Naomi Osaka Returns To Tennis From Postpartum And Joins Forces With Bobbie To Offer Parents Paid Leave

Bobbie, the mom-founded pediatric nutrition company, is joining forces with Naomi Osaka, member of the Bobbie MotherBoard, Four-Time Grand Slam champ, activist, and new mom, to raise awareness around the lack of paid leave for parents in the United States, alongside nonprofit partners Paid Leave for All and Chamber of Mothers and Moms First, the campaign is amplifying Bobbie’s commitment to pushing for paid leave in 2024. Osaka returns to the court at the Australian Open for the first time since becoming a mom – but it’s not a comeback. In a new campaign with Bobbie, Parents Push Harder, Osaka is opening up about her motherhood journey, how she’s blocking out the noise, her decision to exclusively formula feed with Bobbie, and why she’s more motivated than ever by her 6-month-old daughter, Shai. 

Osaka and Bobbie are introducing the N.O. Support Grant to help new parents have the resources they need for their families to thrive. Osaka and Bobbie are committing to make 50 cash grants for 50 families to provide interim support while advocating for federal paid leave. If passed, the Family and Medical Leave Act would give 12 weeks of paid leave and job protection and guarantee a minimum monthly benefit of $580 – that’s why each grant is $580. It’s not a solution, but it’s a start. 

 In her new role as a mom, Osaka is shining a light on the nearly 73% of Americans who don’t have paid leave through work and sharing statistics (below) demonstrating the need for federal paid family leave. 

• 84% of Americans support paid leave (source).
• 1 in 4 women return to the workforce before they’ve fully healed from delivering their babies (source). 
• 30% of women will drop out of the workforce within a year after welcoming a child when they don’t have access to paid leave (source).
• Only 14 states offer paid leave (that’s about one-quarter of the US) (source). 

“The day I announced my pregnancy publicly, I also announced my return to the court. I recognize the immense privilege of having the emotional and financial support to take on motherhood with no question of the impact on my career. If anything, from the moment I found out I was pregnant, I was more motivated than ever to continue competing for my daughter, not in spite of her,” said Naomi Osaka, new mom to baby girl Shai. “This is not the collective experience of most Americans and that’s why federal paid leave is so essential so all Americans can enter parenthood with the support structures and resources they need to thrive – whatever that looks like for them and their family.” 

Osaka turned to Bobbie Gentle formula to feed her daughter exclusively because it was the best decision for her daughter, herself, and her family. In a society where 83% of parents turn to formula in their baby’s first year, yet 64% of parents feel judged for doing so, the power to decide what is best for you as a mother– whether it’s how to feed or when to return to work– cannot be underestimated. 

“When I founded Bobbie, I was a first-time new mom living in the U.S. during the most vulnerable days of my life – that postpartum period is unlike any other – and this inspired much of our core mission to change parenting culture. But let’s be frank, that’s a lofty goal and how do you truly change culture?” said Laura Modi, CEO and Co-Founder of Bobbie. “The answer I have come to is that you do so by creating the conditions where American parents, caregivers, and especially mothers can thrive. The federal government’s lack of paid leave is setting us up for failure – full stop. That’s why we’re getting loud about this issue, moving the needle in ways we can, and continuing to do so until we see real change.”