So many new mothers face the tough reality of finding alternate care for their babies while they return to paid work. Our country’s lack of paid parental leave leads to very brief maternity leave for mothers and, often, challenges with breastfeeding.
Alexis Dow Campbell and baby Rosemary hard at work with the office web cam.
What if there were another way? What if, in this time without paid leave, there were a way to support new families and help maintain an important nursing relationship?
Increasingly, mothers are being given the opportunity to bring their babies to work with them. Alexis Dow Campbell, director of creative programming for the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art in Millersburg, PA, has this opportunity. Her daughter, Rosemary, comes to work and nurses on demand, napping or playing right by her mother’s desk. Today, we speak with Alexis and her boss, Stephen Quigley, about blending babies and business.
Katy Rank Lev: The Center is a small operation with 7 full-time employees and an open-office layout. Can you talk about your concerns regarding work when you found out you were pregnant?
Alexis Dow Campbell: I was nervous to tell my employer because we are such a small business. I’m the youngest person in the office and we’ve never had to deal with a pregnant person, a baby, maternity leave. This was all new territory here.
When I told my boss, he said, “Don’t worry about it. This is not an issue. I’ve built nurseries in offices before and we’ll make this work.”
KRL: He suggested bringing the baby in? Right off the bat?
ADC: He brought it up! I didn’t even think this was an option. It was a huge relief for me and made me feel so valued as an employee.
KRL: Stephen, can you speak a bit about this family-friendly response and what inspired your decision?
SQ: This was an easy decision to make. Years ago when our five children were born, my wife was principal of her own design firm. We did the same thing in her office so that our two youngest had a place to be from infancy until preschool and our older children were provided a place to be after school. Her employees were given the same perk.
ADC: Stephen called a construction company and explained that I was going to be bringing a baby to work, needing a place to pump. They closed in one corner of the office and created a private space for me to be able to be with my baby (or pump when she’s not with me) and still do my job.
SQ: Here at the Center, we all wear many hats and depend on one another to complete projects. While we allow people to work from home on an occasional basis, it is important to have our employees working in the office so we can collaborate. If that meant giving Rosemary some space, that was much better than not having Alexis in the office, doing her job.
KRL: Alexis, can you talk a bit about what it’s like trying to get work done with a baby at your feet? Most days, I struggle to brush my teeth while my children are around…
ADC: It’s hard. It’s really hard to get work done. It’s challenging and she’s not the best napper in the world. But it’s hard for any mom to make it work, right? On days that I’m not with her at work I miss her so much. I get home and I want to be near her. I feel lucky that I’m able to do that. Monday, I brought her in to the office and we had so much to do–we had a long staff meeting that she sat through–sometimes I think, I wish I could take her somewhere! Then the mom guilt sneaks in and she’ll do something cute or reach for me and I realize I’m at my job with my baby and this is amazing!
KRL: So obviously you can’t complete all your tasks in the office some days. How do you shift things around?
ADC: The hardest thing is that the expectations on me have not changed. I still have to get the same amount done, so figuring out how I can make those things come together is sometimes extremely overwhelming. Sometimes I just want to go to work and work. Last night I put her to bed and then worked 3 hours before I went to bed. You just figure out ways to make it work. It’s nice to be at home working and not have to answer the phone. I can focus more.
KRL: How has this arrangement supported your nursing relationship with Rosemary?
ADC: Having her with me is great. We’ve been really lucky with nursing. In the beginning we had typical adjustment problems–I had an over supply. But we’ve been really lucky with not having problems and I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that I’m able to take her with me and nurse her at work. My co-workers are supportive and many of them nursed their babies. They understand that it’s important, too. Even pumping is a non-issue. Just being able to nurse her as often as I can is really nice.
KRL: How wonderful to never have worried about your freezer stash or other things many working moms obsess over when they have to leave their babies!
ADC: It’s important! There are days where I wish I could just stay home and be with her and focus on her. We have a mortgage, so it’s just not an option. Luckily, I work in this incredibly supportive environment.
SQ: Family is everything.
Most people need to work to support their families, and if family issues start to loom large during the day, we aren’t getting our jobs done.
Important things start to get missed and projects don’t get completed. Every office has enough trouble getting the work completed without the competition of family issues. If we can support families in small ways to make a better team, so much the better for all of us.
Were you able to bring your baby to work with you? Leave us a comment to share your experience!
