This mom brought her baby to a meeting—and reminded us what true workplace support look

Jessica, a mom of two and project manager for a publishing and advertising company, braced herself for scrutiny. Her 8-month-old baby perched on her lap, she joined a Teams meeting, half expecting judgment. Instead, she was met with delight. One coworker asked her to lift her baby’s head so everyone could see “that little cutie” properly.

The moment was captured in a TikTok video posted on September 25 by Jessica (@jesspe_21), which has since amassed 5.3 million views. Text on the video reads, “Imagine telling me I am going to get fired once my coworkers find I’m working from home with my baby and these are the said coworkers.”

@jesspe_21 Work from home with a baby means they make guest speaker appearances #wfhm #wfh #workmom #wfhmomlife #momsoftiktok ♬ original sound – jesspe_21

In the caption, Jessica clarified that her baby is “almost never in meetings” and that this was a rare situation when her husband had a work call. She added, “I’ve worked from home with my kids for 3 years at this company, NO issues. Everyone at the company knows I work from home with my babes.”

Related: The number of working moms with young kids just hit a 3-year low — here’s why

Every working mom knows this fear

Even in 2025, many mothers experience the anxiety of “being found out” as a parent at work. Jessica explained to Newsweek, “I’ve posted before about working from home with kids, and I’ve gotten DMs and comments that say I will eventually get fired… especially once my boss or coworkers find out.” 

The TikTok clip reframes that fear, showing how empathy and flexibility can replace judgment with humanity.

How remote work is reshaping motherhood

Remote work has significantly transformed maternal employment dynamics in the United States.

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of workers who primarily worked from home increased from 5.9% in 2019 to 17.9% in 2021, with women representing the majority of this increase. This shift reflects a broader trend of women balancing professional responsibilities with caregiving roles, facilitated by remote work arrangements.

Why support at work changes everything

Research underscores the importance of supportive work environments for working parents. A 2024 article from HRMorning discusses the significance of creating family-centered policies that address the diverse needs of modern families. By offering benefits like paid parental leave and childcare subsidies, companies demonstrate a commitment to work-life balance, which can lead to higher employee engagement and retention.

These insights align with Jessica’s experience, highlighting how a supportive workplace culture can positively impact both employee well-being and organizational success.

Related: Why return-to-office mandates could set working moms back for decades

A hopeful look at the future of work

Hundreds of TikTok users celebrated Jessica’s supportive coworkers, many sharing their own experiences with flexible workplaces.

The conversation underscores a broader cultural shift: professionalism is evolving beyond rigid, outdated standards. Humor, care, and humanity can coexist with productivity—and companies that understand this model set an example for others to follow.

• “I would like to see the baby.” — @basquetkase
• “They talked about the baby like an agenda item.” — @khadijahdanielle
• “Aww that’s a green flag from all those guys.” — @lena_moon008
• “I see there’s a baby in our teams” had me cackling.” — @sass.master51

In a world still skeptical of parents juggling work and caregiving, her story offers hope—proof that workplaces can honor both professionalism and family, and that moms don’t have to choose between the two.

Source:

1. HR Morning. 2024. “7 Ways You Can Lead the Industry with Family-Centered Policies.”

source https://www.mother.ly/career-money/work-and-motherhood/mom-brings-baby-to-meeting/