“Separating a mom from her baby, because she does not have sufficient income to stay home, is NOT a family value, it is the opposite. That is why I will fight for 12 weeks of paid family leave.” -Sen. Bernie Sanders. Maternity and paternity leave (including adoption leave) is paid leave that an employee is entitled to, in order to care for their newborn or recently adopted child. The period of such leave varies in different countries, and generally includes both a legally enforceable maternity leave and maternity pay. Some employees have employment contracts that are more generous. Employers in the United States should be required to provide employees with paid parental leave because when a employer just had or adopt a baby, it is important for the employer (woman or man) to bond and take care of the newborn welfare, while also maintaining a high income to care for the family. Paid parental helps new family by reducing the challenges with a new family or income. Becoming a new parent is a huge undertaking, and for parents who are forced to take unpaid family leave, the situation becomes infinitely more challenging. (Rachel Gillett) Becoming a …show more content…
Women are more likely to breastfeed when they take paternity leave, and longer leave increases both the likelihood and duration of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of health problems like diarrheal disease, respiratory illnesses, asthma, acute ear infection, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, leukemia, and sudden infant death syndrome.(Motherly) Women who breastfeed, when they go on paid paternity leave, are mostly likely keep the infant clear of any sickness and diseases. A more generous paternity leave during the birth of a first child is associated with reduced depression symptoms in late life.(Motherly) After birth, the mom and child bonding will build a healthier relationship for the both of the child and
benefits for both the mother and the child. Many researchers have concluded that breast milk helps improve overall infant health and reduces risks of some diseases and cancers for the infant as well as the mother. According to Newman and Pitman, there are numerous health benefits for a breastfed infant. They describe that breast milk contains anti-bodies that keep a child from getting ill, and that the milk’s composition changes as the child grows to better protect and benefit the immune system and growth of the child (Newman, Pitman 19). The most immediate health benefit for the infant is the reduction of the chances of an infant dying from sudden infant death syndrome, more commonly known as SIDS or crib death (Newman, Pitman 11). More long term benefits are reductions for the chances of a child developing diabetes, asthma and other respiratory diseases, ear infections, and even cancer development during childhood. There is also evidence of a reduced chance of a breastfed child developing Crohn’s disease or forms of heart disease, as well as minor health problems such as allergies and eczema (Newman, Pitman 11-12). Newman and Pitman also write that children who were breastfed show signs of more enhanced brain development and tend to score higher on tests than those children who were formula fed, due to the fact that breast milk is made for humans by humans and therefore already contains the nutrients that are essential to brain development (10). As is the case with infants, breastfeeding also contributes to health benefits for the mother. In an article published in the Journal of Women’s Health, God...
If you and your significant other had a child, would you want to be there to not only support your partner, but to see your child’s first milestones in real life? Of course you would! The problem is most parents miss crucial parts of their child’s life because of the lack of paid maternity and paternity leave in the United States. New families, across the nation, should be allowed a minimum six months of paid maternity leave.
Breastfeeding is when a woman feeds her child from her breast. Breastfeeding has been around since before the 15th century. In addition to strengthening the bond between a mother and her baby, breastfeeding offers a number of benefits for both a mother and her child. Babies who are breastfed have lower risk of meningitis, various cancers, diabetes, respiratory illnesses, bacterial and viral infections, childhood leukemia, allergies and obesity. Mothers have a reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer, as well as osteoporosis. All mothers no matter where they are weather it be the mall, park, restaurant, or just out running errands need to have their right to breastfeed protected.
There many advantages to breastfeeding! Research shows that breastfed infants have fewer and shorter episodes of illness. The nutrition provided by breastmilk benefits the baby’s IQ. The skin-to-skin contact encouraged by breastfeeding offers babies greater emotional security and enhances bonding. Breastfeeding appears to reduce the risk of obesity and hypertension for the infant later in life. Breastfeeding delays the onset of hereditary allergic disease, and lowers the risk of developing allergic disease. Breastfeeding helps the baby’s immune system mature, protecting the baby in the meantime from viral, bacteria, and parasitic infections. Breastfeeding protects against developing chronic diseases such as: celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and childhood cancers. (Shinskie and Lauwers, 2002)
Maternal leave is the period of time where new mothers take off from work following the birth of her baby. Paternal leave is the period of time where new fathers take off from work following the adoption or birth of a child. Family leave is a mixture of both maternal and paternal leave. Family leave has also more to do than just the birth or adoption of a child.
The United States is one of three industrialized countries that do not have policies put in place that mandate companies to provide paid parental leave. In 1993, U.S President, Bill Clinton, enacted the family and medical leave act (FMLA) which allows for employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for up to twelve weeks for medical reasons if their employer has more than fifty employees employed at the company. Later on in January of 2015, President Barack Obama signed an executive order that entitles federal employees for up to six weeks of paid sick days to take care of a newborn child or an adopted child. Currently there are only three states in the United States with paid parental leave policies which are California, New Jersey and Rhode Island. As of right now, only those employers who
Starting and expanding families is challenging for most working people in America. Job uncertainty, financial insecurity and catering to the needs of a newborn are just a few of many challenges American families face when taking a leave of absence from work after the birth of a child. Every company should have a family policy that gives its employees the option to take paid leave if a family emergency occurs—most importantly the arrival of a newborn. Paid family leave will give working parents in America the chance to adjust to the lifestyle changes associated with having a newborn, without putting the stability of their home at risk. Pregnancies will be less stressful for mothers and fathers; businesses will increase production and the economy
The Family and Medical Aid Act (FLMA), of 1993, provides for 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave for certain specified events (8). Whilst one could refer to this as maternity or paternity leave if taken because of a pregnancy, this would not be strictly true. Where maternity and paternity leave are offered around the world, they are separate from any other leave due to medical or family reasons. The leave in the U.S. provided through the FLMA is also, as mentioned, unpaid. This creates a number of issues for the expectant family as, regardless of their job being safe for the time taken off, without the income it may be harder to look after the new born child as a couple of unpaid parents, than one parent not taking leave, or neither taking leave and relying on relatives to care for the child as much as possible.
In the United States, a third of mothers return to work within three months of childbirth compared to only five percent in other industrialized nations such as Germany, Sweden, and the UK (Berger, Hill, and Waldfogel 29). The rapid return of mothers to the workforce sparked interest in the effects the return has on the child’s behavior and health. The experiments measure the child’s health and development by the amount of time the mother breastfeeds, the immunizations the child receives, their score on a vocabulary test, behavioral problems, and the amount of doctor’s visits (Berger, Hill, and Waldfogel 36). Mothers who returned to work within twelve weeks were less likely to breastfeed their child, provide as many doctor’s visits and immunizations, and there were more noticeable behavioral problems at age four (Berger, Hill, and Waldfogel 39-42). The data is significantly lower for mother’s who work full time within twelve weeks after maternity leave (Berger, Hill, and Waldfogel 43). Therefore, it is proved that the duration of maternity leave is directly correlated with children development and
Having said that, it is high time for a more effective and inclusive family leave policy to take effect. Even with private sectors and some states offering paid leave, 40 percent of American women do not enjoy the benefits (Wares). The Family and Medical Leave Act, although utilized widely, does not encompass all working American women/ because of its strict prerequisites, many women find themselves paying the motherhood penalty with unpaid leave, or not taking any leave at all, which jeopardizes their health and their child’s early
America is the one and only developed country that does not offer any paid maternity leave. Maternity leave is a period of absence from work granted to a mother before and after the birth of her child. In America this means twelve weeks of unpaid absence that guarantees her job when she returns. We are so far behind everyone that out of all of the countries around the world seven out of 196 including America do not have mandatory paid maternity leave. (Colorado public radio news) That is a sad figure, to think that we place having a family so high but don’t give the mothers the protection and security they deserve.
Breastfeeding provides a wide array of health benefits for both baby and mother, while simultaneously enhancing the bond between mom and her baby. Mothers who breastfeed have a lower risk of ovarian and pre-menopausal breast cancer. Their babies see a boost in cognitive development, as well as lowering their chances of being obese as adults, unlike formula fed babies. Consequently, a lower risk of obesity correlates to a lower incident of a wide array of comorbidities such as
Bringing a new baby into the world is one life changing experience. The lives of both the mother and the father are changed tremendously as they begin to learn to raise a child by trial and error. Maternity leave for mothers of newborns is never disagreeable; when it comes to paternity leave, however, it becomes one of the most controversial topics of the workforce. Reasons for maternity leaves and paternity leaves are both justifiable. Men should have the opportunity to take paternity leave from their jobs so that they can be a helping hand to the mother, have a chance to bond with their newborn child, and help bridge the gap in gender equality in the workplace without the stigma and criticism. After the birth of the child, women can become emotionally and physically fatigued, so men take an important role as care giver and supporter, especially in the first few weeks. If a father has an opportunity to stay home for the first couple of weeks, to care for both the mother and his new child, it will make a big impact for the family.
Barefoot, Pregnant and (Not Very) Happy: Management and Healthcare Reasons for paid Parental leave in the U.S. In 1993 President Bill Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act. It requires employers 12 weeks of unpaid job protective leave and job-protected leave for child birth, adopting a child, and employees with serious medical issues. However, in the rapid change of the America’s demographic, the legislation is long overdue. FMLA only grants unpaid time off versus paid parental leave, and for the people who are part time, or has been with a company less than a year, and even parents that are working with a company who has less than fifty employers – decreases the Act’s efficacy.
Maternity leave is a time when a woman leaves before her pregnancy and can stay gone from a company anywhere from 4-6 weeks, after the birth of her baby. The promise of holding your job is guaranteed, but on this leave you collect no income. The issues widely debated is whether men should have the option whether to take maternity leave and if maternity leave should be paid. Bonding is crucial to early childhood development for both parents. Introducing a baby into a family’s life, can affect a family financially and physically, due to lack of time with your child.