U.S. needs to invest in moms

A friend of mine recently went back to work after having her first baby after taking a few months off in unpaid maternity leave. And although she wanted to stay home with her daughter, she needed a paycheck.

So she went back to work, leaving her baby in daycare for the first time – a day she said was more difficult than the day she gave birth.

I think a lot of moms find themselves in this situation, choosing between a needed paycheck and bonding time with newborn babies. A report by Human Rights Watch this week shows just how behind the United States is in offering these moms any sort of help.

The report says at least 178 countries guarantee paid leave for new mothers. More than 50 nations also guarantee paid leave for new dads. The United States does neither.

Currently, the United States requires 12 weeks of unpaid leave for mothers who work for companies of more than 50 employees. Compare that to countries like Sweden, which gives 16 months of paid leave to moms, with two months reserved for fathers.

I understand that it might seem unfair (and inefficient) to be doling out paychecks to women who are at home with a baby. I also understand that having a baby is a choice (for most people) and they know the options going in.

But I also think that this issue of paid vs. unpaid maternity leave is about making an investment in our children. If some mothers have to work, let’s help them put food on the table while also bonding with their children in those valuable first months. Let’s help them breastfeed longer by nursing at home instead of frantically pumping in the bathroom on their lunch break.

Let’s put some money toward the next generation and become a culture that values our children, and more importantly, values the lasting impact a mother can have in those early weeks of life.

What do you think the maternity leave laws should be in the United States? Did you get enough time off or have to go back before you were ready?

Erin Stewart is a regular blogger for Deseret News. From stretch marks to the latest news for moms, Stewart discusses it all while her 4-year-old daughter crams Mr. Potato Head pieces in her little sister’s nose.