Now 10 months since I gave birth, I can say my surfing is at the level it was before pregancy. I can go down the line and attempt the odd turn again!
I've been fortunate to go surfing 2 to 3 times a week for about an hour each time, and I've done the odd 10 minute workout involving squats, chinups and pushups whilst baby naps.
When Autumn came and days became shorter, I could no longer count on my husband to surf after work. He found it stressful to make time so we could both surf, so I had to find another way.
We met a couple of women that we trusted to look after our son whilst I surfed. One through a baby group, and the other through my husband's work partner, I'd pay them £15 for an hour and a half, so I could get to the beach, surf for an hour, come back and get out of my wetsuit. I'd get into my wetsuit before our babysitter arrived and get out of it very quickly at my front door, so I could be there for our son when I walked through the door. I'd run down to the beach so I had more time in the water. Running back I found a lot harder as I was tired so I usually walked!
Surprisingly, I felt my body had recovered quickly. I wondered if breastfeeding was making me more tired, and effecting my athletic ability. However, I read that Paralympic athlete, Sarah Storey found that breastfeeding provided a psychological boost to her career. Since then, I've had it in my mind that my body is just as strong and capable as it was before, if not more so..
My main battle to improving my surfing was the same as it has always been, believing in myself and overcoming the doubts in my mind.
However, paying for a babysitter is still pricey and sometimes we'd ask for their help so my husband and I could surf together. To save money, there had to be another way. I live in a surfing town, so there must be other mums that feel the same way. How to find them?
I went to baby groups and baby yoga classes, and asked other mums what they did for fitness and if they were surfers. Soon enough, I found a handful of women that were interested in baby swaps to go surfing. I then created a WhatsApp group. Over the warmer months, one mum could carry a baby in the carrier and one in the buggy, and go along the beach or about town. I got a second-hand three-wheeler, sand-friendly double buggy (Phil and Teds Explorer) from Facebook Market place just for our swaps! On the beach they could always call you if they needed you. A couple of partners kindly took both babies so two of us mums could surf together. It still took time to build trust when leaving your baby with another mum. Over the colder months, we did the swaps at home so one mum would look after both babies whilst the other surfed, then we'd swap. This worked out most of the time quite smoothly, although on a couple of occasions, both babies would get upset at the same time and it became tricky! A taster to having twins!!!
The most beautiful thing about the swaps was how we could support each other so we could both do the thing we loved. It is so empowering and our babies are having fun making friends too!
