279-022-01730-y. Epub 2022 Jul 28.
A growing number of athletes return to elite sport following childbirth. Yet, they face significant barriers to do so safely and successfully. The experiences of elite athletes returning to sport following delivery are necessary to support evidence-informed policy.
The purpose of this qualitative description was to describe the experiences of elite athletes as they returned to sport following childbirth, and to identify actionable steps for research, policy and culture-change to support elite athlete mothers.
Eighteen elite athletes, primarily from North America, who had returned to sport following childbirth in the last 5 years were interviewed. Data were generated via one-on-one semi-structured interviews that were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed through a process of content analysis.
The findings of this study are represented by one overarching theme: Need for More Time, and five main themes: (a) Training "New Bodies" Postpartum, (b) Injuries and Safe Return to Sport, (c) Breastfeeding While Training, (d) Critical Supports for Return to Sport, (e) Navigating Motherhood and Sport. The athletes identified the urgent need to develop best-practice policies and funding to support return to sport, as well as develop evidence-based return-to-sport protocols to support a safe and injury-free return.
Athletes shared detailed stories highlighting the challenges, barriers and successes elite athletes experience returning to elite-level sport following childbirth. Participants provided clear recommendations for policy and research to better support the next generation of elite athlete mothers.
越来越多的运动员在分娩后重返精英运动。然而，他们在安全和成功重返运动方面面临着重大障碍。了解精英运动员在分娩后重返运动的经历，对于支持循证政策是必要的。
本定性描述的目的是描述精英运动员在分娩后重返运动的经历，并确定可采取行动的研究、政策和文化变革步骤，以支持精英运动员母亲。
18 名精英运动员，主要来自北美，他们在过去 5 年内分娩后重返运动，接受了采访。通过一对一的半结构化访谈收集数据，访谈内容被录音、逐字转录，并通过内容分析过程进行分析。
本研究的结果由一个总体主题和五个主要主题来代表：（a）产后“新身体”训练，（b）受伤和安全重返运动，（c）训练期间母乳喂养，（d）重返运动的关键支持，（e）母性和运动的协调。运动员们迫切需要制定最佳实践政策和资金，以支持重返运动，并制定基于证据的重返运动方案，以支持安全和无伤害的重返。
运动员们分享了详细的故事，强调了精英运动员在分娩后重返精英运动所面临的挑战、障碍和成功。参与者为政策和研究提供了明确的建议，以更好地支持下一代精英运动员母亲。
