Our Story

The Maternity Guru was founded on a simple belief: parental leave shouldn’t be confusing, stressful, or feel like a full-time job.

California offers some of the strongest parental leave benefits in the country, yet many parents—and employers—struggle to navigate a fragmented, poorly explained system. Parents are left overwhelmed and under-supported during one of the most pivotal moments of their lives, while companies want to help but don’t always know how.

I’m Ashley Shaw, San Diego born and raised, mom to three boys, and founder of The Maternity Guru. My journey into this work didn’t start as a business idea—it started as survival. After personally navigating California maternity leave three very different ways I saw a clear gap between what families are entitled to and what they actually receive.

The Maternity Guru exists to close that gap. We help parents protect their income, jobs, and mental health, while helping employers confidently support their teams—so parental leave feels clear, compliant, and human.