Bay Area woman inspires others with story of landing new job while 6 and a half months pregnant

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A Bay Area woman is inspiring thousands of others with her story of interviewing for a new job while 6.5 months pregnant.

When Jen Watts Welsh began looking for a new job in advertising it was pretty obvious she was expecting.

"I was very much showing and I was not trying to hide it," she said.

Watts Welsh initially didn't think it was possible to make a move until after her baby girl was born.

"I had that voice in my head saying it just wasn't the right time it wasn't going to be possible," she explained.

The more she thought about it, the more determined she became.

"Yes, I'm carrying this child but my husband and I are both having this baby and he would never have to think twice about this," she said.

After a promising networking meeting at Heat, a San Francisco-based Ad Agency owned by Deloitte Digital, she decided to really test the waters.

"I felt like this could be a really great fit and if he felt similarly I was ready to move forward if he was," said Watts Welsh.

Heat President Mike Barrett added, "I'd been trying to get Jen to come work with me since about 2007 so I was pretty happy that she reached out."

At 6.5 months pregnant, not only did she get the job as a Group Strategy Director, but she told her new employer she'd be better at it if she waited five months after her daughter was born to begin.

"I knew from my first that I could not have gone back to work after three months," said Watts Welsh.

"Nobody ever regrets spending more time with their kids, go do it," said Barrett.

Watts Welsh says she shocked so many people with her story in conversations she decided to write an article about it. The positive response has been overwhelming.

"Something that I was fortunate enough to experience and have a great experience with has potentially sparked a conversation amongst women that clearly needs to be had," she said.

"She's incredibly talented and we feel incredibly lucky to have her," said Barrett.

A working mom whose journey is likely to inspire daughters everywhere, including her own.

Jen says the more surprising responses she's received are from young women who are years out from having children but tell her they're already thinking about how to navigate pregnancy while working and from men who tell her they didn't realize this was so much of a concern for women.