Congress with a Baby and How to Find Hope in a Hopeless Place with U.S. Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen
What does it take to cast a crucial vote with a four-week-old baby in your arms? In this episode of Momarchy, we sit down with U.S. Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen, who made national headlines when she flew across the country with her newborn to vote against a Republican budget bill.
We discuss the reality of being one of only 14 women to give birth while serving in Congress, why antiquated rules still prevent new parents from doing their jobs, and what it's like to prove yourself professionally while being a new mother. Plus, Brittany gets real about how motherhood has changed her perspective on what's at stake for America's families.
Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen represents Colorado's 7th Congressional District and previously served 10 years in the Colorado state legislature. She's become a fierce advocate for expanding opportunities for families and children while fighting to modernize Congressional rules for new parents.
We Discuss:
02:19 - Rapid fire: Coffee vs. wine and guilty pleasure naps
08:58 - Flying with a four-week-old to cast a crucial vote
14:37 - The bipartisan fight to modernize Congress for working parents
18:56 - Being visibly pregnant in the halls of power
22:45 - Her advice for moms choosing between ambition and motherhood
25:10 - Pardon My Politics: What scares her most about raising kids in America right now
31:02 - Finding hope when half the country voted for "a supervillain"
36:14 - What's wrong with the Democratic Party and why we're losing women
40:23 - Decaf Mom: Screen time reality checks and travel sacrifices
46:32 - What her pre-baby self would be shocked about now
Learn more about:
Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.
Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.
Website: momarchypodcast.com
Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy
Instagram: @themomarchypodcast
TikTok: @momarchypod
Email: momarchypodcast@gmail.com
Find more from U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen:
Website: https://pettersen.house.gov/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reppettersen
