Women's Journal — Health, Beauty, Fitness & Lifestyle
New Child Care Report Reveals the Hidden Cost for Working Moms
A Louisiana report released in October 2026 documents how child care costs and limited availability affect parents’ jobs, with female respondents reporting especially pronounced shifts from full-time to part-time work. The findings explain the financial pressures, scheduling problems, and limited assistance facing families with young children, alongside national data on care prices. Key Takeaways The October 13 report surveyed 500 Louisiana adults caring for children younger than five. Among female respondents answering employment questions, 24.1% reported moving from full-time to part-time work because of child care problems. Infant care averaged approximately $12,042 annually in the report’s inflation-adjusted Louisiana pricing estimate. Nearly 70% of survey respondents reported some difficulty finding affordable child care. A new study from the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children found that child care difficulties coincided with reduced work schedules and job departures among parents of young children. In responses broken down by gender, 24.1% of women said child care problems had led them to move from full-time to part-time employment, compared with 5.9% of men. The institute released The Missing Piece on October 13. Louisiana State University researchers surveyed 500 adults caring for children four and younger from April 13 to April 21. Employment figures reflect 411
Monique Rodriguez Commits $2 Million to Maternal Health
Entrepreneur Monique Rodriguez has committed $2 million to birthFUND, a maternal-health organization founded by Elaine Welteroth. The multiyear commitment will support expanded access to midwifery-led care and establish a scholarship program designed to help train future midwives, connecting Rodriguez’s business leadership with maternal-health initiatives. Key Takeaways Monique Rodriguez committed $2 million to birthFUND through a multiyear pledge. The funding will support access to midwifery-led prenatal, birth and postpartum care. A portion of the commitment will establish the Milan Rodriguez Midwifery Scholarship Program. The scholarship initiative is being developed with the Black Midwifery Collective. Rodriguez is the founder of Mielle Organics and previously worked as a labor-and-delivery nurse. Monique Rodriguez Commits $2 Million to birthFUND Monique Rodriguez’s maternal health commitment will provide $2 million to birthFUND, an organization founded by journalist Elaine Welteroth. The multiyear pledge is directed toward maternal healthcare access and the development of the midwifery workforce. The funding will support midwifery-led prenatal, birth and postpartum care. It will also support an education initiative focused on future midwives, giving the commitment both a healthcare access component and a workforce-development component. Rodriguez is the founder of Mielle Organics and previously worked as a labor-and-delivery nurse. Her professional background connects her
See if you qualify at fundivi before
you have to turn down the next client.
NEWS
FITNESS
LIFESTYLE
Women Leaders Share Time Management Strategies
Members of the Bizwomen Leadership Council have shared strategies for managing competing demands while preserving access to colleagues and employees. The discussion focuses on practical leadership boundaries, communication habits and protected work time, offering specific approaches for professionals handling increasingly fragmented schedules. Key Takeaways Members of the Bizwomen Leadership Council shared approaches to protecting leadership time while remaining accessible The discussion focuses on boundaries around meetings, decisions, communications and personal time Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index found Microsoft 365 users were interrupted every two minutes on average during an eight-hour workday Nearly half of employees surveyed by Microsoft said their work felt chaotic and fragmented The council members’ approaches focus on preserving focused work without cutting off access to colleagues and employees Women Leaders Address the Demands on Executive Time Members of the Bizwomen Leadership Council have shared practical approaches for protecting focused work time while remaining available to colleagues, employees and stakeholders. The September 28 discussion examines the time pressures created by meetings, decisions, communications and expanding executive responsibilities. The council’s discussion involves seven members who describe ways they maintain boundaries without becoming inaccessible. Their approaches address the need to decide which demands require direct attention while preserving relationships
BEAUTY
OPINION
