Celine Bizet Dunhomme: Manchester United winger talks about balancing football and pregnancy

BBC Sport has contacted all WSL clubs about how they will use these rules to shape their maternity terms.

Manchester United have highlighted a “cultural change” with players getting everything they need to “make an informed decision” about whether they want to wait until their career is over before considering having children.

They said the measures they have put in place as well as regulations, including personalized plans for areas such as nutrition, psychosocial, wellbeing, physiotherapy and sleep, help “break down barriers” for expectant mothers.

For her part, Bizet Dunhomme praised United’s support, explaining that she also had “a lot of freedom” to spend time with her husband, who plays and lives in Toulouse, France.

But pelvic floor physical therapy surprised her.

“I had no idea what the pelvic floor was!” Acres, Bizet said. “But then when I got pregnant, the Manchester United doctor gave me a… [the physio] “It’s been a game-changer for me.”

Arsenal and West Ham pointed to how they built on rules to offer tailored support to pregnant players – including Swedish international Amanda Elstedt in the former and Katerina Juri among others in the latter – while Tottenham and Brighton spoke of how their maternity policy adheres to WSL, FIFA and FIfPro guidance.

As for Bizet Dunum, in addition to her joy at becoming a mother this year, she is also counting down the days until she can play football again.

“I’m so excited to be back,” she said. “It’s difficult when I watch matches and wish I could play.

“But I miss one season. After my career, will I look back and think: ‘Damn, I didn’t play this season’ or will I be happy to have a baby?”