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The Olympic and Paralympic Games represent the pinnacle of sport for the millions of us who love to watch them. We get to see the world’s best athletes doing unimaginable feats of athleticism on the biggest stage imaginable. And while their athleticism is readily available to watch, what is far less visible is the reality many of those athletes face behind the scenes, particularly mothers, who are often forced to navigate elite competition and parenthood without meaningful structural support. For All Mothers+ hopes to change that.
In January, the nonprofit announced it has awarded its “Bring the Babies” Changemaker Grants to five Team USA moms headed to the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milano-Cortina: bobsledders Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaillie Armbruster Humphries, skeleton slider Kelly Curtis, and curlers Tabitha Peterson Lovick and Tara Peterson. Each $5,000 grant was made possible through a partnership with baby gear brand Joie and is designed to offset cost-prohibitive expenses like travel, lodging, childcare, and lactation-related needs. These expenses almost always fall squarely on athlete mothers.
For All Mothers+ Program and Operations Manager Victoria Chiampas says the grants are a direct response to a systemic gap in elite sport. “We’re trying to alleviate the financial burden athletes face just to have their families with them,” Chiampas says. “For many of these women, their children aren’t allowed in the Olympic Village, which means paying out of pocket for housing, travel, and caregiving.”
The challenges facing mothers in elite sport are far from anecdotal. Research from the ongoing Motherhood Penalty in Sports Survey, conducted by For All Mothers+ in partnership with Carleton University, found that 73 percent of mothering athletes experience a decrease, pause, or termination of funding related to pregnancy or motherhood. Nearly the same number reported needing additional income or employment outside of sport to support their families.
“These are elite athletes representing their country,” Chiampas says. “And yet many are still forced to cobble together sponsorships, side jobs, or personal savings just to stay in the game.” Winter sports, in particular, present unique challenges. Unlike summer athletes, many winter competitors spend months away from home, chasing specific terrain, venues, and weather conditions. One bobsled athlete told For All Mothers+ she would be away from home for nearly five months leading into the Games. She had to choose to either be separated from her child during that time or to pay to bring her family and a caregiver along. When you add in costs like milk transport and storage, private lactation spaces, internationally compatible car seats, and additional caregivers, especially when a partner can’t travel, the burden compounds quickly.
“That’s where partnerships really matter,” Chiampas says. “Joie’s involvement goes beyond funding. They’re helping provide gear that works internationally, which is something people don’t think about until they’re standing in an airport trying to make it all work.”
While the grants are not a cure-all, Chiampas describes them as an important pressure release. During recent calls with grant recipients, the dominant emotion wasn’t surprise, but relief. “Most of these athletes were going to make it work no matter what,” she says. “But knowing there’s support, knowing they’re not being treated like a burden or an exception, that validation matters.”
Beyond immediate financial relief, For All Mothers+ sees “Bring the Babies” as part of a broader push for long-term policy change. Chiampas points to the need for science-based return-to-sport frameworks, contract protections during pregnancy and postpartum periods, and standardized lactation and childcare support at both training and competition sites. “These supports already exist in many men’s sports,” she says. “The budgets are there. It’s about recognizing that family support isn’t a luxury. It’s essential.”
As Chiampas puts it, “When we make motherhood visible in sport, we don’t weaken competition; we strengthen it. And we show the next generation that having a family doesn’t mean your dreams have to end.”
If you are interested in learning more about the work For All Mothers+ is doing to combat the Motherhood Penalty in Sports, click here. If you are interested in donating to help fund more “Bring the Babies” grants, click here.
