Marcela and Marina open up about their journey through the Maternity Coaching program, an initiative designed to support and guide to women during pregnancy.

Emotional agility is people’s ability to handle emotions with flexibility and resilience, especially during tough times. In the case of pregnant women, this skill is crucial. Pregnancy is a whirlwind of physical and emotional shifts that mark a defining chapter in life. Being able to recognize and navigate these feelings, while building a support network to help manage time and responsibilities is critical. It’s all about striking that delicate balance between personal, family and work life.

Teaching emotional agility is one of the tools in the Maternity Coaching program toolbox which was launched in 2017 by Sabrina Díaz Ibarra—an organizational coach and gender coaching expert. Created to provide much-needed support for women navigating the challenges of motherhood, the program is founded on the mantra, “No mother can go back to work without her support team.”

“The demands on women after a baby arrives easily outstrip any ideas they might have beforehand,” Sabrina explains. “That’s why it’s strategically important to have a dedicated space—whether it’s a group, an institution, or this workshop—for women to learn how to channel their skills into creating a new family dynamic without sacrificing their careers.”

The Maternity Coaching program combines flexibility with hands-on support, using an e-learning platform alongside interactive workshops. “Women start with asynchronous content they can learn at their own pace, followed by live workshops where we apply these tools,” describes Sabrina, adding that, “We cover strategic planning and delegation before delivery, build confidence and self-assurance to help them approach navigating the challenges of balancing roles, and focus on a smooth transition back to work.”

For Marcela Porta, a Financial Structure & Funding Expert and first-time mother, “everything about motherhood was new to me, so I saw this as an opportunity to receive support—and it was excellent,” she shares. “The group of mothers we created included women at different stages of pregnancy, and each one shared her journey. It offered us a space to pause, reflect on what others were going through, and offer mutual support.”

Marcela also recalls how challenging it was to return to work after maternity leave and how the Maternity Coaching program made all the difference. “I really struggled before going back—I found it extremely hard to accept being away from my son,” she admits. “Thankfully, I’m very passionate about what I do, and reconnecting with my profession helped me. I thought it would be tougher, but I found that balance faster than I expected.”

For Marina Cartasegna, a Facilities Specialist, the program “enabled me to connect with other women I might have only recognized by sight before, but through conversation, I realized we shared many of the same concerns.” She adds that, “Having somewhere to vent those feelings and get support to navigate the tougher moments was such a relief. It also helped me evaluate the new roles I was taking on in my daily life and build networks that made space for self-care. That, in turn, allowed me to return to work with clarity and focus.”

Sabrina Díaz Ibarra is delighted with the way the program has been received. “We track all kinds of metrics such as time spent on the platform, activities completed, and even requests for extensions after maternity leave. When we shared these insights with the Human Resources team recently, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive,” she says. “We’re convinced that this is great way to give mothers more autonomy and flexibility—two things they truly value.”