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Family benefits have evolved, and rightfully so. Supporting employees’ future goals requires flexibility, because every person’s path is different.
That’s why it’s worth seeing comprehensive benefits plans in action. At Northwestern Mutual, employees don’t just get paid parental leave or a clear exit strategy ahead of leave (baseline support, in our opinion). They get the ability to tailor fertility and family planning to their unique journey.
From tools like family-planning platform Kindbody, which provides a library of fertility resources, to comprehensive coverage for alternative paths like IVF, adoption, or surrogacy, Northwestern Mutual ensures help is always at hand. Employees can access high-quality care through a premier network of fertility specialists and work with a dedicated Care Navigation Team every step of the way. On top of that, up to $10,000 in financial support for full-time employees to help offset adoption or surrogacy expenses.
Combined with flexible parental leave and a culture that truly values family first, these benefits make life-changing decisions possible.
We spoke with three Northwestern Mutual employees to hear how these family-planning benefits have impacted their lives. The takeaway? Comprehensive care paves easier paths, securing both life and career opportunities well into the future.
The benefit that made trying possible
Marisa Frahm, Sr. HR Consultant
When Marisa Frahm joined Northwestern Mutual, she and her husband were newly married and deep in the emotional calculus of fertility decisions. She remembers opening her benefits packet just after accepting her role and immediately crying. Her employer’s generous fertility benefits changed everything: “I told my husband, and from that point, we knew we were moving forward!”
While age was a major factor in the couple’s timeline, financial stress had been a huge deterrent, and this benefit alleviated that entirely. Frahm says that, knowing the money side was covered, allowed her to focus instead on self-care, balance, and doing the things “physically and mentally” that gave her the best chance at pregnancy. “Not having the financial stress of putting tens of thousands of dollars into something that may or may not work was so critical to my success,” she says. “I am not sure we would have been successful had I been carrying that stress along with me and, to be honest, I am not even sure we would have tried.”
Outside of finances, Frahm also connected with her dedicated Care Navigation Team included in her benefits package who was a “guiding light through the whole process.” Positive yet realistic, they helped Frahm gently work through her hopes and fears surrounding fertility. “It is such an emotional journey—one minute you are up and one minute you are very, very down—so I needed that objective, even-keel presence.”
When fertility treatments began, Frahm was only four months into her role at NM. She says she was incredibly nervous to tell her new manager, but she knew it was important to share the news. And once again, she felt the full weight of the company’s people-first culture.
“She could not have been more supportive,” Frahm says. “I felt so lucky that this manager who I had just started working with and was still forming a relationship with, was so incredibly supportive right off the bat. From that point on, everyone I told could not have cheered me on any more. When you are going through a process like IVF, every positive word you hear from others means the world and helps you get through a very difficult process.”
Looking back, the benefits that made her experience so meaningful extended far beyond appointments, scheduling, words of affirmation, or even money. Flexibility, understanding, and the absence of guilt created space for Frahm to prioritize her health and family at every stage: “I had two different managers and a few ‘dotted line’ managers from the time of starting IVF through when I had my son, and they were so flexible with my schedule based on how I was feeling and with the abundance of doctor’s appointments. They could not have been more accommodating, truly. In my mind, not having to worry about this was also an enormous reason I was successful!”
Now a working mom, she sees that same value system embedded in NM’s culture of flexibility and trust. Managers supported her unexpected leave during COVID, encouraged her to take the full 12 weeks, and reinforced that family-oriented mindset that carried her through sick days, appointments, and hybrid schedules. “NM does not see being a parent as a drawback,” she says. “I have never felt once that I have had to choose between being a mother or having a career.”
Preserving a future in the middle of crisis
Ava Bavaro, IT Risk Metrics II
For Ava Bavaro, the decision to use Northwestern Mutual’s fertility benefits wasn’t about pregnancy; it was about her future. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, her doctor recommended freezing her eggs before beginning chemotherapy to protect her options. In a whirlwind of decisions, the fertility benefit became an anchor: “When I remembered that NM has a fertility benefit, choosing to freeze my eggs became an easy decision because I knew I had the resources to do so.”
Activating the benefit was simple, too—a phone call instead of heaps of administrative stress. “When I was at the clinic, all I needed to do was give the receptionist my insurance card and tell them the name of my benefit provider,” Bavaro says. “Not having to worry about finances during the whole process was a relief and eliminated a lot of stress. I had a very short window of time to complete an egg-freezing cycle because I needed to start chemo, and the clinic was very accommodating and was able to make time for me on short notice.”
Support showed up in other ways, too. The representative at the benefit provider walked her through the process, helped identify clinics, and answered questions with warmth and clarity. And when she got to the clinic, Bavaro felt cared for: “The professionalism at the clinic I went to was also very important to me. Everyone I spoke to was understanding and I could tell they truly cared.”
Her NM team met her situation with that same compassion. They encouraged time off for appointments, reassured her that her workload could flex, and showed her what it means to work somewhere that prioritizes health above all else. “I’m glad I work in an environment where people recognize that health is more important than work,” Bavaro says.
Although she wasn’t navigating maternity leave, NM’s flexible culture allowed her to take cancer-specific leave and to allow her body to heal. “I learned to put my health first and allow myself to rest when I need to,” she says. “I also learned to not be so hard on myself. It’s okay if you need to take time off because you’re not feeling well, or if you need to ask someone to repeat themselves during a meeting because your brain is still feeling a little foggy after last week’s chemo.”
Bavaro sees the fertility benefit as life-expanding: “Without the benefit, I’m not sure I would have made the same decision, because it can be such an expensive process. Having access to a fertility benefit also greatly reduced my stress levels during a very difficult time in my life.” It gave her options, stability, and the sense that her employer truly cared about her future—not just her present.
Balancing career, care, and the unexpected
Gina Halverson, Senior Visual Designer
For Gina Halverson, the early stages of preparing for maternity leave felt calm and collaborative. Her manager was excited for her, helped plan for coverage, and created a runway that allowed Halverson to prioritize her health. But when a medical complication led to an unplanned C-section six weeks early, everything changed—except her team’s support.
Thanks to the groundwork they’d built and the trust baked into her team’s culture, Halverson was able to take her full 12 weeks to focus entirely on recovery and her child. “I was able to dedicate my entire 12 weeks to my child and my recovery without worrying about work coverage,” she says.
That leave became even more critical when her baby spent several weeks in the NICU. The time away from work, she says, was invaluable. “This leave allowed me to spend essential time at home with my newborn once he was discharged, helping us settle in and adjust to his new environment. The time off was invaluable in allowing me to support my family, bond with my child, and ensure a smooth transition into our new routine.”
Flexibility remained central as Halverson transitioned into working motherhood. During an all-day event at her son’s school, parents were invited to volunteer and spend quality time with their children. “Thanks to NM’s generous paid time off policy, I was able to take a day off to participate in the event,” she says. “This opportunity allowed me to be actively involved in my son’s school activities and enjoy some extra special time with him.” Taking that day didn’t mean squeezing in late-night emails to “make up for it” or worrying about how it would be perceived. Instead, it was a chance to show up fully for her son.
Setting boundaries has become part of her rhythm. When the workday ends, she disconnects, leaning on her community of friends and family to manage the demands of both career and family life effectively.
But back at work, it’s her team that keeps the scales balanced: “My team encourages open communication and collaboration, which helps distribute workloads efficiently and allows us to cover for one another when family obligations arise,” she says. “This supportive culture not only helps me maintain a healthy work-life balance but also empowers me to focus on my professional development, such as participating in training programs and other learning opportunities at work.”
For Halverson, NM’s support is rooted in authenticity. “Northwestern Mutual really stands out in how it supports moms by genuinely embracing flexibility and work-life balance. Unlike some places with one-size-fits-all policies, NM offers flexible hours and hybrid and remote work options, making it easier for moms to juggle work and family. The culture here is also great because it encourages open communication, so you feel comfortable talking about your needs and asking for help when you need it.”
The openness, trust, and willingness to meet employees where they are make the difference, both for moms and for anyone navigating the complexities of work and family.
