Becoming a working parent
Coaching for working parents navigating pregnancy, parental leave, and the return to work.
Congratulations! Your family is growing! As a working professional, you’re probably wondering, how am I supposed to plan this with my job? You’re trying to figure out leave, what to say to your manager, how your work will be covered, and what it all means for your career. You don’t have to figure it all out on your own. This is something you can expertly plan for with the right support.
You bring experience and confidence to your career.
Parenthood is new ground.
Coaching helps you grow in both.
Our Approach
This transition is bigger than most people expect.
We use the Center for Parental Leave Leadership’s RETAIN Parental Leave Coaching™ method to ensure clients feel seen, supported, and confident.
The RETAIN method breaks down leave into three phases.
Preparing for Leave
You’re still working, but preparing to step away.
“Will stepping away hurt how I’m perceived at work?”
“How do I make sure my work is covered without everything falling apart?”
“What am I entitled to and what should I be asking for?”
“How do I prepare my team and clients for my absence?”
“Why does it feel like I have to figure all of this out on my own?”
During Leave
You’re finding your way through early parenthood.
“How do I fully step away when work is so important to me?”
“How can I possibly function at work when I’m so sleep-deprived?”
“We rely on my income, but what if I can’t imagine leaving my baby to go back?”
“How do I build up a supply of milk ahead of my return?”
“Is it normal to feel this uncertain or conflicted?”
Returning from Leave
You’re finding your footing as a working parent.
“Can I perform at the same level I did before?”
“How do I manage work and parenting without constantly feeling behind?”
“How do I ask for what I need without it hurting my career?”
“How do I manage mental health concerns with the added stress of going back to work?”
About the Coach
Emily Phelps, R-PLC
Certified RETAIN Parental Leave Coach through the Center for Parental Leave Leadership (CPLL)
Trained in a structured, research-informed approach to navigating parental leave and return to work
SHRM-certified Human Resources Manager
Former DONA Birth and Postpartum Doula
Experience providing parental leave coaching as both an internal corporate coach and an external consultant
Personally navigated two parental leaves within a multi-national corporate setting.
Emily’s experience supporting new families across multiple professional contexts uniquely positions her as a parental leave coach. From her background in HR to years working closely with families as a birth and postpartum doula, she brings a nuanced understanding of both the workplace realities and the lived experience of early parenthood.
Why Sage Green?
Sage Green represents the intersection you’re standing in.
Sage reflects who you already are: experienced, thoughtful, and capable. You’ve built a career. You know how to navigate complex challenges. You are not starting from scratch.
Green reflects what’s new. Parenthood brings unfamiliar territory, new identities, and questions you’ve never had to answer before.
You are both at the same time.
This work isn’t about becoming someone entirely different. It’s about learning how to hold your established professional identity and your emerging identity as a parent at the same time.