Becoming a mom to twin girls was a life-changing experience that brought both immense joy and unexpected challenges. As I navigated the delicate balance between caring for my daughters and pursuing my aspirations, I realized how much support mothers truly need to thrive in both motherhood and their careers. 

More often than not, I found myself feeling like I had to choose between my maternal obligations and pursuing my dreams. This weight came at a heavy cost because it forced me to give my best attempt at trying to do both simultaneously everyday and it left me feeling flat and defeated.

These challenges have been far too common among mothers, and one of the many reasons why I set out to help moms reclaim their autonomy through my brand, Muscle Up Mommy.

Moms often face an uphill battle when it comes to balancing their health, careers, and parenting responsibilities. Society has long perpetuated the idea that staying home with children is a luxury and the ultimate expression of love for one’s kids, glamorizing unpaid labor and caregiving. While this narrative may appear noble, it leaves many women feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and undervalued as they shoulder the brunt of domestic responsibilities. Meanwhile, their partners often have the freedom to continue thriving in their careers.

This was my reality, and the reality of many, and it can feel dreadful, disappointing and even cause conflicting emotions.

On the flip side, for moms who choose to pursue work outside the home, they’re frequently met with judgment and told they’d be "better moms" if they could achieve perfect work-life balance—an ideal that is as elusive as it is demanding. 

Societal expectations for moms who choose to have children while pursuing a career often reflect deeply ingrained stereotypes and double standards. On one hand, mothers are expected to be fully dedicated caregivers, prioritizing their children's needs above all else, often at the expense of their personal and professional ambitions. On the other hand, career-oriented moms are frequently scrutinized for not adhering to traditional ideals of motherhood, facing criticism for “missing out” on their children’s upbringing or being labeled as less nurturing.

There is also an unspoken expectation that career-driven moms must excel in their careers as if they have no children while simultaneously managing their households as if they have no job. This "supermom" complex puts immense pressure on women, leading to feelings of guilt, burnout, and inadequacy. Society often overlooks the structural barriers, such as inadequate parental leave policies, limited access to affordable childcare, and inflexible workplace practices, that make balancing these roles even more challenging.

In this landscape, innovation, like maternal health tech, plays a vital role in empowering moms to pursue their aspirations while maintaining their parental responsibilities, challenging these outdated societal norms.

Moms who choose to have children while pursuing a career are often met with systemic barriers rooted in outdated workplace policies, societal norms, and a lack of support infrastructure. 

These key challenges include:

1. Inadequate Parental Leave Policies
   Many workplaces offer minimal or unpaid parental leave, forcing mothers to return to work prematurely, often before they’ve fully recovered or established breastfeeding routines. The United States remains one of the few developed countries without guaranteed paid maternity leave.

2. Limited Access to Affordable Childcare
   High childcare costs make it difficult for mothers to justify working outside the home, especially when wages are disproportionately lower for women. This disproportionately impacts low-income families and single mothers.

3. Rigid Workplace Structures
   Traditional 9-to-5 schedules and a lack of flexible work options hinder moms from balancing work and family. This rigidity is particularly problematic for breastfeeding moms who need time and space to pump during the workday.

4. Stigma Around Breastfeeding in Professional Settings
   Despite federal laws protecting breastfeeding rights, many moms face unsupportive work environments, inadequate lactation spaces, and pressure from colleagues or employers, leading to early weaning or reduced milk supply.

5. Healthcare Inequities and Disparities
   Access to lactation consultants, breastfeeding education, and high-quality maternal healthcare is limited, especially for women in marginalized communities. These barriers often result in higher stress levels and poorer health outcomes for mothers and children.

As you have likely gathered from experiences of your own or through stories from your peers, breastfeeding moms particularly face an added layer of challenge, as breastfeeding requires time, commitment, and support. Without proper accommodations, moms struggle to maintain milk supply, leading to an additional cycle of stress and guilt.

Despite a mother's choice in staying home or returning to work, accessibility with breastfeeding essentials hasn't always been a priority and thus moms have historically relied on:

• Insufficient Lactation Spaces: Sitting isolated in a dark room at home connected to the wall, and in the workplace, many fail to provide clean, private spaces for pumping, leaving moms to use restrooms or other unsuitable locations.
• Time Constraints: Taking multiple pumping breaks throughout the day, which can restrict productivity and lead to feelings of having a limited quality of life; It can also be seen as an inconvenience by employers or colleagues.
• Cultural Stigma: Breastfeeding in public or pumping at work is still taboo in many places, making moms feel isolated or judged.

This innovation has helped moms redefine what their lives look like and have autonomy to choose if being home or returning to office looks best. 

As more women choose to return to the workforce after childbirth, it becomes increasingly important to address the challenges they face in maintaining their health and caring for their children while contributing to their careers.

By integrating maternal health tech into the workplace, employers are able to provide more sustainable work environments and as a result moms can look forward to:

1. Flexible Work Schedules
2. Reduced Stress and Health Risks
3. Improved Retention and Job Satisfaction
4. Enhanced Workplace Inclusivity
5. Gender Equality in the Workplace
6. Boosted Productivity
7. Creating Stronger Employer Branding

Without proper representation from women in leadership, reducing overemphasis on workplace uniformity (scheduling), and focusing on tech innovations beyond the scope of efficiency, pain points of career-driven mothers have significantly lagged behind and have gone unaddressed for too long.

Now that Muscle Up Mommy has produced the first black-owned wearable breast pump, we're able to support inclusivity and diversity, reduce workplace discrimination, advocate for workplace support, close the equity gap in maternal health, and empower moms though accessibility and convenience in and out of the office.

Tech doesn't just play a role in the workplace, It also impacts our everyday lives as well.

Muscle Up Mommy’s commitment to breaking down systemic barriers is about more than just products—it’s about changing the narrative around working mothers. For far too long, societal expectations have placed an undue burden on women to give up their careers in favor of full-time motherhood, with no real solutions to choose otherwise.

At Muscle Up Mommy, we’re dismantling these outdated perceptions by showing that women can thrive in both their personal and professional lives. Our wearables and advocacy work are at the forefront of a movement that helps women feel supported in their careers and empowered in their roles as mothers. We're giving moms the ability to see themselves as more than caregivers, embracing their roles as professionals, entrepreneurs, and leaders.

By integrating innovative technology into the daily lives of mothers, Muscle Up Mommy is helping to eliminate the friction that once stood in the way of moms achieving their full potential. Through accessibility, flexibility, and advocacy, we are not just selling a product—we are empowering women to take control of their health, careers, and futures.

For press and media inquiries, please contact Press@muscleupmommy.com

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