Thought

"Please don't see me, please don't see me..."

Have you ever whispered this to yourself while setting up a breast pump in public? Yesterday, I watched another mom do that, which made me emotional.

I was sitting on the 6:30 a.m. ACELA to NYC, sipping my green tea, when I spotted her across the aisle. Another mom in a crisp blazer, hair done, nails done, lips done, trying to discreetly set up her pump. We locked eyes and shared that smile. You, mommas, know exactly what I mean.

Honestly? It took me right back. Back to those crazy days of pumping in my car between client meetings (praying nobody would walk by and wondering if I remembered the cooler bag). Those frantic walks to the airport family room and - let's be honest - those emergency pump sessions in the office bathroom during audit season. We've all been there, done that, got the milk-stained shirt😅.

Can we talk about how this whole juggling act never actually ends? I'm not pumping anymore, but I'm still juggling. Just this morning, I was jumping between a team call and my kid's teacher meeting (thank god for mute buttons!). Last week, I sprinted from a presentation to make it to soccer practice. And don't even get me started on trying to handle team weeklies while my tween is having a meltdown about friendship in the background.

But here's what gets me - we working moms? We're like ninjas about this stuff:

Need a makeshift office? Give us 5 minutes and any flat surface. We'll make it work. I have led review calls from my kid's dentist parking lot.

Double-booked between a big meeting and school pickup? Watch us work that magic. "Sorry, team, can we start 10 minutes late? (Translation: doing pickup ninja-style)

Running on 3 hours of sleep because someone had nightmares? Nothing my morning green tea can't handle. We'll still crush that presentation.

To that mama on the train - girl, I see you. I do. Those silent nods we share? They're worth over a thousand LinkedIn posts about "leaning in."

And to every mom reading this while hiding in some weird corner trying to pump, or scarfing down lunch between calls, or sitting in another school pickup line answering emails on your phone - I get it. I see you.

Your kids see you too? They notice everything. Even when you think they don't. Mine told me that she wants to be "busy like mommy" when she grows up (I'm not sure if that's a compliment, but I'll take it! 🤗 )

So here's to us - the parking lot pumpers, the conference call jugglers, the soccer practice email checkers. We're not just working moms. We're freaking superheroes in blazers.

Keep rocking it, mamas. We've got this. ❤️

And I invite you to share your ninja moves in the comments ⬇

hashtag#WorkingMomLife hashtag#TheStruggleIsReal hashtag#WomenInBusiness hashtag#RealTalk hashtag#MomLife hashtag#AccountingMom

P.S. I met my pumping-mom friend on the train back to Boston, and we acknowledged each other again.