Justine Vanhaevermaet on pregnancy and playing at the World Cup
Crystal Palace Women's midfielder Justine Vanhaevermaet recently spoke about her pregnancy journey as well as the prospect of playing at the FIFA Women's World Cup next year.
Vanhaevermaet recently sat down with Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws to discuss her recent pregnancy announcement, how she has been supported, and the World Cup next year in Brazil.
She became the second Palace player to announce their pregnancy their year, after Josie Green's earlier announcement in January.
Vanhaevermaet spoke about the reaction she received when she told her teammates.
She said: "The reactions were beautiful.
"My partner Thomas (De Jonghe, who formerly worked as a physio for Club Brugge) and I are a bit overwhelmed by all the congratulations we’ve received, including on social media.
“Everyone is thrilled and very curious. We get a lot of questions - 'How is it going? What happens now? Are you still allowed to train?'
"I enjoy sharing those things. I’m even considering doing that on Instagram, to show that you can indeed still play football while pregnant.”
She spoke about the earlier stages of her pregnancy and how well she has been supported by the team at Palace.
“I am being brilliantly guided at Crystal Palace, just as I am by the national team doctors.
"In addition to our own physio at the club, who already has a lot of knowledge on the subject, I can also call on an external physio who specialises in pregnancy guidance.
"That guidance gives me peace of mind and the certainty that what I am doing is safe.
"What I have always emphasised is that I am pregnant, and not injured," Vanhaevermaet said.
It's why Palace's number 18 didn't worry when she was still playing matches in the first twelve weeks of her pregnancy.
She said: “I was told there was little risk because the embryo was still in the pelvic cavity at that time, so little could happen, even if I got kicked or fell on the ground.
“If there had been any risk, I obviously wouldn't have done it, because the health and development of our baby come first.
"Once I was on the pitch, I didn't really think about it anymore. And just as well, otherwise I might have played with the handbrake on.”
Vanhaevermaet will now miss the remainder of Palace's 25/26 season, and will likely not participate in the remainder of Belgium's World Cup qualifying campaign.
This doesn't stop her from dreaming about participating in what would be a first-ever World Cup for the Red Flames in Brazil next summer.
Vanhaevermaet is just three caps away from being Belgium Women's tenth-most capped player ever, currently held by Femke Maes with 85 appearances.
She said: “The World Cup is absolutely a dream. I would love to be there. Hopefully, I’ll be fit enough and ready to go.
"Fortunately, there are plenty of examples of players who returned to the top level after their pregnancy. I really see that as a challenge.”