Being For Real About Motherhood

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Being For Real About Motherhood"

Episode Title: Being For Real About Motherhood
Hosts: Sydney Leroux & Ali Riley
Release Date: May 12, 2025
Podcast: BFFR with Sydney Leroux & Ali Riley

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Introduction

In this heartfelt Mother's Day episode of BFFR, hosts Sydney Leroux and Ali Riley delve deep into the multifaceted journey of motherhood. Balancing their professional soccer careers with parenting, Sydney and Ali offer an authentic look into the challenges and triumphs they face both on and off the field.

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Honoring Motherhood and Personal Affirmations

The episode opens with Sydney emphasizing the importance of peace in her life:

Sydney Leroux (00:52): "Our peace is non negotiable."

Ali reciprocates with gratitude and shared experiences of celebrating Mother's Day, highlighting the strong familial bonds and playful dynamics within their households.

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Balancing Motherhood and Professional Life

Sydney shares her rigorous daily routine as a mother-athlete, illustrating the delicate balance between training, family time, and personal well-being:

Sydney Leroux (09:21): "I wake up at like 5:36. I have my little time in the morning. But Cassius also likes to wake up early so he gets to have some mommy time."

She candidly discusses the chaos of managing two children while maintaining her athletic commitments, providing listeners with an authentic glimpse into her life:

Sydney Leroux (22:06): "I was like, two were in diapers. I was traveling with both of them on the road, and I was like, what the fuck am I doing? Like, this is crazy."

Despite the hectic schedule, both hosts emphasize the unwavering love and dedication they have for their children, showcasing the resilience required to juggle motherhood with a demanding sports career.

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Parenting Styles and Gentle Parenting Phenomenon

The conversation shifts to parenting philosophies, where Sydney addresses the concept of gentle parenting. She clarifies her approach, distinguishing it from purely permissive parenting:

Sydney Leroux (15:11): "I'm a gentle parent in the sense that, like, I don't spank, yell, but I'm not a gentle parent. What I say is what it is. And when I say no, I mean no."

Both hosts agree on the importance of setting boundaries while maintaining a nurturing environment, highlighting the balance between authority and affection in their parenting styles.

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Fertility, IVF, and Family Planning

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to discussing fertility challenges and the emotional journey of IVF and embryo freezing. Ali opens up about her personal experience:

Ali Riley (17:23): "How did you know you were ready to be a mom?"

Sydney Leroux (17:49): "I wasn't. I absolutely wasn't. I'm still not ready. I'm still not ready. I'm learning as we go."

Sydney shares her poignant story of losing a pregnancy early on and the subsequent challenges she faced while planning for her second child, Rue:

Sydney Leroux (18:09): "I was, like, this is probably the hardest thing that you can go through, but I got pregnant with Rue really, like, fast."

Ali and Sydney discuss the unpredictability of fertility and the importance of support systems in navigating the complexities of family planning as professional athletes.

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Impact of Parenthood on Athletic Careers

The hosts reflect on how motherhood has influenced their careers and personal lives. Sydney recounts the initial backlash and challenges she faced upon returning to soccer post-pregnancy:

Sydney Leroux (20:05): "I don't feel like I was. When I was first, like, doing things like, the comments were awful."

However, she notes a positive shift in public perception, allowing her to embrace her pregnancy while continuing to perform at her best:

Sydney Leroux (20:14): "Now I feel like people aren't so up their ass and they are able to, like, do their pregnancy how they want to. As long as you're being safe within, like, your own boundaries. Yeah, do it."

Ali adds her perspective on the evolving landscape of women's sports, emphasizing the need for increased conversations around fertility and family planning to support athlete-mothers effectively.

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Parent-Child Relationships and Daily Interactions

Sydney and Ali share heartwarming anecdotes about their interactions with their children, shedding light on the joys and occasional frustrations of parenting:

Sydney Leroux (07:05): "The love that I have for these human beings and the love that they have for me. Like, there's no question that they love me so much, and there's no question that they know I love them so much."

They discuss the playful competitions between their children, the challenges of ensuring personal space, and the continual journey of fostering strong, loving relationships with their kids.

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Challenges of Public Parenting and Privacy

Navigating motherhood in the public eye presents unique challenges. Sydney addresses concerns about privacy and public scrutiny, especially regarding parenting choices and personal boundaries:

Sydney Leroux (11:10): "I grew up like that. And what am I me trying to change on my own is not happening."

She emphasizes the importance of maintaining personal boundaries and the inevitability of public exposure as athlete-mothers.

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Support Systems and Community

Both hosts highlight the significance of having a robust support system, whether through partners, extended family, or the community built around them as professional athletes. Sydney appreciates the unwavering support from her partner, Cassius, and how it empowers her to balance her dual roles effectively.

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Conclusion

In this deeply personal episode, Sydney Leroux and Ali Riley offer an unfiltered portrayal of motherhood, intertwining their experiences as professional athletes with their roles as mothers. They candidly discuss the joys, challenges, and societal perceptions of athlete-mothers, providing invaluable insights for listeners navigating similar paths. By sharing their stories, they aim to inspire and support other women in balancing career aspirations with the desire to build and nurture a family.

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Notable Quotes

• Sydney Leroux (00:52): "Our peace is non negotiable."
• Sydney Leroux (09:21): "I wake up at like 5:36. I have my little time in the morning."
• Sydney Leroux (15:11): "I'm a gentle parent in the sense that, like, I don't spank, yell, but I'm not a gentle parent."
• Sydney Leroux (17:49): "I wasn't. I absolutely wasn't. I'm still not ready."
• Sydney Leroux (20:05): "I don't feel like I was. When I was first, like, doing things like, the comments were awful."
• Sydney Leroux (22:06): "I was like, what the fuck am I doing? Like, this is crazy."

---

This episode serves as a testament to the resilience and dedication of athlete-mothers, offering a blend of personal anecdotes, professional insights, and heartfelt discussions on navigating the intricate balance between sports and motherhood.

Transcript

[Allie Long]

This episode was recorded prior to Angel City FC's May 9 match versus the Utah Royals. Our thoughts and prayers are with Savvy King and her family and we send our deepest gratitude to the medical staff and first responders who assisted Savvy on the pitch. And afterwards, we want you to BFFR about motherhood here. Okay?

[Sydney Leroux]

The parents who say, oh, I don't have a favorite, you know, it depends on the day.

[Allie Long]

They do a dance battle in the living room and someone wins that and then they are also competing to see who will sleep next to you.

[Sydney Leroux]

It's really tough for these competition in the LaRue household. Yes. Hello? What? Welcome to another episode of BFFR.

[Allie Long]

Before we get into it, because we're gonna get into it, may we remind you to follow us on social media at BFFRShow. Subscribe to the show on YouTube and follow us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

[Sydney Leroux]

We don't really care where you're listening, how you're listening, as long as you're listening to us.

[Allie Long]

And please rate and Review the show 5 stars. It helps people find us and we definitely want to be found. You can also call us at 1-833-txt-BFFR.

[Sydney Leroux]

That's 1-833-898-2337.

[Allie Long]

And if you are scared to get on that telephone, you can also email [e-mail] we love hearing from you.

[Sydney Leroux]

Your question or comment might be on the show.

[Allie Long]

Sid, kick us off with an affirmation.

[Sydney Leroux]

Our peace is non negotiable.

[Allie Long]

Amen.

[Sydney Leroux]

Amen.

[Allie Long]

Yesterday was a very important day because yesterday was Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day, Sydney.

[Sydney Leroux]

My boo boos. Thank you.

[Allie Long]

Happy Mother's Day, mom.

[Sydney Leroux]

I have my mom too.

[Allie Long]

We all deserve a bev T shirt on if you can. This is one of my favorite shirts, obviously. Make sure. Give it some love. That's me and my mom after New Zealand won our first ever World cup game last. No, not last summer. In 2023.

[Sydney Leroux]

Wow.

[Allie Long]

How do you like to celebrate Mother's.

[Sydney Leroux]

Day Alone, like every mother. By myself in a hotel room. Nothing to do, just watching shows. I'm around them 24 7. I know.

[Allie Long]

They sleep with me. They sleep with me.

[Sydney Leroux]

I don't want someone making me feel guilty because I don't. My peace is non negotiable. Like the affirmation.

[Allie Long]

Well, did you get that?

[Sydney Leroux]

No, never got that. Unless we're on the road. Unless we're on the road.

[Allie Long]

I. My mom also did not get that. But I would give her coupons every Mother's Day and birthday and Christmas. I would make these beautiful coupons offering up massage, massage, breakfast in bed, dinner. And I would just pray that she would never catch cash in. And she never did. I think she still has the choice.

[Sydney Leroux]

She's gonna cash in now. Yeah.

[Allie Long]

Oh, shoot. I shouldn't have said that. Yeah, ignore that. Beverly.

[Sydney Leroux]

Oops. Oops.

[Allie Long]

What do the kids. What do they do for you since you are not alone at a hotel room watching shows?

[Sydney Leroux]

Well, it's not like they do anything. They'll make me. They'll for sure make me a card at school. Yeah, but Cassius loves to make me cards, like, all the time.

[Allie Long]

Oh, he's always loved writing you notes.

[Sydney Leroux]

And writing me notes. I actually have some. Some of his text messages. These are not Mother's Day. This is just.

[Allie Long]

This is any day. Because every day for cash.

[Sydney Leroux]

This is any day.

[Allie Long]

Mother's Day. This is the mama's boy of all mama's boys.

[Sydney Leroux]

But, like, not a weird mama's boy. You know, those, like, weird. You better not be. Okay. I love you so much for making me laugh, because you don't know how much I appreciate you and your love. I'm so sorry to make you work so hard almost every single day. But I hope this makes your day. I love just a. Just a Friday.

[Allie Long]

Okay.

[Sydney Leroux]

I love you because without you, my life wouldn't have been fun. But with you, my life is funner than any mom in history. So I'm sad because you work too hard. So I hope you will try to work less harder. Because one time I was working hard in soccer, and I was so tired that I got a cramp for five minutes. And after the five minutes was over, I did not work harder, But I did score more than three goals. So that is why I made this big sentence. You're welcome to be in this beautiful world God made me and you both amazing.

[Allie Long]

Wow.

[Sydney Leroux]

My boy.

[Allie Long]

Well, to all the mothers out there, may you have this much love that Cassius shows Sydney every day.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yes, he does.

[Allie Long]

And we are very grateful for. For all of you, especially Bev and Sandy and Sydney.

[Sydney Leroux]

Also, Cassius wrote you a sweet little note, too.

[Allie Long]

He did? I. This is so far as close as I've gotten to feeling like a mom. I guess being an aunt and having auntie duties. Okay, this was. This was after. This was after the wildfire. I'm very sorry for your house burning down. You don't deserve. You did nothing wrong. Angry face. I hope it will Never happen again. And it better not happen again, because if it does, I will make sure I will bring the whole pool. We'll see you after this break. Okay, mom, you ready for this? We want to get the lowdown. We want you to be. We want you to BFFR about motherhood here. Okay?

[Sydney Leroux]

I can do that.

[Allie Long]

I. I know you know I can. I know you can. For the people.

[Sydney Leroux]

For the people.

[Allie Long]

Let's start off easy. Sid, what is the best part about being a mom?

[Sydney Leroux]

Oh, my goodness. The love. Like, the love that I have for these human beings and the love that they have for me. Like, there's no question that they love me so much, and there's no question that they know I love them so much. And I think that that part is just the best.

[Allie Long]

Do you have a favorite?

[Sydney Leroux]

Depends on the day.

[Allie Long]

Okay. Okay.

[Sydney Leroux]

If the. The parents who say, oh, I don't have a favorite, you know, it depends on the day.

[Allie Long]

Okay. Okay. Who, like, what does a good day look like for each of them? Like, when are you, like, yeah, yeah. You know you're my favorite right now.

[Sydney Leroux]

Oh, well, they both like to play off of each other. And then they'll be like, mommy, she's just not being a good girl, is she? Not today. And then, then Ru will come up and be like, he hit me. He hit me in the head. And I'm like, no, he didn't. And then she'll put the tears on, and then she'll come to, like, be picked up, you know? She loves to be picked up.

[Allie Long]

Yeah.

[Sydney Leroux]

Still at six years old, but she's the size of a three year old.

[Allie Long]

She truly is. And I fall for it every time.

[Sydney Leroux]

Everyone does. I know that little girl. I know.

[Allie Long]

I would give her anything and everything for her to love me.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah, she does love you.

[Allie Long]

It works. She knows what she's doing.

[Sydney Leroux]

She does. She does.

[Allie Long]

Yeah.

[Sydney Leroux]

She knows who to get.

[Allie Long]

She does.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yes.

[Allie Long]

I was very easy target. But now, because we would interact so much at the facility and I had to compete with 25 other aunties, but now I come over here and we're playing with stickers and maybe a little makeup. We made smoothies. So, yeah. And I was Auntie Allie. And now I'm Allie. Auntie Allie.

[Sydney Leroux]

Auntie Allie. I know. I hate it. I'm like, where did the little baby voice go?

[Allie Long]

Yeah, I know. They're so grown up and they have really busy schedules. Sid, tell us you have a busy schedule, but then you are also driving, picking up. Give us a little insight into what, Sid, the mom Is doing after coming to training, going to meeting, activation, training lift. And then lunch and going home. And then it's like her day begins.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah. Yeah. That's just a little. That's just the beginning.

[Allie Long]

Yeah. That was the appetizer.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah. What? I wake up at like 5:36. I have my little time in the morning. But Cassius also likes to wake up early so he gets to have some mommy time. It's always a fight in the morning. We're always trying to get out of the house. We never do on time. But I drive them to school, drop them off. And then from there I go to practice. Practice, do all the things. And then I come home. And then. No, I don't come home. I pick up the kids from school.

[Allie Long]

Yeah.

[Sydney Leroux]

And then I take Rue to her tutoring and Cassius and I just hang out for a little bit. But I do the weekends. My weekends are a little crazy because sometimes. And this has happened a lot. But he'll. He. Cassius will have a game early. Like 7:15 arrival.

[Allie Long]

Yeah. Sometimes coached by Coach Lucas.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it's like an hour and a half away.

[Allie Long]

Yep.

[Sydney Leroux]

And so that's what I did like before a game and the game. Our game was at one. So I drove him and we came from his game to our game. Yeah.

[Allie Long]

Cassius. Two years ago, Cassius, Rue, Sid and I would shower after the game.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yes.

[Allie Long]

And then we'd put them in their jammies. And they would have their cute little jammies with their different prints on them. And then we'd take them into the director's lounge, get food. They'd be a bit riled up. And then she had to. Well, they'd fall asleep on the way home.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah.

[Allie Long]

But at some point you. You decided Cassius was. He got a little too old for that.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah. Yeah. He got a little too old for that. It's so crazy because I've heard like all of these things about like, naked. Like naked mom or like naked family. And I'm like, of course. Like, I grew up like that. And like I'm. It's just me and them. So, like, what am I me trying to like, change on my own is not happening.

[Allie Long]

No.

[Sydney Leroux]

So there's nothing I can do about it.

[Allie Long]

Yeah.

[Sydney Leroux]

I ask for my privacy. It ain't happening.

[Allie Long]

No.

[Sydney Leroux]

So I don't know. It's just, you know, it's just normal.

[Allie Long]

Yeah. Well, I grew up in a naked family. Parents just walking around naked. I'm sure I will be the same. As a kid, I was so, so Mortified when I realized that my friends didn't have naked families and they hadn't seen their mom and dad naked.

[Sydney Leroux]

Wow.

[Allie Long]

And I couldn't believe it. And I was like, yeah, me neither.

[Sydney Leroux]

Right, Mom?

[Allie Long]

Like.

[Sydney Leroux]

I know, I know. Put it away. Yeah. My mom used to always see me naked. And then I got a tattoo and hid from her.

[Allie Long]

Oh.

[Sydney Leroux]

And then I was like, mom, I'm old now. Don't be gross.

[Allie Long]

We shared a bathroom. We had. I had my bedroom. They had their bedroom, and we shared a bathroom. We just had. Yeah, two. Two bedrooms, one bathroom in our house before we remodeled it. And. Yeah. So it was just kind of. And there's no locks or anything, so. But, yes, I was the same. At some point it was like, yeah, don't come in.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah. One day Cash is gonna be like, ew, disgusting. You're gross. Well, then get out of my room.

[Allie Long]

Yeah.

[Sydney Leroux]

Stop sleeping in bed with me. Go away.

[Allie Long]

Well, how do you feel about this whole gentle parenting phenomenon?

[Sydney Leroux]

It is a phenomenon.

[Allie Long]

Yeah.

[Sydney Leroux]

Would you say I'm a gentle parent?

[Allie Long]

Not in the sense that I read and see mom saying, you can't say no and it's ridiculous. Yeah, I just.

[Sydney Leroux]

To me.

[Allie Long]

Yeah. But I mean, I have never seen you raise your voice or, like, spank them, but I. I know that they understand when. With the tone and you do a little, like, a look.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah, I don't need to hit them. I don't need to yell. I just. Yeah, you gotta get the neck. Neck muscles popping out. I got this one good vein here. And they know I'm for real.

[Allie Long]

And they. They love you and they want your affection and your approval so much that I feel like they kind of. They tighten up quick. Like they'll zip it up when.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah. Yeah. But I can always tell, like, kids who are, like, very much gentle parented and like.

[Allie Long]

Like at school.

[Sydney Leroux]

No, just like if we're out to dinner or something like that. I remember I had the kids. We were walking in the mall somewhere, and one of a little girl. She was, like, older than Cassius, and she was like, I want this now. And I was like. I looked at the kids and I was like. And the mom's like, we can't today, honey. I'd be like, what?

[Allie Long]

Yeah.

[Sydney Leroux]

In front of all these people, you think that's how you're gonna act? No, no. Imagine you doing that as a kid or. I couldn't imagine. I couldn't imagine doing that as a child.

[Allie Long]

Oh, no.

[Sydney Leroux]

Or having, like, a full blown tantrum just because I didn't My mom didn't purchase something for me. Oof.

[Allie Long]

Yeah, I definitely wasn't gentle parented.

[Sydney Leroux]

No. But neither was I. Yeah. Yeah. But I would say I'm a gentle parent in the sense that, like, I don't spank, yell, but I'm not a gentle parent. In you say what I say is what I is what goes. And when I say no, I mean no. Yeah. Yeah.

[Allie Long]

And they know that.

[Sydney Leroux]

And they know that. Yeah.

[Allie Long]

Okay. I don't know if this is a hot take, but how do you feel about on Mother's Day, pet moms being celebrated or posting or, like, do pet moms get their flowers on Mother's Day?

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah. Okay. I felt like I. I'm not only a human mom, but I treat the dogs like human beings.

[Allie Long]

They eat like humans.

[Sydney Leroux]

They do. They eat better than I do.

[Allie Long]

Lucky humans.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Have a little fun with it. It's nothing in comparison to having a child, I can tell you that. But, yeah, I love it because I was. I was a pet mom before the kids.

[Allie Long]

Yeah, you were.

[Sydney Leroux]

You know, I had boss and I was just. He was the love of my life. And then the kids came and. Yeah, a dog is a lot easier, I'll tell you that.

[Allie Long]

What about cussing?

[Sydney Leroux]

The kids have grown up with me and the team around all the time.

[Allie Long]

And you never said, I'll kind of go oops or something and.

[Sydney Leroux]

No, they don't really bad at all. They don't, because I let them know, like, it's around us. Like, bad words and things that people shouldn't be saying at your age.

[Allie Long]

Right.

[Sydney Leroux]

Is around us. And the rule is you can hear that word, but you cannot say it. So it's on. Like, music and stuff like that. I don't really like. There's no clean versions going on in my car because I feel like they. Yeah, they know that those are not words to ever be said out of their mouth. Yeah, but it's hard to, like, imagine, like, not, like, how would I take all of that away?

[Allie Long]

Yes. Censoring everything.

[Sydney Leroux]

It's impossible.

[Allie Long]

Well, I've never heard either of them utter a bad word, so.

[Sydney Leroux]

No, but they.

[Allie Long]

They definitely hear us.

[Sydney Leroux]

They definitely do. They definitely do. Like, you said a bad word and I said, and I'll say it again because I'm not happy.

[Allie Long]

Well, Mommy's allowed to.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yes, exactly.

[Allie Long]

Well, I do feel like I'm interviewing you here a little bit because it's our Mother's Day episode. I want you to be able to share your experiences, and I Will get into it later, but I'm doing some family planning with the IVF and the embryo freezing. But I've asked you this before, but I think everyone should hear it. How did you know you were ready to be a mom?

[Sydney Leroux]

I wasn't. I absolutely wasn't. I'm still not ready. I'm still not ready. I'm learning as we go. I'm learning as the days go on.

[Allie Long]

Yeah.

[Sydney Leroux]

And I think that, like, you learn with your children, like, what do they need? What. What are they missing right now? And, you know, you're just doing the best you can at all times.

[Allie Long]

Yeah. And it seems like players, not everyone, but there is, like, this. There's the calendar, there is the international calendar, Wins the Olympics, wins the World Cup. But with you and with Rue, your schedule kind of got blown out. Blown out the window.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah. I was also planning, and Rue, the baby was supposed to be born in March, and then I would have been able to, like, go for the rest of the season, and then I lost the baby pretty late into the first trimester. And obviously, like, all of my planning went out the window because I was just like, yeah, it was probably the hardest thing that you can go through, but I got pregnant with Rue really, like, fast. But it was not the same, like, pregnancy as the one that I had with Cassius. I was, like, so naive, and everything was easy. And with Rue, I was just, like, scared, like, every second. So it changes some things, but the planning can't really. Can't really. I don't think you can plan. You can try as best as you can, but it's. First of all, it's not always that easy to get pregnant.

[Allie Long]

Yeah. Learning that.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah. You spend your life being like, no. And then when you try, you're like, oh, this is kind of difficult. Hence why we freeze.

[Allie Long]

Yes. Freeze.

[Sydney Leroux]

Freeze the eggs. Freeze.

[Allie Long]

Freeze the eggs. Freeze the embryos. How was the comeback? Because you did. You came back quickly, and it was amazing to follow when you were in Orlando and seeing how far up to Rue's birth that you continued to train, but did you feel supported in all of that? Do you think we've made progress now? And.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yes. I don't feel like I was. When I was first, like, doing things like, the comments were awful.

[Allie Long]

Really.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Allie Long]

Because.

[Sydney Leroux]

Awful. Because I was playing and I was pregnant. Yeah. I was, like, visibly pregnant, obviously. And I'm like. I think they thought that I was playing in games and, like, fucking going into tackles, and, like, I was just running and doing the things that I Could do. And now I feel like people aren't so up their ass and they are able to, like, do their pregnancy how they want to. As long as you're being safe within, like, your own boundaries. Yeah, do it.

[Allie Long]

Well, we're getting slightly better at commenting on women's bodies and what women want to do with their bodies, but still not all the way there.

[Sydney Leroux]

Nope. Nope. But, yeah, I. I wanted to come back because that was my. That was my, like, what I was gonna do with the baby that I lost. And so in my head, I'm like, yeah, I'm coming back this season. And I was like, 40 pounds with baby weight still. Everyone says when you breastfeed, you lose all the weight. It's not for everyone. I just wanna let you know that. Because I held on to every single pound, plus more when I was breastfeeding. So take a note.

[Allie Long]

You also. Some of the girls tried your breast milk.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah, they did.

[Allie Long]

Unfortunately, that was before I arrived.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah, you would have tried it, of course. Yeah, it's. It's sweet. It's like watery sugar milk.

[Allie Long]

Doesn't sound too bad.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah, but it was warm, so some people were like. But it was just. It was just the temperature. Yeah, if it was cold, it would have been fine. Yeah. Yeah, it was normal.

[Allie Long]

How do you feel, like, your dynamic as a mom of one and then two? Like, how did that change things for you?

[Sydney Leroux]

Well, I was like, two were in diapers. I was traveling with both of them on the road, and I was like, what the fuck am I doing? Like, this is crazy. But you don't know that you're in, like, chaos and craziness when you're in it.

[Allie Long]

Yeah.

[Sydney Leroux]

You know, you just do it. And I think, like, everyone asks. A lot of people ask me, like, you know, how do you. How do you balance? There is no balance. You just, like, do what you do and, you know, hope it's not traumatic for anyone.

[Allie Long]

Sid. Sid had a whoop. We got. I still wear mine. Sid doesn't wear hers all the time. For good reason. But when we had them in Orlando and Sid would come to training and she. I think the kids were sick also. You guys went through. And everyone had Covid. And she would have 4%, 1%, 9%, and go out and just kill it in training. Go home, take care of the kids. Something would be going on. Cassius would have some soccer. And we would just ask you this kind of all the time. And you would just say, like, this is. This is my life. Like, there's no I can't not do it. I can't not take care of them, get them to where they need to be. And if they can't sleep, I can't sleep. But I'm. I go to work the next day, and I keep doing it. And then we would go on the road, and if she didn't bring the kids would just sleep for 14 hours. I would get back in the green.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah. I'd be, like, 100% sleep scores. Yeah. Truly. I still don't sleep well now because they sleep in bed with me, but I did get a pregnancy pillow, so now I've, like, blocked myself off so, like, no one can come in my space. But every night, it's a fight between who gets to sleep next to me. Tears. There's tears. There's frustrations. And I'm like, I don't want to sleep next to anyone.

[Allie Long]

So they have to compete. You tire them out. They do a dance battle in the living room, and someone wins that. And then they are also competing to see who will sleep next to you. It's really tough for these two Competitions.

[Sydney Leroux]

Competition in the LaRue household. Yes. We bring it. We bring it every day.

[Allie Long]

Oh, my gosh.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah.

[Allie Long]

And they wanted to kill each other all the time, but I have seen a bit of a reconciliation between them.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah, a little bit. They play really nice sometimes, and I'm like, oh. And then two minutes later, it's like, someone's crying. Someone did something, and I'm like, you guys have to deal with it on your own. You can't come to me every single time. There's a little tiff, a little spat. Yeah, well, you.

[Allie Long]

You froze your eggs.

[Sydney Leroux]

Mm.

[Allie Long]

Are you. Do you think another LaRue?

[Sydney Leroux]

I'm not, like, closing the door.

[Allie Long]

Okay.

[Sydney Leroux]

But I feel like the kids are like, I got a boy and a girl, and. And, you know, I'm out of the, like, baby stage. And it's, like, really fun now. Like, I don't have to lug two car seats around when we travel. Like, it's just easy. The sleep is not crazy. It is, but it's not as crazy as when they were babies. But I would like to see, like, I would like to be a. A new mom and not have soccer. Yeah. I would like to see how that feels.

[Allie Long]

That reminds me. Do you remember when you told me, al, you should wake up?

[Sydney Leroux]

I do. I tell. I. I tell most of. I tell everyone. You know, take your time. Take your time. But I do, like, I love what I've done with the kids, and I Love that they could see me, you know, do all the things when you.

[Allie Long]

Made your comeback and we're playing for Angel City, and Cash is just the emotion.

[Sydney Leroux]

I know he showed.

[Allie Long]

Your bond is just so, so, so strong. And it's so sweet, which is why it's so funny, because she brings these two stunning Nike model children around us and is like, nah, you should wait. Like, where they're wearing her jersey. Like, all these things that I used to think about. But I. I took your advice. I figured if. If my friend. My best friend who is a mom, is telling me, you know, finish your career, especially at this point, getting. Getting to the final chapter here, then I think I will wait. But I just. It's not just about playing and not wanting to take that time away or then after having a family to support, but, like, the time and the energy, but also just financially, it's. It's scary. And the game. Now.

[Sydney Leroux]

Games are expensive. Yeah.

[Allie Long]

And the game has progressed so far, but, you know, I'm not gonna experience or have these salaries and these contracts that these young players are having, and not for many years. And it just. I think I had this image, and I'm so happy to see my friends Zahira Moosevic and Amanda Illestedt, Simona Boya, these players that were young players at Rosengord when I was there in Sweden. And seeing them now, one is playing in Sweden, one is. And two are in England. And seeing them be able to step away and have their babies is so special. And I. Yeah, I saw that for myself, but I just. With the way we get paid with the national team and with my contract and supporting Lucas when he came over here before he could work, before he had his green card, that was stressful enough. And I wouldn't want to bring a baby into the world and into our life if I didn't feel like I could support them and give them everything they need. But, yeah, maybe we're closer now than we ever have been to at least being able to try.

[Sydney Leroux]

Oh, you guys will be the best parents. Come on.

[Allie Long]

We'll see. We'll see.

[Sydney Leroux]

It's.

[Allie Long]

Yeah, the IVF process has been.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah, it's a lot. A lot heavy. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we went through it together, for sure, but I knew that, like, that was really hard on you, for sure.

[Allie Long]

Yeah.

[Sydney Leroux]

It's, like, a lot on your body.

[Allie Long]

It is. And I didn't know enough about women's health and our fertility and the statistics, and, of course, everyone is completely different, but there are certain statistics that when you reach a certain age that I have now passed how hard it can really be.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah, I just passed that.

[Allie Long]

Yeah.

[Sydney Leroux]

Three days ago.

[Allie Long]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, it's. I know. I just. It's something that I really hope. One of the reasons why I want to share my journey is to connect with other people and be a source of support or in a resource. But also, man, I just want the younger players to know what I didn't know and just to be prepared and just. So it is a choice and not get to either the end of their career or an age whenever it is, but just a stage where it's a lot harder and just not when you're young.

[Sydney Leroux]

You think you're untouchable. Oh, I could do that. It's easy.

[Allie Long]

Well, and everyone's telling you, like, to protect yourself and, like, you know, be careful. And then now I'm like, no, it's actually really hard to get pregnant. Yeah, it is.

[Sydney Leroux]

It is. I mean, I haven't tried in a long time, but, yeah, it is. And, like, if. Like, if I was alone and I didn't have a partner, I would. Like, I was thinking about just having another baby by myself, because that's what I've done since day one. So I always say, like, if a woman is. Or a man isn't, like with someone, but they want a child so badly and they're able to do it. Do it. Yeah, it's do it. Yeah.

[Allie Long]

And you make it work. Like you were saying, like, you find a way.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah, you do.

[Allie Long]

Yeah. Yeah. I think just with women's sports and how long it's taken for fertility and menstrual cycle tracking and family planning to become part of the conversation. It was like when I was in college, we just talked about strength training, and then finally nutrition and sleep came into the picture. Recovery came into the picture. And now there's all these tools, technology modalities. And now, finally, a lot of these conversations were still led by men. And clubs, they're run by men, or it's a club that had a tradition of having a men's team and then got a women's team, or you're going off, you're running a league and a CBA is based off maybe the mls, like all of these things. But until you get women at the table and having these conversations, we are thinking about what it's like to need maternity leave, to want to have some coverage, some support for IVF or family planning. Yeah. Embryo freezing, whatever it might be. But, yeah, I think that's something we've talked about a lot is like for the women who are parents and who want to become parents, how can we keep talking about this and be heard and just make sure that it's being thought about when decisions and where what goes under the salary cap or where what kind of sponsors can we get who will support women because we should be able to do whatever we want. Life, we all love our, our moms. Our moms, especially this wonderful mother.

[Sydney Leroux]

Thank you.

[Allie Long]

Thank you for, for sharing these amazing stories with us, enlightening us.

[Sydney Leroux]

And please share with us from the feedback. If one of my boobs fell out.

[Allie Long]

Of here, that would be helpful as well. Thank you.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Allie Long]

We are not done yet, so stay tuned. We'll be back with more bffr. Hello, it's time for happy hour at Bar BFFR where we serve up our L's and dubs of the week and answer one of your burning questions from the hotline.

[Sydney Leroux]

Here we go.

[Allie Long]

Here we go.

[Sydney Leroux]

What is something you're loving?

[Allie Long]

I am a huge rugby fan.

[Sydney Leroux]

Oh, okay. I know the story.

[Allie Long]

I can't get enough. So obviously my dad is from New Zealand, so I grew up, he'd wake me up at 3am and we'd watch the All Blacks. But that was a very, very long time ago and I, I didn't know anything about women's rugby. It definitely wasn't on TV and now I have watched the 15s. I went to the Sevens championship weekend and these women are electric. They are so fit and they're not getting their flowers as they should be because they're just so inspirational. And it reminds me of where soccer was I don't know how many years ago. But like they have to travel, play abroad to be able to make money and there aren't a lot of leagues and I just, I hope that rugby gets really, really big. The 15's World cup is this summer. The Women's World cup, obviously. And the Sevens just finished up their league. The Black Fern Sevens, they're my heroes. I got to do a jersey swap with them and I was just feeling so inspired and to be able to connect with some Kiwis in L. A was really, really special. So, yeah, I'm just going to keep. I love women's sports. Shock to nobody, but I'm really on the rugby. Both the 15s and sevens bandwagon. If you haven't checked these players out, us, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, whoever you need to, I am a huge fan and you should be too. What are you loving?

[Sydney Leroux]

I'm loving that I turned 35 years old this week.

[Allie Long]

35. Flirty and thriving. How do you feel? You look great.

[Sydney Leroux]

Thanks. Thank you. I feel really happy. Like I'm at a really happy place in my life. I think like the 30s. I don't know. You just like have your shit together a little bit more.

[Allie Long]

Yes.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah.

[Allie Long]

I tell everyone that I feel like they don't believe me, but then I'm excited because women in their 40s have also said just gets even better.

[Sydney Leroux]

So I heard when you get to your 40s, you get a little rowdy.

[Allie Long]

I'll let you know.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah.

[Allie Long]

Okay. So is your birthday. You're loving that. Do you also have a win?

[Sydney Leroux]

The pregnancy pillow? I've been getting. I've been getting more sleep.

[Allie Long]

Okay. So that made a big difference for you.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah. The pregnancy pillow. It's new. So what? I've been getting more sleep.

[Allie Long]

How big of a section of the bed do you get?

[Sydney Leroux]

It's a full U shape, so it takes up half the bed and it's like quite a big. So you can't just like roll over to me.

[Allie Long]

So they can't. You have a full boundary.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah.

[Allie Long]

Offense, basically.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah, it is.

[Allie Long]

That was smart.

[Sydney Leroux]

Genius.

[Allie Long]

Well, I feel like the theme of the episode. I'm going to share that. We found out how many viable embryos we got from Cycle two. And we got three. We have four viable embryos. So now they're there on ice, waiting for when it's time.

[Sydney Leroux]

Waiting for when you're ready.

[Allie Long]

Yeah. And I think for anyone wondering, because I did get questions when we were doing ivf, there have been people who thought that I was now pregnant. I am going to try to come back to soccer until I can't or don't want to. So I don't know when that is. My contract with Angel City is up at the end of this year. But I don't want that to be a timeline. I'm gonna keep trying until I feel or a doctor tells me it's time to stop. And when that moment comes is when we would make use of one. Or my. My dad calls them the quadruplets. Now he's like, put em all in at once. No, I won't. No, no. Maybe two. I don't know.

[Sydney Leroux]

Oh, I thought you said you didn't want to put two ends.

[Allie Long]

Well, I don't, but it's like maybe then you would get one. But then, yes, also maybe you would get two. Maybe you get none.

[Sydney Leroux]

But. Okay, I'll.

[Allie Long]

I trust Dr. Mandelbaum. We'll see.

[Sydney Leroux]

What she says. Okay. Yes, Perfect.

[Allie Long]

Okay. What about an L? Did you. Did life serve you an L? This week?

[Sydney Leroux]

I turned 35 years old, Sydney. It's a win analog, silly goose. No, I don't really have. You know, it's my birthday and Mother's Day, like, a couple days apart. I think it's a good week.

[Allie Long]

I love that for you.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah.

[Allie Long]

Great.

[Sydney Leroux]

I actually don't, though, because I wish that things were pushed because it's like, are you gonna get me a birthday present? It's never both. It's never both. It's like being born on Christmas. Come on. Yeah, you're not. You're not getting both.

[Allie Long]

Okay. Okay. I'll keep that in mind for next year for you.

[Sydney Leroux]

Thank you.

[Allie Long]

I just have to say this. My L is my husband hitting snooze on his alarm in the morning when he has to get up really early. And I just think that's unacceptable. I think you do hate that. Yeah, I think that if you snooze your alarm, then you should sleep alone. So we'll see. I definitely was. Was clear. But, yeah, no, snoozers are for losers.

[Sydney Leroux]

Love that. And I write that down.

[Allie Long]

Yeah, I just. Just came up with that. I have a trend for you.

[Sydney Leroux]

Okay.

[Allie Long]

It was my turn to find a trend.

[Sydney Leroux]

Okay.

[Allie Long]

And I found a fashion trend for 2025, which we are, like, halfway through.

[Sydney Leroux]

But.

[Allie Long]

Thong sandals are back, Sydney. We were doing slides for a long time. We got slides. We have clogs. The thong between the toes, apparently it's back.

[Sydney Leroux]

Always gives me blisters. I can't.

[Allie Long]

Okay, so it's a no from you.

[Sydney Leroux]

No. It's, like, really gets right in there, you know?

[Allie Long]

You must be really, like, flipping and flopping.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah, I do. You know, I walk fast.

[Allie Long]

You do.

[Sydney Leroux]

So it's like. Yeah, you know?

[Allie Long]

Yeah. I'm going to ask the eight ball, but I'm also going to tell you a story that I thought it was so embarrassing that my mom would call them thongs when I was, like, before, I, like, wore a thong. Yeah. But, like, I flip flops. And so when I was, like, I don't know, hitting puberty and my mom. I had friends over, and my mom was like, alex, your thongs are in the living room. And I was like, mom, don't call them that.

[Sydney Leroux]

They're flip flops. Blast. Blast. Bev.

[Allie Long]

I know. Okay.

[Sydney Leroux]

What about you? Do you like flip flops?

[Allie Long]

I have to wear very supportive shoes, so I can't wear slides. Or I have to wear sneakers, running shoes. Except for the show, I try on some nice shoes. According to the Magic 8 ball thong sandals in 2025. Don't count on it.

[Sydney Leroux]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Allie Long]

Wow.

[Sydney Leroux]

Said what it said.

[Allie Long]

Okay, you have the fan question for us?

[Sydney Leroux]

We do have the fan question.

[Allie Long]

This was sent in by Emily from la.

[Sydney Leroux]

Fan question. My ex likes me again. Oh, I've been trying to move on. Should I engage?

[Allie Long]

Oh, gosh. Not another relationship question. I'll let you take this one.

[Sydney Leroux]

They always come back. I don't know. It depends if you want to be petty. I enjoy a petty.

[Allie Long]

Petty, like engage but not get back together. Yeah, okay. But like, throw them a little bone. Make them think.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah. A little breadcrumb here and there.

[Allie Long]

Okay. Okay.

[Sydney Leroux]

Yeah.

[Allie Long]

I'm wondering the. I've been trying to move on. I'm like, this probably wasn't good for you.

[Sydney Leroux]

No, Agreed. So you can't play the petty card. You have to be completely over the person to be petty.

[Allie Long]

Yeah. I say don't engage.

[Sydney Leroux]

Just don't engage.

[Allie Long]

Cut them off. Cut them off.

[Sydney Leroux]

Put your red receipts on so that he knows you read it and that you didn't respond to him.

[Allie Long]

You're welcome. All right, do you want to remind us of our affirmation for this week's.

[Sydney Leroux]

Said our peace is non negotiable. Specifically for the fan question.

[Allie Long]

Got them off.

[Sydney Leroux]

Red. Left on red. Love that. Love that for you. Let us know how it goes.

[Allie Long]

Thank you so much for tuning in to our special Mother's Day episode on BFFR show the podcast. We appreciate you listening week after week. We're loving it, right?

[Sydney Leroux]

We love it. We love it. We love it here.

[Allie Long]

We love it here.

[Sydney Leroux]

Chicken loves it here.

[Allie Long]

Chicken is so relaxed.

[Sydney Leroux]

Time.

[Allie Long]

We're back. How do you feel, chicken? Tell them. Subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts and follow the show across all social media platforms at BFFR show, right?

[Sydney Leroux]

She said, fuck yeah.