Today we have Kimberly Didrikson on The Mag. Kimberly is the founder of Learning Motherhood, an organization built to support working women and employers on the journey of motherhood through classes and personalized education.

How did you start this business?

The raw idea came after my experience in returning back to work following the birth of my first son as a leader within a Fortune 100 company. Through this experience I knew that additional support was needed for moms and dads. The uniqueness of what moms go through really weighed heavy on my mind and that was the beginning development stage of what is now our working mom series.

What is some advice you have for soon to be parents navigating maternity/paternity leave?

There is so much advice I could give here but here are four simple very important aspects to navigating leave.

#1 Do your research as it relates to maternity/paternity leave. In the state of California our leave benefits are one of the most robust offerings in the nation. Do not depend on what your organization is saying your leave is. This is not to say your organization does not want to support you but most likely they are not as well versed in what is actually available to you for leave.

#2 Start to explore your childcare options as soon as possible and know that it might change after your baby is born. You might feel different after your baby is here and that is okay. The important thing is to have two options that you feel good about whether it is a daycare facility, home daycare, family member, and or nanny.

#3 Map out who will take over your responsibilities prior to going on leave. Communication on how you will transition your work demonstrates how much you value your job and supporting your co-workers.

#4 I was shocked at how my identity changed after having a baby. It might feel impossible to imagine right now but most likely you will experience an identity shift. What I realized through that process is I actually was a better version of myself on a career perspective. Remember this when you return back to work. You as a parent have learned knew skills that are incredibly valuable in the workplace.

What is one thing/aspect that makes your mission so important?

Working parents, especially moms, are drowning in expectations of you can do it all. Mothers are passed up for promotions because they seem less reliable, mothers are paid less, and dads are chastised by employers for taking leave. Our mission is important because we cannot as a society allow this anymore, we need better maternity/paternity leave, flexibility within organizations, support for parents, and equal pay for women.

Name up to three other small businesses in LA that you love.

Kitchen table, Bumpin Blends, and The Riveter.