The co-founder of Q Ideas, Rebekah Lyons, had a vision years ago to change the climate of the yearly event. She found herself in a sea of button-ups, with few dresses to be seen. Her challenge was to make the room half full of women.

I first attended a Q event a few years ago. The combination of intellectual and spiritual sparked something in me that had been dormant for years. I gained immense personal value in pursuing academia and challenging my thoughts. When I heard the next Q Conference was in Nashville in 2014 and it was essentially buy one, get one admission half off, my husband and I made a vacation out of it.

After the bring-your-spouse promotion, the tide began to change. More women flooded the room in Nashville than in previous years, there was momentum from the Q women events, and women-only events at the conference were sold out. It was amazing to participate in that vision and to see a challenge solved by a practical solution.

This year in Boston there wasn’t a discount for the conference, but I’d venture to say the 40 percent of the room was women.

There was something different about this year as well. There were babies. Lots of them!

Throughout the event I counted at least 10 children that I spotted under the age of 6 months. In strollers, in slings, in dad’s arms. They came from drives and flights, local and afar. Many who I talked to and had their tickets purchased for them at last year’s conference, before they knew a baby would be joining their family for the next year, including myself!

Historically, the main responsibilities of early parenthood have been put on mothers, and for obvious, biological reasons. But what I saw at Q was beautiful.

While the main responsibility for these young children were placed on these women, it wasn’t at their expense. The community made room for thoughtful woman to attend, soak in knowledge, and engage in conversation despite the challenges of having infants. Let it be known that every parent seemed in tune with their children – they made swift exits and found other spaces than the main hall for naps and diaper changes.

I saw the conference as a beautiful example of where our society can aim to be, making room for the logistical obstacles that come alongside parenthood. In light of viral videos of mommy wars and headlines shaming parents in restaurants, this sight was a breath of fresh air.