When I welcomed my first child into the world, I was working at a small physical therapy office and, guess what? My maternity leave amounted to a grand total of zero days. I was fully aware of this unfortunate reality when I found out I was pregnant. However, about three months into my pregnancy, I decided to check in with my boss about the possibility of taking 12 weeks off (unpaid) and…she laughed. Yes, you read that right—she actually laughed.
So, on the day I went into labor, I quit my job. Along with navigating the challenges of being a new parent, I suddenly had to rely solely on my husband’s income for three months. Oh, and I also needed to find a new job! Yay, America! I didn’t even have the energy to deal with postpartum anxiety until my baby was almost a year old. It was as if my hormones were saying, “Good luck managing your emotional breakdown until you can catch your breath!”
In the U.S., if you work for a company with fewer than 50 employees, your employer has complete discretion over whether you receive paid maternity leave. Plus, they aren’t even obligated to guarantee your job back when you’re ready to return—because, you know, giving birth and keeping a newborn alive for three months isn’t stressful enough!
While the U.S. boasts about being the best at everything, it falls woefully short in supporting new parents. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), 178 countries guarantee paid maternity leave for working mothers, and 54 nations offer paid leave for new fathers. In stark contrast, the U.S. does not mandate paid maternity leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 allows for 12 weeks of unpaid leave, but only half of women are eligible, and many can’t afford to take time off work.
What Our Neighbors to the North Are Doing
Let’s take a peek at what our neighbors to the north are doing. In Canada, depending on your length of employment, mothers can take up to an astonishing 52 weeks off after giving birth, with their jobs guaranteed upon return. Plus, the government provides new parents with 15 weeks of paid leave. Can you imagine the difference that would make during those crucial months after a baby arrives? I can’t help but dream about what that reality would look like:
- Instead of quitting my job out of fear of losing it, I would have entered labor much less stressed. Less stress for me means less stress for my baby.
- I would have enjoyed 15 paid weeks bonding with my baby, establishing routines, and building our new family life together.
- I wouldn’t have had to search for a new job, creating a more stable environment for my entire family.
- With a 12-week-old baby who thought nighttime was party time, I cried every morning out of sheer exhaustion after returning to work.
- I was limited to three 15-minute pumping breaks during a 10-hour workday, which was hardly enough to maintain my milk supply. Dropping off my meager bottles of breast milk at daycare only added to the guilt I was already feeling.
- I wouldn’t have had to constantly worry that my overwhelming fatigue was affecting my performance in a physically demanding job.
- Perhaps I wouldn’t have had to watch nearly 80% of my paycheck vanish into daycare fees, wondering why I was sacrificing so much for just a few extra dollars.
- And who knows? Maybe I would have avoided the postpartum anxiety that hit me when my son turned one, all because I was happier and calmer.
I returned to work after 12 weeks because, you know, bills. Was I ready? Definitely not. Was I sleeping? Not a chance. Was I as effective as before? Absolutely not.
What’s Going On, America?
The ILO has stated that effective maternity leave “contributes to the health and well-being of mothers and their babies and thus to the achievement of major development goals, including the reduction of child and maternal mortality and improvement of their health.” So, think about that the next time you hit the voting booth. As the ILO reminds us, “Equality for women represents progress for all.”
If you’re interested in more on this topic, check out our other blog posts like this one about home insemination. And for those looking into family planning, Make a Mom is a trusted resource on artificial insemination kits. For more information about fertility and conception, the CDC has some excellent resources.
Summary
Maternity leave in the U.S. is largely inadequate, leaving many new mothers without guaranteed paid leave or job security. Comparatively, other countries like Canada provide extensive paid leave and job protection, allowing families to bond without the stress of financial instability. The lack of support for new parents in the U.S. not only affects their well-being but also has broader implications for maternal and child health.