With the birth of my third child, I didn’t think I’d be experiencing many firsts, but I hadn’t really considered that this would be my first maternity leave. While I was 9 months pregnant when pitching The Honest Company to investors, I never took a ‘traditional’ maternity leave after my daughter was born. The company was in such a nascent stage, there was nothing formally established to take leave of. But six years after launching Honest, I’m now joining the army of women across the country who are learning in real-time how to navigate the complexities of maternity leave.  

There’s no rule book for how women should approach maternity leave — no right or wrong way to handle this grey zone. Like many other women, I’m struggling to find the right balance. How much uninterrupted time should I be spending with my new baby versus trying to connect with the office and my other responsibilities? I’ve found that it’s impossible for me to completely unplug from work. But being able to keep one foot in the door works for me. Many other women opt to step away from work entirely during leave and having the choice to do that is incredibly important.

Regardless of how mothers elect to spend maternity leave, it’s vital for companies to offer paid leave, and frankly, it just makes good business sense. By extending support for working mothers, not only do we allow them to thrive, but businesses are also more likely to retain these valuable employees. Bottom line: paid maternity leave simply makes it easier for women to stay in their jobs after giving birth and can help increase the percentage of women in the workforce. Beyond that, studies have shown tangible health benefits to both children and mothers, including lower infant mortality rates, extending the duration of breastfeeding as well as positive effects on the mother's mental health. There’s so much research that shows just how beneficial paid leave can be both for business and for families – this reality can no longer be diminished or simply ignored.

As I approach the end of my maternity leave, I’m immensely grateful for this precious gift of time that I’ve had with my baby and family. I look forward to getting back to work, but this time has allowed me to breathe, enjoy being present as a parent, and get perspective on what really matters. But it’s also made me even more aware of how unfair and unacceptable it is that not all women are entitled to paid maternity leave. For this reason, I'm more proud than ever that we've been providing this necessary benefit to Honest employees. And I’m returning to work even more passionate about our mission and responsibility — to our customers and employees. 

As we celebrate International Women's Day, bringing a discussion of paid maternity leave to the forefront is one very important and deeply personal way that I #PressforProgress. I hope you’ll join me.