Reporters stand ready to turn her pregnancy and later her babies into a permanent photo-op. Today it's common to see a Very Visible Pregnancy at work. Yet in many businesses, it's still not a good idea to have Very Visible Progeny. After the congratulations fade and parental leave ends, most new parents are on their own to work out infant care. They must put on a happy face professionally to mask any private concerns.
Some firms do permit flexible schedules.
A handful of innovative companies even allow new parents to bring infants to work for the first six or eight months. It's one way, managers say, to get women back before their maternity leave ends - a dubious achievement, for sure. But she also proudly points out that she worked until the day before her daughter, Elizabeth, was born and then took just two weeks off. If Swift races back to work again after her twins are born, her Very Public Example risks setting a norm that other new mothers might be expected to follow. It's time to change the culture.