Jennifer Jordan is the founder and the director of the Mom and Baby division (now Aeroflow Breastpumps) at Aeroflow Healthcare and through her business acumen and passion for helping other working mothers, she has lead a team at Aeroflow that, since 2013, has provided breastfeeding mothers with thousands of free breast pumps through insurance and the ACA.
Because of her and her team’s efforts, her company has been able to positively impact the health of literally thousands of mothers and their children.
Recently, I had the privilege of being able to interview this inspirational working mom and businesswoman, her answers to my interview questions are below.
JMA: How did you get your start at Aeroflow Healthcare?
JJ: My only knowledge of breastfeeding or breast pumps before becoming the Director of Mom and Baby at Aeroflow was from my own experience as a working mom who breastfed. I started at Aeroflow working as an inside sales representative in the industrial division, and then I moved into business development.
JMA: How did you come to found the Mom and Baby division (now Aeroflow Breastpumps) there?
JJ: When the Affordable Healthcare Act was passed, I recognized the potential to help serve moms by providing breast pumps through insurance. We started small, but soon moms realized that breast pumps were free through their insurance and the department grew quickly! Our focus has always been to provide the best experience for moms finding a breast pump. We made sure that as we grew, our dedication to service and our knowledge of products didn’t become compromised.
JMA: As a director at Aeroflow what are some of the ways you build community in the workplace?
JJ: Aeroflow is committed to our guiding principles of ‘The 3 C’s’ we focus on doing what is right for our customer, co-worker, and community and make decisions based on this commitment. We try to have fun and support each other every day. Being on the phone and talking with so many people can present challenges sometimes, but we have built a team of breast pump specialists who are all passionate about what they are doing. They enjoy helping moms and giving them the best experience possible when shopping for the pump and supplies that will best fit their needs. Every pump that gets shipped is a success for all of us!
JMA: Having been a breastfeeding mother yourself, how important do you feel breastfeeding is?
JJ: I am incredibly passionate about breastfeeding! I decided early on during my pregnancy that I wanted to breastfeed. While I thought I was prepared for breastfeeding, I learned very quickly that nothing could truly prepare me for the experience. Breastfeeding did not come naturally for me, but with the support of my LC, my husband and other moms, I was able to get the hang of it and I breastfed my son for over a year!
JMA: In your opinion, what are some of the biggest obstacles facing working moms?
JJ: Working moms have so much to juggle. Between taking care of their baby, focusing on their career, and balancing home and work life, they have a lot to handle. Working moms need more acceptance and understanding from our culture. If communities and companies can make a wide effort to support working mothers, policies and structural changes such as paid maternity leave and flexible work schedules will follow.
JMA: What advice would you give other working moms who are juggling work and home lives?
JJ: Take care of yourself! If you aren’t taking time to rest and recoup, you’ll be struggling to keep up with everything at home and work. Don’t put too much on your plate right after returning to work from having your baby. Integrate back into old routines slowly and make sure that you aren’t overdoing it.
JMA: You once wrote a piece titled ” Working moms are a driver of the U.S. economy.” As a society, what are some of the ways that we can better support working mothers?
JJ: Paid parental leave: offering a fair paid leave policy to new moms is one of the most crucial ways that companies can show support. Maternity leave allows a mom to bond with her new baby and gives her the time necessary to prepare a breastfeeding/pumping schedule for her return to work.
A space to pump: companies can also encourage and support the decision to breastfeed by providing a safe, quiet and comfortable pumping room in the workplace. If your company doesn’t have a pumping room, talk to your manager and express your concern. One voice can make a difference!
Don’t judge or belittle a mom breastfeeding in public, instead, show your support for the healthy decisions they’re making for themselves and their baby.
JMA: What are some of the things that we can all do to support and encourage breastfeeding in our communities?
JJ: Contact your lawmakers, and pay attention to policymakers who support breastfeeding rights. Show your support on social media, encourage your breastfeeding friends, and donate supplies/money or volunteer your time to organizations in your community that support mothers.
If you’re a breastfeeding mom, sharing your breastfeeding journey on social media is a great way to connect with other moms and show your support for the benefits of breastfeeding.
JMA: Who are some of the people who inspire you?
JJ: Women inspire me. I have been surrounded by hardworking, loving and compassionate women my entire life. My grandmother and my mother have inspired me throughout my life to pursue my dreams, be passionate about what I do, and love without bounds. I have the pleasure of working with women each day who inspire me, teach me new things, and are pillars of strength in the world.
JMA: What do you love most about being a mom?
JJ: I could go on and on here! I love being able to witness my son grow into an incredible young man. He is smart, compassionate, funny, and has a keen awareness of others. It is refreshing to hear his perceptions of the world as seen through the lens of an innocent child. He has such wonderment with new experiences and can easily pick himself up when there are bumps in the road. I hope that I am arming him with the tools and love to go into the world and live his best life while making the world a better place.
JMA: Thank you, Jennifer
JJ: You are welcome
Check out Aeroflow Breastpumps, the division of Aeroflow Healthcare that Jennifer founded and directs.
Photo Credit: Daddy-David Flickr via Compfight cc
I admire Jennifer for taking the effort and responsibility to make a great difference to the lives of women and children-our future’s hope.