A recap of our CEO Sarah O'Leary’s trip to fight for the paid leave, affordable childcare, and maternal health that all moms deserve.

At Willow, we have always been driven by a mission and vision that goes beyond pumping. We believe that moms deserve better — not just when it comes to breastfeeding, but at every point throughout their postpartum and parenting journeys. 

This is why we proudly joined forces with the Chamber of Mothers, a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization committed to advocating for maternal rights, and jumped at the opportunity to join them in Washington, D.C. last week (highlight reel here!). Together, we garnered support for the Maternal Health Momnibus Act and advocated for policies that prioritize paid family leave, affordable childcare, and reversing the maternal mortality rate. 

The agenda 

During the visit, we had the opportunity to meet with five Republican and Democratic Senators and start a conversation about the ways in which moms are being left behind. The focus was on policy, not politics — and the harsh realities that many women across the country face once they have children. 

The truth is that the state of motherhood is broken. There is no federally protected paid family leave.* The average cost of childcare for two kids exceeds the average cost of housing in all 50 states.** The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed nation.*** And that’s not to mention the widespread lack of pregnancy support that preempts all of this. 

As we spoke about the challenges moms face when navigating the early postpartum period and raising young children, one thing was clear: everyone agreed that these were critically important issues and that finding solutions is necessary for American families to flourish. “The advocacy work is getting to how they are addressed,” Sarah says. 

*Paid Leave US, **Center for American Progress, ***Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

The why 

Our “why” is simple: we’re fighting for the women who are too overwhelmed by new motherhood to advocate for themselves. 

In the best-case scenario, you’re sleep-deprived, leaking, and bleeding. Worst case scenario, you lack the basic support systems necessary to take care of yourself and your child. Either way, you’re certainly not heading to the Capitol to advocate for your needs and the needs of other moms across the country! 

“I can remember taking my first walk alone with my son in the carrier, and climbing up a hill near our house,” Sarah says, recalling that she was so proud of herself for achieving what felt like such an incredible feat at the time. “At that moment, with a newborn, I could have never imagined having the energy to get out and pound the pavement.”

The good news: at Willow, we will pound the pavement. We’re committed to fighting for the basic rights moms deserve and ensuring they feel more supported on their journeys.

The takeaways 

Overall, we left D.C. feeling optimistic about where we’re headed. Politicians are paying attention because moms are one of the largest national constituents — and collectively we’ve started to demand better. 

“Even if we’re a fractured coalition, we’re still talking about a huge group of people,” she says. “Collectively, moms have started to demand better, and this creates urgency. This gives us power.”

What to do with this power? Get out and vote! These issues are on the ballot this fall — so contact your Senators, start conversations within your communities, and use your voice to advocate for a culture that puts mothers first. “This is what will make these conversations a reality,” Sarah says. “We can keep making things better, pump by pump, mom by mom, law by law.”

Get involved and stay in the know!

For more on our efforts and partnership with Chamber of Mothers, follow us @willowpump on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn — we’ll be sharing updates through November and beyond. 

To support this important work, text PUMPED to 707070 to make a quick, tax-deductible donation. You can also text MOTHER to 26797 to check your voter registration status and learn more about the issues that Sarah and the Chamber of Mothers team discussed in D.C. 

Want to know more about the Maternal Health Momnibus Act?

This legislation aims to save moms’ lives by directing multi-agency efforts to improve maternal health, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations, and will make critical investments in social determinants of health that influence maternal health outcomes, like housing, transportation, and nutrition. It’s made up of 13 bills, such as:

Kira Johnson Act (H.R. 3310/ S.2239) – Provides funding to community-based organizations that are working to improve maternal health outcomes and promote equity.

Perinatal Workforce Act (H.R.3523/ S.1710) – Aims to grow and diversify the perinatal workforce to ensure that every mom in America receives maternal health care and support from people they trust

And more!