So, I actually read this book quit a while in advance of it’s release. I moved it up on my reading list because it was really relevant to a blog article I was writing for a client about being a pregnant small business owner/sole proprietor. Although Stephanie Kramer’s book really focuses much more on being pregnant in more corporate/big business environments and less on being your own boss while pregnant, the information is still very relevant to any woman even considering how to balance motherhood and a career.
Carry Strong is a mix of research that Kramer conducted herself and real-life stories shared by women in the workforce. Kramer invites women to begin thinking about their work and motherhood goals even before pregnancy is in their plans, so that they can be most fully prepared for the challenges–both physical and work-related. She introduces five principles for women to begin practicing at any stage, then relates them to the five stages of pregnancy/motherhood, beginning with the period before you are even trying to conceive.
Kramer’s book is both empowering but at times stark and a little discouraging. Empowering because she celebrates and encourages women to make the choice about work and motherhood that is right for them and their families, whether that’s a full-blown career, part-time work, or working as a full-time mom. It can feel a little discouraging to realize how prevalent it still is for motherhood to be seen as a risk–or even a liability–in the workplace. But even in those moments, Kramer fights to empower women (and men, too) to join the fight to normalize and celebrate mothers in careers and recognize the value they bring to a team.
Kramer’s book is full of advice and stories from women who have been there–women who have returned to work, women who worked through their choice not to work, and everything in between. It helps women start processing equilibrium with work and home life, determine how and when to share their news, and learn how to protect a whole identity that isn’t consumed by either work or motherhood.
I would definitely recommend this book for any woman who is or plans to shift into motherhood and maintain a career. Even if that’s several years down the road in your plan, as Kramer points out, it’s worth thinking about now and vetting your employer to see if they will support you when the time comes, or if you are better off making a career move.
Reading, writing, living 