Team GB Paralympics archer, who went into labour with her first son at 28 weeks, will be at the same stage in her pregnancy again when she competes in Paris – but says after losing three babies she didn’t want ‘to hold off having my family’

A GB Paralympian has revealed she’ll be competing in the Paris Games while at the same stage of pregnancy that she went into labour at with her first son – and admitted she’s researched the nearest maternity units.  

Archery star Jodie Grinham, who was born in Wales but now lives in Crawley, will wear a heart monitor to ensure competing doesn’t stress her unborn baby while going for a medal in the women’s archery compound event – and has revealed that the pregnancy was carefully planned. 

The Paralympian was born with Brachysyndactyly, which means she has a shortened left arm, underdeveloped left shoulder and no fingers and half a thumb on her left hand. 

Later this month, Grinham, whose first child Christian was born in October 2022, has high hopes of a medal in France; she won silver in the compound mixed team event in Rio in 2016. 

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour earlier this week, Grinham, a mother-of-one, said losing three pregnancies had made her not want to wait to try again. 

She told presenter Nuala McGovern: ‘Believe it or not the pregnancy was planned, I think that’s the biggest shocks that people find. We made the decision that we wanted another baby and we weren’t going to let the Games stop us.’

Grinham continued: ‘You know we lost three [pregnancies], and we tried and it just wasn’t working for us. 

‘And we made the decision that for Paris we weren’t gonna go through that again and I don’t want to be in the position where the older I get I’m holding off having a family for my career. Why can’t I have both?’

Speaking on Woman’s Hour earlier this week, to journalist Nuala McGovern, Jodie Grinham said she didn’t want to put having a family on hold, saying Why can’t I have both? [a career and a family]’

The Paralympian said she had received great support in the run up to the Games and admitted she was clued up on local maternity units should her baby arrive early

The Paralympian said she hopes her selection for Great Britain will show women everywhere what is possible during pregnancy

It’s believed the stellar archer is the first Paralympian to compete at such a late stage in pregnancy. 

She said the couple made a decision to have a cut-off point for trying to get pregnant before the Paralympics because ‘I didn’t want to be at Paris in my first trimester’. 

Now, the Paralympian is set to compete in her second Games, but had researched local hospitals. 

She explained she’ll wear a monitor throughout to make sure her heart rate isn’t going too high, which could stress the baby. 

‘My first pregnancy was not a walk in the park, I was on bed rest, I was very, very poorly.

‘These are things that we’ve obviously had to think about in the precautions we’ve put in place. 

‘I know where the nearest maternity units are or hospitals, just in case.’

Speaking about how her body has changed and how it affects her approach to her sport, she said: ‘My belly is growing which means I need bigger and baggier tops. However, my shoulders aren’t at the same level of growth as my belly.’

She told the programme that she’s had to ‘adjust and wear a guard that pulls all the clothing in’.

Speaking about her medal hopes earlier this month, she said: ‘I would love to bring a medal back like I did in Rio. 

‘To get on the podium, not just for myself and the performances I’ve done, but for women to show you can compete while pregnant and do well.’