topic


The United States' lack of federally mandated paid maternity leave forces pregnant women to confront the dissonance between societal expectations of motherhood and the economic realities of raising a child.


coremsg

The Cognitive Dissonance of Modern Motherhood

On reconciling my maternal instincts with a world that dismisses and denies them Kerala Taylor · Follow 13 min read · 2 days ago 2 days ago -- Share

Photo by deeepblue via Getty Images

I feel like an idiot.

The HR director at my job has just informed me that there are no paid maternity leave options, but that I’m entitled to 14 weeks of unpaid leave under the FMLA. “Entitled?” I think but do not say aloud.

Later, I learn that the law was specifically enacted so that women who take time off to give birth and subsequently care for a newborn don’t lose their jobs. But there is no way we’re going to pay them for that shit.

The HR director tells me I also will be “entitled” to six weeks of disability pay, about 60 percent of my paycheck, following the birth of my child. Later, I learn that six weeks is the amount of time that women typically need to physically recover from the act of labor. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the needs of the newborn.

When women are no longer “disabled,” of course, they can’t be expected to take free money for just sitting around with a baby.

I should have done my research, should have asked these questions sooner. I’m already pregnant, have only meager savings, and can barely afford six weeks at 60 percent pay, not to mention eight subsequent unpaid weeks. I…

On reconciling my maternal instincts with a world that dismisses and denies them

The Cognitive Dissonance of Modern Motherhood

### title_rewrite
The Lack of Paid Maternity Leave in the United States

### category
Family Medicine

### topic
Maternity Leave Policies

### coremsg
The United States' lack of federally mandated paid maternity leave forces pregnant women to confront the dissonance between societal expectations of motherhood and the economic realities of raising a child.

### note
This article is a personal essay reflecting the author's experience discovering the realities of maternity leave in the United States. 

The author, already pregnant, details her shock and dismay upon learning her company offers no paid maternity leave. She highlights the inadequacy of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which only guarantees unpaid leave and is designed to prevent job loss, not provide financial security. 

The author criticizes the paltry six weeks of disability pay offered, emphasizing it only covers physical recovery from childbirth, neglecting the ongoing needs of the newborn. This policy, she argues, underscores the societal expectation that women should return to work soon after giving birth, regardless of their personal circumstances or the well-being of their child. 

The essay concludes with the author grappling with the financial implications of unpaid leave, revealing the difficult choices forced upon expecting mothers in a system that fails to adequately support them. 

### data_sheet
- 14 weeks of unpaid leave under FMLA.
- 6 weeks of disability pay at 60% of her paycheck.

### quotes
- "But there is no way we’re going to pay them for that shit."
- "When women are no longer “disabled,” of course, they can’t be expected to take free money for just sitting around with a baby."

### further_questions
How do cultural attitudes towards motherhood in the United States differ from countries with comprehensive paid parental leave policies? Could a counter-argument be made that providing extensive paid maternity leave could disincentivize companies from hiring women in the first place, potentially harming women's career advancement in the long run? What fundamental changes in societal values or economic structures would be necessary to bridge the gap between the idealized image of motherhood and the lived experiences of many mothers today? 


Maternity Leave Policies

the-lack-of-paid-maternity-leave-in-the-united-states

note



"But there is no way we’re going to pay them for that shit."
"When women are no longer “disabled,” of course, they can’t be expected to take free money for just sitting around with a baby."


quotes



14 weeks of unpaid leave under FMLA.
6 weeks of disability pay at 60% of her paycheck.


data_sheet


The Lack of Paid Maternity Leave in the United States


The Lack of Paid Maternity Leave in the United States

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The Cognitive Dissonance of Modern Motherhood

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