As a new parent, you deserve to have the opportunity to welcome your new family member and transition into this new chapter, without stressing about work. But the lack of comprehensive federal policies for paid parental leave in the U.S. places a significant burden on new parents who are faced with the impossible choice between caring for their children and maintaining their careers.   In today’s episode, I’m interviewing parental leave consultant Arianna Taboada, who is working to disrupt the narrative that growing a family is incompatible with growing a company or having a career. She is the author of The Expecting Entrepreneur: A Guide to Parental Leave Planning for Self Employed Business Owners (2021), and joins me to answer key questions about how to map out parental leave, and build the self-awareness you need as you move through the momentous shift into parenthood.   References:   The Expecting Entrepreneur: A Guide to Parental Leave Planning for Self Employed Business Owners   https://www.abetterbalance.org/   Connect with Arianna:   Visit her website: theexpectingentrepreneur.com Follow her on Instagram Follow her on LinkedIn   You can follow Brandi and her work @deardouapodcast on IG, @brandi_jordan_official IG, and send questions, comments and platitudes to brandi@deardoulapodcast.com. Have a question you want Brandi to answer? Shoot her an email or a DM and she might include it on her next podcast episode!   If you are looking for support with your children, you can reach out to us at The Cradle Company for more information on hiring a parenting or baby specialist.   If you appreciate Dear Doula, please take a minute to subscribe, rate and review!   Audio Stamps:   1:55 - Arianna tells us about her business and how she helps people navigate parental leave 3:11 - We find out the common knowledge gaps when it comes to parental leave 4:55 - For anyone who is thinking of having kids, Arianna shares what they should be doing now to understand and prepare for parental leave  6:16 - Arianna recommends what to do if you have an employer with a parental leave policy 8:53 - Brandi asks what people could be doing with their employer and HR when pregnant or before becoming pregnant 10:22 - Arianna shares what she wishes more parents knew about parental leave 11:13 - We hear Arianna’s advice for anyone who is afraid to speak about their pregnancy in the workplace for fear of retaliation or discrimination 13:11 - Arianna tells us about how her book helps people navigate the process of parental leave 14:10 - We find out if disability leave is the same as parental leave 16:16 - Brandi asks what you can do about parental leave if you’re already far into your pregnancy