Megan Valzonis continues her series on Motherhood in Sport with a reflection on the parallels between elite athletic training and preparing for birth. As an athlete, so much of my identity is tied to discipline, preparation, and performance. Now, pregnancy has added a new dimension—one that challenges me to think differently about strength and resilience.
One of the first things that comes to mind is labor—and how it mirrors the demands of professional sports. I haven’t experienced labor yet, but I believe the mental toughness developed through elite training will help carry me through.
Throughout both this pregnancy and my first, I’ve spoken to friends and healthcare providers about how birth excites me. It’s something I get to train for, in a different way, outside the competitive arena. Sport has taught me that we can do hard things—and that those challenges are often the most transformative.
