Dear Future Presidential Candidates,
I invite you to take a moment to envision this scenario:
Imagine a mother who has just undergone a C-section, returning to work a mere six days after giving birth. Yes, just six days after major surgery, she is forced to leave her tiny, less than one-week-old baby in someone else’s care to return to her job. This mother must work to cover rent, utilities, and groceries. She endures the pain of her healing stitches and the emotional strain of separation from her newborn. Desperate to nurse, she finds herself sneaking out every couple of hours to pump milk, only to have no space in her workplace to store it. Instead, she rushes to a nearby diner that allows her to keep her breast milk safely.
And we call this the land of the free, the home of opportunity?
This issue transcends political lines; it is not just a concern for mothers or fathers, nor is it limited to any specific economic class. This is a challenge affecting nearly every working family in our nation.
We are being forced to relinquish our newborns before they even have the chance to bond with us, and without enough time for mothers’ bodies to heal properly. We are left to choose between the families we cherish and the jobs we depend on. In our struggle to make ends meet, many families are cashing out retirement funds far too early or declaring bankruptcy, all while simply trying to survive. As child care costs skyrocket, we grapple with the daunting task of paying bills—often at the expense of the precious time needed to nurture our newborns.
This is not a plea for a handout. Instead, we are calling for a moral obligation to prioritize families and acknowledge their fundamental needs. The stories of mothers and fathers who must return to work just hours after their children are born must become a thing of the past.
With nearly 4 million babies born in the United States each year—around 334,000 each month and 11,000 each day—it’s time for change. As Blake Mycoskie wisely said, “The power of a single idea, acted upon, can change people’s lives.”
So, I ask you, future presidential candidates, are you prepared to take action? America, a nation that prides itself on the well-being and happiness of its citizens, is long overdue for a paid family leave policy.
Sincerely,
A Working Mother of Four, One of Millions Who Have Faced the Unthinkable