'trailblazer' Blundell Wants To Inspire Other Mothers

Manchester United defender Hannah Blundell says she feels for illustration a "trailblazer" aft making her return 7 months aft giving commencement and has encouraged much sportswomen to travel her lead.

The 31-year-old came connected arsenic a substitute during her side's 3-2 Women's Super League (WSL) triumph astatine Brighton past week, making her nan first Manchester United subordinate successful nan master era to play aft giving birth.

Blundell delivered her girl Romi by caesarean conception connected 31 March and her return 7 months later came 533 days aft her erstwhile appearance.

In an question and reply pinch BBC Radio 5 Live, Blundell said she is adjusting to being a "trailblazer" but wants her acquisition to animate different sportswomen.

"It's benignant of a caller section for maine but thing that I'm really happy to beryllium a portion of - thing I really want to push that much women do successful nan game, and that they travel backmost and are still capable to play football," said Blundell.

"Because yes, shot is simply a short profession but besides having a family is thing that a batch of group want to do, and they shouldn't not person to do it because of playing football.

"Thankfully we are getting to a shape wherever much women are having children and past getting backmost into nan game, which is beautiful to see."

Blundell, who joined from Chelsea successful 2021, was a regular starter for Manchester United successful her first 3 seasons and was a starter arsenic nan nine lifted their first FA Cup successful May 2024.

Four months later United announced she was pregnant pinch her first child, and Blundell says astatine times she wondered whether she would beryllium nan aforesaid jock connected her return.

"I was benignant of for illustration 'what if I don't travel backmost arsenic nan aforesaid player? What if my assemblage doesn't respond positively to having a baby?'" said Blundell.

"But I deliberation women's bodies are incredible. What our bodies tin spell done and bounce backmost I deliberation is amazing, and I deliberation should beryllium shown a batch more."

Blundell started building her fittingness again successful July, earlier making appearances for United's under-21s successful September.

She made nan matchday squad against Chelsea connected 3 October and remained an unused substitute against Valerenga, Everton and Atletico Madrid past period earlier yet making her comeback against Brighton.

Blundell hopes her travel from gestation to returning to first-team shot will thief animate a organization which will make it easier for women to travel a akin path.

"I conscionable dream group look astatine it and deliberation 'I tin do that'. And it doesn't extremity them and gives them a interest - it's benignant of for illustration nan much group do it," said Blundell.

"I besides dream it builds a organization wrong different sports - that we each travel together and benignant of build a pathway for women who person babies successful elite and semi-professional sport, aliases conscionable modular life. That we tin travel backmost and beryllium nan aforesaid subordinate we were, aliases moreover better."