After having multiple children, returning to scuba diving professionally felt daunting. I was nervous about how my body had changed, what my air consumption would be like, and whether my confidence would still be as strong as it once was. Diving had always been something I loved, but stepping back into that world after such a long break felt like starting all over again.
I still believed in my ability to be a good diver and instructor, but there was an underlying anxiety about performing at the level I once had after so much time away. I was also worried about how I would feel being away from my baby for any length of time, as we had been together constantly since birth.
I wanted to reconnect with my sense of self and the things I enjoyed, but I was also now a mum—and that, in itself, was a whole new identity which I was loving every moment of.
For years, I travelled the world in search of the best dives, working with various dive centres and projects and building incredible connections. I was keen to share this with my new family, so they could know me a little better and see the life I had lived before.
I was lucky enough to find a partner who shared my love of the ocean and water-based activities. My now husband learned to dive and sail, and it’s been wonderful to share those passions together. It’s not only something we enjoy recreationally, but also the foundation for the kind of adventures we now share as a family with our daughter.
Professionally, the idea of getting back into diving felt daunting because of the time demands. As a mum, I have to be extremely flexible, with so many little unknowns that can change the shape of my day. The morning routine is often unpredictable—your baby may not have slept properly, your children might be unwell and need a day off school or nursery, or they may have had vaccinations the day before and need a quiet day at home to recover. So many small factors make it difficult to work in the same way you did before and to commit to courses and schedules.
Research shows that many women return to physical activity relatively soon after having a baby, particularly if they were active beforehand. Around 30–70% return within the first 6 weeks, with more resuming activity between 7 and 12 weeks, although this doesn’t necessarily mean they are back to their previous level. For most, strength, fitness, and confidence continue to improve over several months, with a more complete return often taking around 3 to 9 months. At the same time, overall participation in sport tends to decrease after childbirth, and physical factors such as pelvic floor dysfunction—which affects roughly 1 in 3 postpartum women—can influence how and when they return. While these trends provide a general picture, they reflect overall exercise rather than any one specific activity like diving.
It is really key to add in here that alot of being able to return to your passions, let alone your normal routines is time sensitive. Not only do you now have a job to contend with, you have a human to raise. Those stats about women not returning to sports are mostly just to do with not having the time. Your priorities and commitments change.
I also think about where I was in my twenties, working on dive boats and in remote locations. As a person you change as you get older and not just because you’ve had kids. Now opting for a cup of tea in bed at 9 over heading to the local bar for a beer. That life can sometimes feel like a distant memory. There was a time and place for it and it was nice but now I am much more tired because Im older and that’s ok.
Diving for fun, being on boat where staff are going out of there way to give you a glorous day is a totally different situation to being that person who delivers that experience for guests. Dive teams work incredible hard to not only offer you exceptional dives but to do it safely and to have comfort when you return. The workload for the day is intensive. It is an industry that really requires physical strength, drive and motivation. To go home after a busy, active day be a super mum for another parent shift takes a certain type of person.
Getting back into diving in other ways is another potential. Dive shop staff, sales, working directly for PADI or SSI, training, consultancy, administration etc. So many possibilites to stay connected and current. The important thing is to never give up on staying in touch with your passions in whatever capacity you can and to the person you once were. Scuba and the love you have for it when you work to a professional level is a love story. You fall in love with feeling free in the water and exploring another World. It is like discovering space. You have worked incredible hard to get to a point where you have mastered the sport and you can share it with others and it is worth keeping hold of, wether you are still in the field or weather you keep it for yourself and share it with your family. Travel, learn more, share more, discover.
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