During the international break, Chelsea Women midfielder Melanie Leupolz sat down to discuss her pregnancy, the overwhelming support she has received and returning to football, where she has become a role model for balancing a career with starting a family.
After giving birth last October, the 28-year-old returned to the first-team environment during our winter training camp in Spain. She was back on the pitch during the 3-2 victory over Liverpool in the Women’s FA Cup fourth round last month, coming on as a second-half substitute at Kingsmeadow.
In March 2022, having not featured for the Blues since the previous December, Leupolz announced her pregnancy. Delivering the news came with some apprehension however, the German was delighted with the response she received.
‘The reaction was positive,’ Leupolz said. ‘I hadn’t expected that because it’s professional football. It was clear that I had to be out for some months, but the whole club was just happy for me. The reaction was really positive from Emma, Paul, and the team which was really nice.’
There has been overwhelming support for Leupolz and she speaks highly of the individuals who played an integral role in guiding her through the pregnancy. She highlights the influence of a pelvic floor specialist and the benefits of this for athletes wanting to return to action after they have given birth.
‘I was able to train until April and then I left to go to Germany because I wanted to give birth there,' the midfielder explained. 'We had a group with Georgie (Bruinvels), Laura (Bettinelli) and Chelsea were looking for a pelvic floor specialist because Emma knows how important it is, especially for athletes who want to compete again.
‘They contacted Emma Brockwell and she is outstanding. She is so good at her job and she was also part of this group. We had catch-ups every two weeks to discuss the current stage, what I can do, what I shouldn’t do, and just to keep in touch. This helped me to perform sports on a high level until the end of my pregnancy, but even more when I gave birth and wanted to come back.
‘It was really helpful. Emma, the pelvic floor specialist, flew to Germany to see me and the club were arranging that, which was phenomenal. She would fly to see me and then fly back in the evening so we could train on point, not lose any time and use the time as good as possible when I was in Germany.’
The baby has become a new member of the team, adored by players and staff alike. Leupolz states that her positive experience should be the norm, but highlights cases which show more needs to be done to support female athletes who want to start a family.
‘I heard the story of Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir who now plays for Juventus, she didn’t get any support at all,' added Mel. 'It’s completely different for me. They are always happy when I bring the baby, in fact they complain if I don’t bring the baby!
‘The club are really supportive. I was in the training camp in Spain, I was able to bring the nanny and the baby. It should be normal, but it isn’t. Chelsea are supporting a lot, not just financially but also the facilities and conditions they give us.’
Career and family should go hand-in-hand and Leupolz believes attitudes on the subject have to change for the better. She has become an iconic female athlete in her own right, proving that with proper support and investment it should be normal for women to have children during their careers.
‘Firstly, it’s the mindset of the club and the people,' said Leupolz. 'It should be normal that women get pregnant and they play football again afterwards. If FIFA introduced a new rule around how many weeks before and after the pregnancy you should get the money? To be honest, the support of Chelsea was much better.
‘This is something that other clubs should consider because otherwise you lose a player. Of course, they are out for some months, but you can see that players come back and perform on a high level, like Alex Morgan for instance. There should be an idol for other women and clubs to show that if you invest in women who want to get pregnant and support them, this should be normal.’
Having started the year by signing a contract extension, before returning to action against Liverpool in the FA Cup last month, Leupolz was delighted at the reception she received and has a wider message for women in sport.
‘I used the slogan, "My Journey Continues". I think this fits really well because having a baby doesn’t have to be the end of your career,' added Mel. 'It’s nice to show other people, other women in football, that you can do both. I know other players have already done it, but it’s a nice message to show that you can have your career and your family together.’
Leupolz's journey will now continue as Chelsea Women get back in action, attempting to win silverware in four different competitions between now and the end of the season.
That starts in the FA Cup fifth round against Arsenal on Sunday followed by facing the same opponents in the Continental League Cup final a week later. In addition to our WSL campaign, attention then turns to the Women's Champions League and our quarter-final tie with holders Lyon next month, the second leg to be played at Stamford Bridge on Thursday 30 March.