An Unexpected Breakthrough for Moms Who Work

How Quarantine Could Change Families Forever

Remember the BBC dad who was famously interrupted mid-interview by his two kids? The viral clip showed how working from home with kids is unpredictable and hilarious. Well, today the jokes on us because almost all parents working from home have become the BBC dad.

Slowing down the spread of coronavirus means a lot of school closures for the rest of the academic year. Parents with school-age children are now doing triple duty — parenting, teaching and working.

The country discovered how underappreciated our teachers, daycare workers, babysitters and nannies are. And if you listen carefully, you can hear the collective gulp, gulp, gulp of every parent enjoying a glass of wine at the end of another grueling day.

Snack searching toddlers, fighting siblings and babies needing a snuggle all plague conference calls and Zoom meetings. Parents everywhere are sharing photos of their ransacked homes and bonding over how painfully slow the days are moving. It’s been a little chaotic, to say the least.

Yet in comparison to the real battle out there, this is a small price to pay. If you’re home and healthy, employed and with your family — consider yourself very lucky. Brave essential workers who leave their families to keep our world moving are real heroes.

There’s still some adjusting for the rest of us though.

But on the other hand, parents with babies may have hit the jackpot with an unexpected work from home position.

Working Moms

Have you ever wondered why there are so many articles, opinions, tips and feelings about how to equip moms of newborns to “survive” going back to work?

Sure, moms (especially newbies) are seeking guidance on a lot of things as they figure out motherhood. There’s a tiny human to get to know, an unreliable sleep schedule and more daily chores. Pumping, cleaning bottles, laundering itty bitty clothes… to name a few.

But there’s this huge focus on preparing to separate mom and baby.

For most moms, this means building a milk supply, securing affordable and safe childcare, having the baby on some kind of sleep routine and keeping a pumping schedule at work.

Shouldn’t maternity leave give moms and babies enough time to bond?

According to a 2019 UNICEF report, out of the world’s 41 richest countries, the US ranked last in paid federal leave.

How much paid time do new moms get? That depends on where you live and who your employer is.

Eight states plus Washington D.C. do have a paid leave policy at this time. But at the federal level mothers are only eligible to receive 12 weeks of unpaid leave.

What does that mean for mom? Well, she’s in a position to bear the newborn burden alone while the money earning burden falls solely on her partner. And for single-parent homes, this is much more complicated.

Domino Effect

With this kind of financial pressure, roughly one in four US moms return to work within two weeks of having their baby.

Without a doubt, babies are the most vulnerable when separated from mom that early. They’re less likely to receive timely care, have less of a chance at gaining the benefits of breastfeeding and are more likely to have behavioral issues later in their development.

And as moms are thrust back into the work grind, they suffer too. Doctors might clear a mother at her six or eight-week appointment. Physically, she may require up to seven months to properly and fully recover from childbirth.

And with so many hormonal shifts and added stress, up to 20% of moms experience postpartum depression or anxiety.

What Does This Mean for Families Now?

Mom’s rights in the workplace have evolved a ton in the past few decades. There used to not be any protections surrounding pumping breastmilk at work and now there are. Pregnancy discrimination is illegal and there is a more inclusive approach to support working mothers.

But with the nationwide work from home movement happening now, do we think some of this could stick post coronavirus?

Let’s hope so.

While waiting for the US to match other countries in federal paid leave, maybe companies will adopt a flexible approach. A potential win-win — and definitely a step forward for a more equal and inclusive society.

The New Normal

Mothers have been balancing work and home life since forever. And for most of that time it’s been a struggle. Some mothers will admit they have been forced to give up on succeeding at either their careers or at mothering.

Today, parents are experiencing the benefits and challenges of work from home. For some businesses to continue operating, this is absolutely the only way it’s going to happen. For others, it’s proving to be a successful mode of operation.

This extra time home is a gift for moms who were psyching themselves up to head back to work. And as crazy as it’s been, there’s a greater conversation happening about parents and work-life balance.

It would be so cool if companies came out of the coronavirus era with a new appreciation for remote workers. Allowing new parents to take advantage of this arrangement can have positive lasting effects.

Studies have shown that happier employees work harder in the long run. A happier employee brings in more sales and stays at the company longer. That means fewer resources being spent on recruiting while also becoming a more attractive place to be. This added value to a company boosts its reputation.

So employers who are open to the idea of parents working from home? They’re really helping themselves too.

Sure, working from home isn’t the ideal solution. It’s not like entertaining your child all day is a walk in the park. And babies, though small and cute, are total time vampires.

But it’s a start. And it could improve the quality of a baby’s first few months.

What Can We Do?

What if a widespread trend focusing on families began here? This could lead to more honest discussions on how parents can be better supported. Policies are birthed from cultural shifts, after all.

Try identifying ways your job can incorporate a more inclusive approach. Is HR looking for ideas to rally folks once back in the office?

There’s no better advocate for change than you.