Persuasive Essay On Maternity Leave

The countless ways maternity leave can have an impact on parents and children. In many countries besides the United States, compensated leave, whether mother or father factor in on a child’s life from birth on. Every working parent especially mothers warrant a paid leave for the first year of their newborns life. Should the United States adopt the same law governing extended parental leave with pay? Adopting a law similar to other countries would benefit both the parent and child.

There are many countries that have a law consisting of extended paid leave as well as paternal leave to include; Croatia, Denmark, Siberia with one hundred percent of pay, whereas the United Kingdom, Bosnia, Canada, and Albania receive a year with a lower percentage

The most important and beneficial time to breastfeed is during the first year of a child’s life, and in 2010 the Affordable Care Act was amended to allow employees extra break time and a place for mothers to express breast milk. Employees by law have to allow mothers to pump every three hours with pay (USDOL). The Affordable Care Act is good for mothers but, according to research done by John Ermisch and Marco Francesconi of the Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex,foundation, working mothers that return to work sooner than a year impose negative effects on the child. These effects consist of poorer educational development, psychological anguish, as well possibly giving birth at a young age (Ermisch, Francesconi). Also, the bond that a mother has while breastfeeding is beneficial to the infant especially health wise. Breastfeeding secures the bond as well promotes health benefits, such as decreases SIDS, infections, and obesity just to name a few (Chinelo Ogbuanu, MD). Since mothers are given a short time of maternity leave and are expected to return to work, they have a difficult time committing themselves to breastfeeding and or pumping, which then decreases the parent-child bond and can lead to heath