By: Hannah Scott
Motherhood is a blessing. A woman’s ability to give life to a child is one of the most beautiful aspects of human life. But bringing a child into this world is also a tough job. The pain a woman experiences during the nine months of her pregnancy and then the labor is an example of the unconditional love of a mother for her baby.
The pregnancy period is comparatively more challenging for working moms. They find managing pregnancy symptoms and work alongside tricky. Not only do women face physical discomfort, but they are also stereotyped for working less and not performing enough due to their condition. As a result, some women have discontinued their careers.
Women are also expected to resume normal activities after giving birth. However, continuing with life, especially for working moms, can be challenging. Conversely, Andrea Ross, a Hollywood stuntwoman and a mother, sets an example for other mothers in balancing work and motherhood.
Andrea was born in Ontario, London, and completed two degrees from The University of Calgary. She has been an athlete since the beginning of her education, embracing sports to transition from wrestler to coach and then stuntwoman in Hollywood.
However, life took a turn for Andrea when she got pregnant and gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Though she now knows the art of synchronizing her work and personal life, initially, it took some time to make things work.
Despite her efforts to bring a child into the world and care for the baby once born, a mother still feels guilty and not enough. Statistics show that only 27% of new mothers return to work after their maternity break, while others leave the job to look after their infants due to mother guilt.
Andrea also found navigating the new transition in her life challenging but leaving the life she built was not an option. Seven weeks postpartum, she returned to work to shoot the show Peacemakers, which featured John Cena. She knew one thing: if she could handle giving birth, then she could also direct her life to maintain work-life stability.
Though difficult but not impossible, Andrea started disciplining her routine. Self-discipline was never an issue since she had been an athlete her whole life.
As an outcome of her experience, Andrea recommends a mindset shift. Instead of choosing between career and motherhood, one should practice a mindset that balances both.
While addressing the new mother’s challenges, she advised, “See, as women, we already play too many roles, so why can’t I be both a stuntwoman and a mother? For me, it’s all about the balance. At home, I am a mother who cooks, cleans, and plays with her child, and at work, I am a strong stuntwoman who shoots action scenes. I used to question myself initially, too, but I am so grateful to have a family and a career. It seems overwhelming, but it is all in our heads; once we make things work, they always do work.”
She also suggests that new mothers seek help whenever needed and come out of their shells of trying to be perfect mothers because they are human, too. And it is okay to take a break at times.
Andrea advises new mothers to connect with other working moms, too. It helps them seek insights on managing work-life balance and allows them to resonate with them and not feel alone and unheard.
This way, Andrea resumed her career as a stuntwoman and started her own business, building Live Your Fierce Coaching to help women worldwide balance their lives and enjoy it.
Here, she offers online courses that include physical activities promoting movement and exercise among women of any age, body type, and physical conditions (postpartum, injuries, etc.). She also offers motivational speaking to keep her clients inspired, resonated with, and included throughout their fitness journey.
To sum up, the duality of roles is an issue faced by working women worldwide who strive to balance life. Andrea’s narrative and dedication inspire all the women struggling to balance their professional and personal lives. They are guided to embrace these challenges wholeheartedly and navigate their path with confidence and self-assurance that they can be everything they want.
Published by: Holy Minoza
