Claire Emslie returns to Scotland squad six months after giving birth
Scotland forward Claire Emslie has returned to international football just six months after the birth of her son as she targets the upcoming World Cup finals in Brazil.
The 32-year-old started in Melissa Andreatta’s side during their emphatic 6-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Israel in Budapest last Friday.
Now, the Los Angeles-based attacker is preparing to face Israel again on Tuesday as the national team aims to hold off Belgium and finish top of Group B4.
Her rapid return to the pitch completes a remarkable turnaround that began when her waters broke unexpectedly during a workout session.
A surprise arrival ahead of schedule
“Through my whole pregnancy, my club were brilliant,” Emslie told BBC Scotland.
“My body was able to do so much more than we expected and I could train right up to the day I gave birth.”
The Scottish international explained that she was exercising when her son Jamie decided to make a sudden appearance two weeks ahead of his late-December due date.
“My water broke in the gym. I was doing an exercise and as I stepped back, I felt it and I was like, ‘oh man, here we go’.”
Patience through physical rehabilitation
Following a Caesarean section, the experienced professional had to exercise patience before resuming elite-level physical activity.
“Three weeks later, I started with pelvic floor physio,” she added.
“My main recovery was getting my abs back together. Everything else was intact and it was just getting the abs back together and allowing my body time to recover.”
By mid-January, the versatile winger was already back in light training.
Returning to the global stage
She subsequently made her club comeback on Mother’s Day in the United States, stepping onto the pitch for Angel City on May 10.
Now fully integrated back into the national setup, she is laser-focused on securing qualification for the showcase tournament in South America.
- Match: Israel v Scotland (Women’s World Cup qualifier)
- Venue: Bozsik Arena, Budapest
- Date: Tuesday, 9 June 18:00 BST