In a World of AI Parenting Advice, RETAIN Parental Leave Coaching Matters More Then Ever
At the Center for Parental Leave Leadership (CPLL) we know that supporting working parents isn’t just good for families—it’s essential for business success. That’s why we’re excited to announce our 6th RETAIN Parental Leave Coach Certification Cohort starting September 16th. Click here to learn more and apply.
The Image Isn’t Real—But the Need for Connection Is
At first glance, the photo feels instantly familiar: a group of pregnant women standing close together, sharing a moment of joy and warmth. Each woman looks like the kind of person you’d want by your side through the uncharted waters of new parenthood—steady, caring, trustworthy. It evokes comfort, community, and the deep knowing that you’re not doing this alone.
And yet—none of these women exist.
This image, like so many we’re beginning to see across the internet, was created by artificial intelligence. No doula or RETAIN Parental Leave Coach brought them together and set the scene, no photographer clicked the shutter. It’s a digital dream: a convincing illusion of a human moment we all crave.
Even the words you’re reading now were largely drafted by AI trained to be me, sparked by a single line of direction: “use the image I just asked you to make and write about how we need real human support during the transition to parenthood.”
This is the world we’re living in—where technology can convincingly simulate not just facts and faces, but feelings. And in some ways, that’s miraculous. But in others, it’s dangerous. Because no matter how flawless the image, how heartwarming the words, parenthood is not a simulation. It’s visceral, vulnerable, and deeply human.
As we’re lured by the ease and polish of the artificial, what we need most is something real: human connection, wisdom passed hand to hand, heart to heart. And that’s what I’ve developed and refined RETAIN Parental Leave Coaching to be, for nearly two very real decades.
“Because no matter how flawless the image, how heartwarming the words, parenthood is not a simulation. It’s visceral, vulnerable, and deeply human.”
The Rise of the Unreal
We now live in a world where an entire brand story—visuals, copy, tone—can be generated by AI in a matter of minutes. Coaches, consultants, and companies are already using these tools to create the appearance of experience, diversity, and care, without the lived knowledge to back it up.
It’s not hard to see the appeal. AI-generated content is efficient, consistent, and cost-effective. It can even be inclusive in ways that traditional media has historically failed to be.
But here’s the paradox: we’re using artificial tools to simulate something that only real human connection can provide—belonging, trust, empathy, love.
New parents, perhaps more than any other group, need spaces where they can be vulnerable. They need trained support people—not algorithms—who can hold space for fear and uncertainty, who won’t flinch when someone says, “I’m not okay.” They also need someone who can celebrate their breakthroughs with the same depth of presence—this time with delight and a grounded perspective that reminds them: you are enough, and you are okay, right now.
- A flawless image won’t do that.
- A chatbot can’t do that…. Yet. (We’re working on it though.)
- A 15-minute consult from someone who’s never walked the path, or been properly trained, certainly won’t do that.
But a trained and certified RETAIN Parental Leave Coach can.
What's Real Matters More Than Ever
As the founder of the Center for Parental Leave Leadership and the field of parental leave coaching and consulting, I’ve spent nearly two decades building a model of support grounded in real human experience at work and home. RETAIN Parental Leave Coaches are trained not just in workplace logistics and policy, but in psychology, equity, identity, and the tender, messy, life-changing reality of what it means to become a parent while also trying to hold onto your professional self.
We’ve worked with countless new parents and managers through births, losses, adoptions, miscarriages, returns to work, identity shifts, difficult conversations at home and work, and everything in between. Every RETAIN Coaching conversation is rooted in the belief that you don’t have to do this alone—and that there is strength, dignity, and wisdom in receiving support.
Yes, we use technology. Yes, we’ve embraced digital tools to make our work more accessible. I built the first RETAIN Parental Leave Coaching Hub ten years ago and we’ve honed it ever since. The algorithm of our Parental Leave Transition Assessment (PLTA)™ uses your responses to customize your 22 page PLTA Report and give you your unique Risk Score. Our online Workplace Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder Screening helps uncover any mental health challenges you may be facing. But we never pretend the tool is the relationship. It’s simply a doorway. A way to open conversations and learning. A way to connect human to human, soul to soul.
In a world where a photo can fool the eye and a blog can be drafted by a machine, what matters most is who’s behind the message and the prompts. Who’s walking with you. Who’s worthy of your trust.
“We never pretend the tool is the relationship. It’s simply a doorway.”
A New Frontier: Human + AI, Guided by Integrity
We’re not anti-technology. In fact, we believe AI, when used transparently and ethically, can help scale and enhance support for new working parents. It can help write content more efficiently, personalize learning journeys, and fill visual gaps in representation while increasing knowledge. But it must be paired with something that machines will never be able to simulate: the human heart.
With RETAIN we are intentionally exploring what this new frontier means. We are asking:
- How do we stay grounded in our mission while using powerful new tools?
- How can AI amplify our certified coaches’ impact without replacing what only they can do?
- How do we help workplaces understand the critical importance of this distinction?
- How do we ensure parents can still recognize what’s real and what’s artificial?
- How can we help even more people, without losing our humanity along the way?
This photo, though AI-generated, opened a meaningful door for conversation. It reminded us what people are looking for: community, care, someone who gets it. And it reminded us that images—even fabricated ones—carry emotional weight. That’s why we disclose when something is AI-generated. That’s why we pair any digital creation with deep, embodied expertise from humans who have been doing this work for years.
RETAIN Coaching: Real Support for Real Parents (& Managers)
“Real care isn’t always efficient, but it is always attuned. It listens. It adapts. And at its core, it is profoundly, unapologetically human.”
Parenthood doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens in messy kitchens and fluorescent offices and 3 a.m. feedings. It happens through body aches, identity crises, leave and reentry plans, and small sacred joys.
You deserve to be met there—not with a marketing image, but with a real human who has the training, skill, and heart to walk alongside you.
That’s what over 100 certified RETAIN Coaches, working virtually but living in over 35 States and 5 Countries offer. Not just resources. Not just a warm aesthetic. But true evidence-based and heart-centered support that is rooted in science, empathy, and experience. Real people helping real parents (and when possible, their managers) through one of life’s most profound transitions.
As AI continues to evolve and permeate more corners of our lives, the temptation will grow to make support even more “scalable,” “automated,” and “efficient.” And while we value innovation, we also know this: real care isn’t always efficient—but it is always attuned. It listens. It adapts. And at its core, it is profoundly, unapologetically human.
We’re committed to keeping it that way.
About the Center for Parental Leave Leadership
Navigating the journey of parenthood while balancing a career has its share of beautiful moments and inevitable challenges. At the Center for Parental Leave Leadership, we’ve walked this path alongside countless families, and we understand the nuances, joys, and anxieties it brings. Rooted in 35 years of dedicated research, our RETAIN Parental Leave Coaching™ method is more than just a framework—it’s a labor of love.
We’re here to support, guide, and empower employers, managers, and parents to turn the transition of parental leave into a shared journey of growth, empathy, and connection. Because everyone deserves to experience this profound life transition with support, clarity, and grace. Click here to learn more about what we do and set up a free informational call. Let’s dive deeper and chat about how we can help you.
