Empower Women, Elevate Teams

Turn Parental Leave into a Strategic Advantage for Retention & Leadership

the challenge

The Silent Struggle of New Mothers Returning to Work

“She was one of our best employees, and I wanted to support her return from maternity leave—but I didn’t know how. She seemed exhausted and disengaged, and I worried about overstepping. At the same time, the work still had to get done. I felt stuck between offering flexibility and maintaining productivity, unsure how to help without losing her.” 

“I was running on empty—physically exhausted, emotionally drained, and barely keeping up. I felt guilty missing moments at home and guilty for not performing at work. I wanted to ask for support, but I worried it would make me seem less committed. No one at work really understood what I was going through, and I felt like I had to figure it out alone.”

the real cost

Retention, Engagement and Performance

%

75% of women have a negative or possibly discriminatory experience at work during pregnancy, maternity leave, or on their return from maternity leave (1)

%

43% of mothers leave their jobs after childbirth (2)

Keep your top female talent

Read The Untold Story of Postpartum at Work

We spoke with new moms and HR leaders across the US and Europe to learn what’s working — and where support falls short. Explore our whitepaper, The Untold Story of Postpartum at Work, to see how stronger return-to-work and wellbeing support can help you retain top talent and build more resilient teams.

the 360° solution

Reintegration. Retention. Resilience.

Train managers to communicate with empathy, understanding, and confidence—helping them navigate sensitive conversations and foster a culture where new mothers feel valued, not sidelined

Employees are 3x more likely to stay when they have a psychologically healthy work environment (3)

Support new mothers physically, mentally, and emotionally—offering expert-led guidance, practical resources, and a community that empowers them to return to work feeling strong, focused, and engaged

%

of women say that better postpartum and return-to-work support would keep them at their company (4)

our SERVICES

Turn Parental Leave into a Retention and Leadership Advantage

Parental Leave Policy & Strategy

Develop a Parental Leave Strategy & Policy

We help you build a coherent, company-wide parental leave strategy that goes beyond a written policy. Together, we define clear guidelines, roles, and responsibilities, map concrete actions to each stage of the leave timeline, and establish performance goals to measure long-term success and continuous improvement. This strategic foundation ensures consistency, compliance, and a better experience for both parents and managers — and serves as the backbone for many of our services, including manager workshops and our signature parental & manager leave handbooks.

Wellness Sessions

Personalized 1:1 Wellness Support for Parents

Because recovery and transition aren’t one-size-fits-all, parents receive access to personalized one-on-one wellness sessions throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period. Employees can choose freely from our curated network of expert providers to match their unique physical, emotional, and mental needs — whether that’s psychological support, sleep, nutrition, movement, or postpartum recovery.

This flexible, confidential support helps parents feel cared for as whole people, reduces burnout during a vulnerable life stage, and enables a healthier, more sustainable return to work. Programs are fully adaptable to your organization’s budget, population, and wellbeing goals.

Manager Handbook

Manager Playbook: Confident, Consistent Parental Leave Support

A practical, company-specific handbook that equips managers with the clarity, tools, and confidence to support employees through maternity and paternity leave while maintaining performance and team cohesion. Fully aligned with your internal policies, culture, and HR processes, this resource provides clear guidance for every stage of the leave journey — including legal context, role clarity, timelines, and conversation templates. The result is consistent, fair, and supportive management practices that reduce risk, improve manager capability, and strengthen retention.

Employee Handbook

Employee Guide: Planning, Communicating & Returning with Ease

A clear, supportive handbook designed to help employees navigate maternity and paternity leave with confidence and ease.

Tailored to your company’s policies, culture, and HR processes, it helps parents plan ahead, understand their options, and communicate their needs at every stage of the journey. By combining practical guidance, timelines, and external support resources, this handbook reduces uncertainty, supports wellbeing, and increases the likelihood of a successful return to work.

Seminars & Workshops

Seminars and Workshops

Tailor-made, interactive seminars designed to strengthen manager capability, improve team performance, and reduce the risks associated with key life transitions at work. These sessions build practical skills in compassionate communication and emotional intelligence — directly supporting higher retention, stronger engagement, and more consistent leadership behaviors across the organization.

By equipping managers with clear tools and structured approaches, our workshops reduce uncertainty, prevent misalignment, and turn moments of change into opportunities for trust, continuity, and long-term performance.

All sessions are customized to your policies, culture, and business goals, ensuring learning translates into measurable impact — not just insight.

And You Workshop

Workshop: Becoming a Parent, Staying You

A reflective and interactive workshop designed to help employees navigate the emotional, mental, and identity shifts of parenthood with greater clarity and confidence. Through guided reflection, storytelling, discussion, and practical exercises, participants explore how matrescence and fatherhood reshape priorities, relationships, and daily life.

The session supports parents to identify areas of depletion or imbalance, reconnect with what matters most, and create a personalized “And You Action Plan” with realistic, immediately actionable steps. Participants leave feeling more grounded, supported, and equipped to move forward with renewed perspective — both at work and at home.

Leadership Coaching

1:1 Coaching for Managers and Leaders

Personalized one-on-one coaching designed to strengthen leadership clarity, confidence, and balance in demanding environments. These sessions focus on stress management, sustainable work–life harmony, effective communication, and self-awareness.

Supporting leaders to navigate complexity, make grounded decisions, and lead with greater impact, results in a more aligned, resilient leadership that benefits both the individual and the organization.

Return to Work Coaching

Return-to-Work 1:1 Coaching

Personalized one-on-one coaching designed to support new mothers in returning to work with confidence, clarity, and sustainable energy. This coaching focuses on rebuilding capacity, managing mental and emotional load, restoring work–life harmony, and redefining professional identity after a major life transition. Through structured, confidential, and outcome-oriented sessions, participants develop practical strategies to navigate new responsibilities, communicate boundaries, and design ways of working that support both performance and wellbeing.

Programs are fully tailored to your organization’s needs — with format, duration, and delivery adapted based on budget, team size, and employee context — ensuring meaningful, measurable support during one of the most critical retention moments.

our team

Women Who’ve Been in Your Shoes, and Your Boardroom

Jenna Rydh

Jenna Rydh

High-Performance Coach, Trained Facilitator

Jenna is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with a Fortune 500 background and a deep understanding of burnout. She supports organizations in creating workplaces where mothers can thrive – training managers to prevent burnout, foster psychological safety, and redesign job roles for a smoother, more supportive postpartum return to work.

A mother herself, Jenna knows the courage it takes to balance ambition and care and believes no woman should have to choose between thriving at work and feeling fulfilled at home. Alongside her corporate work, she coaches female executives to fast-track their success while staying energized, confident, and connected to what matters most. Her work has been featured in Forbes France, and she has shared her ideas on the TEDx stage.

Erica Sluys

Erica Sluys

Founder, Neuroscientist

As the founder of And You, Erica partners with organizations to create environments where energy, empathy, and performance can coexist.

Trained in bioethics and neuroscience, and a mother of three, she brings scientific rigor and human understanding to her work. A former Medical Director in healthcare communications, Erica combines analytical precision with lived experience to help leaders design systems that support both ambition and care.

An American and naturalised French citizen, she draws on a transatlantic understanding of work, identity, and wellbeing to help redefine success for women — and for the workplaces that depend on them.

Ana Maria Bowring

Ana Maria Bowring

Professional Certified Life Coach

Ana Maria Bowring is known for her heart-centered and transformative approach to supporting mothers through the many transitions of motherhood- whether it’s returning to work, rediscovering identity, or navigating the emotional shifts that come with raising children.

A mother herself, Ana Maria understands firsthand the tender balancing act between caring for others and staying connected to your own goals, dreams, and well-being. She believes that with a clear vision, supportive energy, and small committed actions, anything is possible- even in the chaos of motherhood. 

Born in London and rooted in her vibrant Colombian heritage, Ana Maria brings a multicultural and deeply human perspective to her work. 

Don’t take our word for it

Success Stories

Even after my third pregnancy (10 years after my first) I felt torn between my baby and work; just thinking about returning to work and leaving my baby made me tear up. I found AndYou when my child was around 10 month old, and it helped me understand what was happening emotionally and physically. The choose-your-own video modules, gentle movement, breathing and mindfulness, pumping and clear explainers on body change, are easy to follow and genuinely supportive. It’s not just about adapting to work again; it’s about self-care, which we mothers so often put last or forget. I can only recommend it, for individuals and for workplaces that prioritise employee wellbeing programs.”

Cornelia

Mom of three

“I took the Healing & You course on my phone at 7 weeks postpartum and greatly valued that the information was both shared in spoken/video form and written. As a new mom, time is scarce, so it’s wonderful the course is structured in such a way that it only takes a few minutes at a time.”

Ananda

First Time Mom

“The pumping course is truly invaluable — a real help in the challenging task of organizing breast-milk pumping in preparation for returning to work and once work has resumed, while also taking into great consideration the psychological aspects that are so essential. It offers a judgment-free space full of useful advice, focused on a sustainable approach that minimizes anxiety and fatigue. The downloadable “stick-on-the-fridge” sheets — with milk-quantity guidelines based on the baby’s age, storage instructions, and more — are an absolute gem!”

Valeria

Mom of two

What Sets Us Apart

Our offer

  • Manager Training & HR Support: Tools to equip your leaders with the soft skills needed to support returning employees.
  • HR & Management Workshops: Practical training for leaders to support employees through maternity leave and reintegration.

  • Return-to-Work Coaching: Personalized one-on-one sessions that help mothers return to work with clarity, balance, and confidence.

  • Wellbeing Programs: Online courses and 1:1 guidance to boost health, manage stress, enhance focus, and prevent burnout. Browse our postpartum courses.

  • Educational Seminars: Interactive sessions that turn knowledge into empathy and actionable strategies.

  • Practical Tools: Ready-to-use resources including our course, Pumping & You, to make transitions smoother and build confidence for both employees and managers.

Why Choose Us?

  • Expert-Led & Evidence-Based: Our program is developed by women’s health professionals, and workplace well-being experts.
  • Tailored for the Return from Maternity Leave: Unlike generic wellness programs, ours is designed specifically for postpartum women, covering sensitive topics for women and managers. Delivered in formats that best fit your team — from modular workshops to ongoing coaching partnerships
  • Designed for Impact: Our program is built on research-backed strategies that promote higher retention, better engagement, and stronger leadership in supporting postpartum employees.
good leadership, good workplace culture

Retention starts with support

Discover how better return-to-work support helps you attract and retain talent and build resilient teams.

Sources

1. Adams L et al. Pregnancy and Maternity-Related Discrimination and Disadvantage: Experiences of Mothers. HM Government, Equality and Human Rights Commission 2016. 

2. Maven Clinic. Back-to-work: the billion dollar opportunity for companies.

3. Great Place to Work and Maven Clinic. Working Parents, Burnout & the Great Resignation. 2021.

4. Carrot Fertility. Maternal health in the workplace: A report from Carrot Fertility. 2024.

Start exploring

Resource Library

For workplaces

Why Paternity Leave for Fathers Can Change Things for Mothers Too

When we discuss parental leave and workplace flexibility, the focus often centers on women—rightfully so, given the physical and societal demands they face. But what if we shifted the conversation to include men as equally important participants in caregiving? What if normalizing paternity leave and flexibility for fathers could not only ease the burden on women but also transform workplace culture for the better?

Why Parental Leave Matters

Parental leave is a critical career milestone—and one of the most complex transitions HR teams manage. While much of the industry’s focus often centers on maternity leave, paternity leave is increasingly recognized as essential to workplace equity and retention.

Supporting Paid Parental Leave in the Cosmetics Industry: Lessons from an HR Leader

An HR leader from the cosmetics industry shares what’s working and what can improve in supporting paid parental leave, gender equity, and employee reintegration.

Returning to Work After Parental Leave: How Flexible Work Structures Support New Parents

For many employees, returning to work after parental leave comes with a mix of excitement and anxiety. Sleepless nights, navigating childcare logistics, and adjusting back to professional life can make the transition overwhelming. But in the right environment—one built around flexibility, empathy, and thoughtful planning—this process can become a much smoother experience.

Rethinking Maternity Leave and Workplace Support in Switzerland

We recently spoke with Martin, an experienced HR Business Partner who oversees around 1,000 employees across Switzerland and Germany in the environment and construction sectors. With years of experience in HR and organizational development, he has observed firsthand the challenges women face when transitioning back to work after maternity leave—and the opportunities companies miss when they fail to take a holistic approach.

Rethinking Maternity and Parental Leave from Systems to the Individual

As more companies strive to foster gender equity and build inclusive workplaces, there’s growing awareness that maternity and parental leave must be more than just a compliance checkbox.

For parents

3 simple ways to avoid feeling disconnected from your husband after baby

We all respond to events in different ways, both in the way we regulate our emotions and how we interpret the event. This article will discuss two different support styles and how to best respond to three different situations and four different emotions. Or jump ahead to three simple rules to reconnect for any situation.

3 step plan to share the mental load with your partner

The mental load is heavy and often unnoticed. Research has shown that cognitive tasks are gendered and due to the burdensome and largely invisible nature of these tasks, an unequal distribution is frequently a source of conflict in couples. Here we propose a research-backed 3 step plan to assess and balance your couple’s mental load.

Conflict Resolution in Marriage: Nurturing Connection Through Curiosity

Conflict resolution in marriage is not just about resolving disputes; when done correctly we can use conflict to build deeper connections via empathy and understanding. We’ll show you how you can take conflict, add a little curiosity and end up with connection- paying attention to you and your partner’s love language along the way. 

Flying with kids: All the things you’ll want to pack

As I write this, I have logged 11 transatlantic flights with children from 2 months old. Sometimes it was with one kid, sometimes all 3. Sometimes I was with my husband or mom, but most of the time I was solo. Flying with kids is stressful, that is certain, but...

How to Be a Better Mother: The Power of Setting Goals and Tasks

The key to growth as a mother isn’t perfection—it’s intention. By setting clear goals and breaking them down into small, actionable tasks, you can create meaningful change for both yourself and your family.

Maternity Leave Support: A Conversation with HR Leader Federica

In the evolving conversation around working parents, one truth remains consistent: the transition back to work after maternity leave is deeply personal, often complex, and rarely predictable. To better understand how companies can strengthen their maternity leave support, we sat down with Federica, an experienced HR leader who brings both professional and personal insights to the topic.