Christine Michel Carter

"We are mothers first and we must bring our authentic selves to the workplace."

"Jobs can come and go, but family can’t."

"I understand women driven by their careers, as I am one of them."

"I also understand that family comes first and motherhood is a huge part of my identity."

"We need to understand that no matter what there is always going to be judgment."

"We do it to ourselves and our employees will do it."

"Being comfortable in who we are as moms and what we bring to the table means we will be able to be more productive and top performers at work."

"My whole experience was so rushed."

"I was never talked to about feeding."

"I tried to read up as much as I could but felt anxiety creep in as I read the millions of pamphlets that were just slight variations on the same damn thing."

"I got frustrated and didn’t want to read anything, then felt anxious because I wasn’t reading."

"I was producing so much milk, I read up on how to store breastmilk and misunderstood what I read."

"I thought even frozen breast milk had to be thrown out after a month,"

"I dumped a ton of milk not even realizing I could keep it."

"When it came to feeding Maya, I truly felt embarrassed and stupid."

"I was one of the only women at the company who was married and had a child."

"I remember having to pump in the bathroom stall because there was no other place for me to go."

"I don’t have a strict work schedule and my colleagues understand that my family obligations come first."

"I understand that not every mother is lucky enough to be in this position."

"I was once told independence is a spectrum, and the only way a mother can achieve true work life balance is by relying on the help of others."

"This includes everyone in her circle, from her employer to partner and friends."

"I find the moms who are having challenges balancing work and life, are the ones who just can’t bring themselves to say anything to their circle other than “I’m fine.”"

"That’s easier said than done and even I struggle with that, but to balance your worlds, you’ve got to ask for and accept help."

"I often hear due to household responsibilities that moms have very little time left for sponsorship and networking."

"I know what that feels like."

"That's why I created Mompreneur and Me events, which are inclusive parent and child friendly networking events."

"Moms no longer need to feel guilty for wanting to focus on their careers or for leaving their children to do so."

"Their children are with them at the event and they're in a room with like minded entrepreneurial women."

"The events are nationwide and free, which everyone loves."

"My secret is bringing my authentic self into all spaces."

"My work colleagues know that I believe motherhood makes a professional stronger in the workplace."

"My kids know they always come first, but Mommy values work a great deal."

"There are periods where you are not spending as much time with your kids due to work, and there are times when your work is pushed to the side because you need to walk away from the company."

"It always ebbs and flows."

"After returning to work from maternity leave, I had to pump in a bathroom stall due to a lack of nursing accommodations from my employer."

"I help progressive, family friendly companies design comfortable and hygienic mother’s rooms."

"When you head back to work without being ready to do so, it takes a toll on your mental and physical health."

"What’s worse, for working mothers, many organizations aren’t set up for their success."

"When new moms return to the workplace, I want to help them combine their careers and motherhood creatively."

"The first that comes to mind is trying to emulate the poses and content strategy of mom influencers on social media."

"I look back at old posts and cringe."

"I’ve realized that’s not my lane."

"Just as a doula is a trained companion who supports another individual through a significant health related experience, such as childbirth"

"My lane is being “the career doula,” helping women navigate the significant impact of childbirth on their professional careers."

"I have key global pillars which have helped me make a significant social impact."

"I provide analysis and author content on eliminating racial disparities in maternal health."

"I’ve been fortunate to work on the maternal initiatives of Vice President Kamala Harris."