The NWSL has a record number of active mothers rostered, 28, this season. The figure represents a shift in support and understanding around pregnancy, postpartum and parenting. The Athletic explores these topics and more in a series devoted to motherhood and soccer. North Carolina Courage goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan asks her press officer to pass the milk. It is for her daughter, Sky, who is with her in a hospitality box, contently studying her surroundings, which overlook the pitch on which Sheridan plays.It is not usual for the toddler to accompany her mother to work, but today Sheridan’s partner, Dom, is at a wedding, So Sky earns the title as The Athletic’s youngest interviewee, which is fitting given she is the reason for the meeting.Motherhood, and its career impact, can be complex for any athlete, but there are further considerations for those in same-sex couples. The Athletic asked four players from across the world to share their fertility journeys and the choices made along the way, of which there were plenty: who would carry the child or provide the egg; the type of fertility treatment to undertake; and how they would pay for it all. Some couples used licensed fertility clinics and sperm banks, others found donors via apps or friends. All had to work out whether they could afford it — and consider the impact on their soccer careers. In different countries, each with differing regulations, each found a way to build their family.