'I didn't know how to find myself again after childbirth... then I discovered pole dancing'

For Bailey and Gracie, pole is so much more than just a sport. For both mums, it was the "greatest gift" they could give themselves while caring for young children and navigating motherhood. 

"Pole dancing is more than just a sport. It’s also had a hugely positive impact on my confidence within myself and my body after childbirth," says Bailey Hart, one of the talented contenders in the upcoming Pole Icon championship.

Fellow competitor and mum Gracie Demos shares this experience, saying she used pole to grow into a “stronger version” of herself after the difficult birth of her daughter.

In spite of what many people might think, she believes that “pole and motherhood go beautifully hand in hand.”

In an exclusive interview with Kidspot, Bailey and Gracie open up about their shared love of the sport as well as how it helped them both find themselves again after motherhood.

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Image: Instagram and Coco Film & Photography.

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Bailey: ‘Getting into pole was the greatest gift I could give myself’

Bailey Hart's journey into pole dancing began as soon as she turned 18, with a desire to try something completely different to what she knew.

As a former dancer, the Townsville local was drawn to the sport for its uniqueness and the inclusive community that embraced all body types.

"Pole felt like a departure from what I was used to in dance," Bailey explains. "It was different to the kind of movement I had been a part of, the people were so incredibly inviting and all bodies were celebrated.”

And after she stepped foot into a studio for the first time, she was hooked. For Bailey, pole dancing not only transformed her fitness but revolutionised her relationship with herself and her body too.

“It's helped me focus more on what I can do with my body, rather than how it looks,” says Bailey.

“I think it’s very important to talk about how motherhood can take a huge toll on your relationship with your body. 

“When you have a little human to take care of we all know you forget to take care of yourself, so getting into pole and eventually opening my own studio was the greatest gift I could have given myself to allow myself the space to start gaining that confidence back.”

She says that the confidence the sport gives you doesn’t come by striving for physical perfection, but rather in a newfound appreciation for the body you already have - “one that grew that little human.”

She adds, “Birthing bodies are powerful and even though the road back to feeling all the confidence I had before was hard, I’m proud to say that pole dance was the key to finding it again.”

Image: Supplied

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Gracie: ‘I didn’t know how to find myself again after childbirth’

Gracie Demos had a similar journey - from former dancer to pole dancer. She was attracted by the sensual style of the movement as well as the “feminine energy” in the classes. 

As a professional dancer, the Melbournian also wanted to expand her skillset and broaden her job prospects. However, she quickly realised that it offered much more than she had anticipated. 

Gracie's devotion to the sport intensified and she eventually became a professional pole dancer. But after her traumatic emergency c-section, she said she “couldn’t imagine ever training like an athlete or feeling sexy again.”

“I would look at videos of myself and think, ‘Is that actually ME?’, I just felt like I don’t even know how to start becoming her again,” recalls Gracie.

But as she began to heal, she said her perspective changed and she found that she no longer aspired to ‘be’ her former self, but rather a newer version. “I was choosing to be strong again,” she says.

“A big part of that was re-engaging with my pole dancing but focusing less on the skill side and more on the feminine and creative side whilst regaining my fitness,” she says. 

At first, she felt, “sheepish, stiff and awkward,” but had to keep reminding herself what she'd been through. She then committed herself to just doing a little bit over time and rediscovered her ability to “be sexy, to be inspiring and to be powerful.” 

“It just so happens that all these things go perfectly with being a mum,” she points out. 

Watch Bailey and Gracie battle it out alongside 18 other pole dancers from around Australia on June 24th at Luna Park in Sydney. 

You can find out more information on the website here and get tickets here. 

Originally published as 'I didn't know how to find myself again after childbirth... then I discovered pole dancing'