Willow Innovations, Inc.的动态

Yesterday, we celebrated the launch of #RxKids, a landmark #guaranteedincome program that will give every pregnant resident of Flint, Michigan $1,500 followed by $500/month for the first year of their child’s life. Spearheaded by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and Professor Luke Shaefer this program uses unrestricted cash payments to help vulnerable families and newborns thrive during the most critical stage of a child’s life. For many families, pregnancy and childbirth exacerbate economic hardships as parents with no paid leave are forced to reduce working hours, pay for costly childcare, or drop out of the workforce altogether. #RxKids is the definition of #CashAsCare – the idea that guaranteeing cash is a powerful public health intervention, especially for Black, Brown, Indigenous, and immigrant women who are systematically denied resources to support their health. By giving parents the cash they need to care for themselves and their newborns during the most neurodevelopmentally important time in their child’s life, #RxKids is helping to improve both the immediate and long-term health outcomes for families. We’re proud to have co-led the advisory committee that included Chelsea Clinton, Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist, and Neal Hegarty from the Mott Foundation and encourage you to learn more about how this first-of-its-kind #guaranteedincome program is transforming the lives of families across the city of Flint: https://flintrxkids.com/

In a poll conducted within our community (N=408), we asked mothers in STEMM to share why they declined opportunities to attend in-person conferences after having children. Surprisingly, maternal guilt emerged as the most common reason, with 36% of respondents citing it. Additionally, 28% of respondents highlighted difficulties related to breastfeeding, 22% cited not having access to affordable childcare, and 14% reported a lack of spouse support. These results reveal there is clearly a lack of structural support, as few conferences offer childcare services. In addition, most science societies, funding agencies and research institutions do not provide any or sufficient funding to cover childcare expenses associated with conference attendance. Finally, rarely any support is offered for breastfeeding mothers wanting to participate in conferences. On the other hand, mothers also often carry the weight of being the primary caregiver, because of persistent gender inequities ingrained in our society. This means that sadly many mothers don’t have support from their spouse and struggle with the same childcare challenges as single mothers, as revealed in our poll. And finally, mom guilt. Maternal guilt is the complex mix of feelings of self-blame or shame experienced by mothers when they don’t live up to their own or others’ expectations in fulfilling their roles as parents. It results from the pressure to meet society’s unrealistic expectations of motherhood and the desire to meet the idealised standards of a “perfect mother”, which is completely impossible, thus inevitably leading to feelings of failure and shame. Maternal guilt can manifest in various ways, such as feeling guilty for prioritising work or self-care over spending time with children, making parenting decisions that affect own’s career or well-being, or constantly self-criticising and comparing oneself to other mothers. These systemic challenges underscore the need for more structural support and policies that promote gender equality and cultural change, such as equal parental leave policies, to foster inclusion of caregivers and empower mother scientists. ?? Join our upcoming event on May 7th to discuss these issues and brainstorm policies and solutions to dismantle these barriers. REGISTER: https://shorturl.at/tuyHJ How can we help mothers attend conferences? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

?? WE NEED TO TALK… about pregnancy! Pregnant Then Screwed research found that 54,000 women lose their jobs every year - for getting pregnant, and 390,000 working mums experience discrimination. To top it all off, our childcare system in the UK is the second most expensive in the world - averaging ￡11,237 per year full-time, according to The Telegraph. And people wonder why most industries are male-dominated. We’re starting to see positive change, with inclusive policies being adopted in workplaces, but in the creative industries where freelance work and fixed-term contracts are commonplace, support is even rarer. It’s not just women’s skills that are being overlooked, but economic repercussions. The creative sector contributed ￡109bn to our economy in 2021, so why is more not being done to support the women who make up its workforce? Too many are leaving creative and media jobs they love and taking their skills elsewhere, or missing out on promotions and opportunities because of motherhood. From part-time roles and enhanced maternity care, to protecting job opportunities postpartum and more supportive workplaces, there’s a ton of options - so why are businesses not doing more to support mothers? And why aren’t we making more noise about it?! It’s 2024. Enough’s enough. MumsAid Mothers Matter Centre MOTHERS FOR MOTHERS PRCA #pregnantthenscrewed #maternity #charity

Did you know that breastfeeding in public wasn’t legal in all 50 states until 2018, and only 14 of 50 U.S. states offer paid leave (13 + D.C.)? This August is National Breastfeeding Month, it’s also a reminder that we still need to work together to close the gap in parental support. From increasing education and access surrounding lactation support, advocating for paid parental leave, respecting all infant feeding journeys, to raising cultural awareness of diverse parenting practices, there's still much to do. Let’s unite to create a supportive environment for all parents! Swipe right to read the full agenda. #nationalbreastfeedingmonth #paidleave #diverseparenting #parentalsupport

Proud to announce the launch of the 7th Annual State of Motherhood Report! I've been fortunate to work on this for the last 3 years. The annual survey, with nearly 6,000 respondents, conveyed that today’s mothers continue to parent without adequate support. Key findings from this year include: Gen Z moms are signaling a continuing future birth rate decline: Today’s moms under 30 are 2 times as likely to NOT plan for more children than moms of the same age in 2019, citing financial, childcare, global, environmental and medical concerns (69% in 2024 vs. 35% in 2019). Childcare access and affordability issues continue to impact mothers’ ability to work: 66% of moms note that the stress and cost of childcare has made them consider leaving the workforce, up 14% from 2023. These sentiments are highest among Gen Z at 82%. One quarter of all moms report receiving regular financial support from their parents: Gen Z moms are twice as likely to have help from their par compared to their own mothers' generations (Gen X+). In this election year, more than 85% of moms over 30 support federally mandated paid leave, regulation to address climate change, federally protected reproductive rights and increased gun control policies. Surprisingly, moms under 30 are 3x LESS likely to support the same policies, possibly signaling apathy. #stateofmotherhood #mothersday2024

Excerpt: Childcare access and affordability issues continue to impact mothers’ ability to work: 66% of moms note that the stress and cost of childcare has made them consider leaving the workforce. I can't tell you the number of emails and Slacks I have responded to while nursing or how many conference calls I have dialed into while in the pediatrican's waiting room. For all of the working parents out there, you are not alone! It will get easier, and there are steps that we as a society can take to make the work-life integration smoother.

Raising a child is exclusively a mother's job right? - Diaper change - Food preparation - Bath and so on? We advocate so much for breastfeeding centers in workplaces and public places, and we talk about the involvement of fathers in childcare. But are we really serious about these changes? I don't think so. I saw that a father was with a young child and wanted to change his diaper but couldn't and had to ask from someone to help him at a mall. We can't make changes at a society level if we don't bring a major shift in mindset. For example, what's stopping us from: + Installing diaper changing areas in men's restrooms. + Providing enough parental leave to both parents and let them decide who will take what. + Involving fathers in child care activities. + Expecting women to do everything from being financially stable, good at household chores, and taking care of children. Let's make real changes, not just talk about them. P.S.- I couldn't ask for help but many others can.

Motherly's 7th Annual State of Motherhood Report launched today. The annual survey, with nearly 6,000 respondents, conveyed that today’s mothers continue to parent without adequate support. Key findings from this year include: Gen Z moms are signaling a continuing future birth rate decline: Today’s moms under 30 are 2 times as likely to NOT plan for more children than moms of the same age in 2019, citing financial, childcare, global, environmental and medical concerns (69% in 2024 vs. 35% in 2019). Childcare access and affordability issues continue to impact mothers’ ability to work: 66% of moms note that the stress and cost of childcare has made them consider leaving the workforce, up 14% from 2023. These sentiments are highest among Gen Z at 82%. One quarter of all moms report receiving regular financial support from their parents: Gen Z moms are twice as likely to have help from their parents compared to their own mothers' generations (Gen X+). In this election year, more than 85% of moms over 30 support federally mandated paid leave, regulation to address climate change, federally protected reproductive rights and increased gun control policies. Surprisingly, moms under 30 are 3x LESS likely to support the same policies, possibly signaling apathy. https://lnkd.in/dQd7maFM

Motherly’s 2024 report on the State of Motherhood is out. Moms are still struggling with adequate support when it comes to childcare, paid parental benefits and flexibility. What’s your thoughts on the report? #workingmoms #genderequity #childcare #maternityleave

The State of Motherhood Report from Motherly? sheds light on the stressors facing today's Moms. Some of the statistics I found most startling: - 64% of respondents get less than 1 hour a day to themselves without work or family obligations - 45% report going out with friends or their partner ZERO times per MONTH - 9% spend at least 30 minutes exercising per day The survey hi-lights the lack of support Moms receive, perpetuating burn out, overwhelm and their exodus from the working world. Tell me, do the findings of this report reflect your experience as a Mom?