Spit-up On My Shoulder

If you haven’t heard of MOTHERS (Mothers Ought to Have Equal Rights), I hope you’ll check out their website here.

MOTHERS is a grassroot organization whose mission is to improve the economic well-being of mothers and other family caretakers. Below you’ll find some startling and disappointing recent statistics from the MOTHERS newsletter. The United States clearly needs to make major improvements in maternity leave and other policies for mothers, but you probably already know that!

MOTHERS Stats - We can’t believe it either …

Bolivia - three months fully paid maternity leave

Peru - breastfeeding mothers receive a “nursing allowance” equal to twice the minimum wage

Chile - mothers may extend their guaranteed 18 week maternity leave period for up to a year without incurring a penalty from the employer

Venezuela - constitutional recognition of housework as an economically productive activity entitling homemakers to government pension (i.e., social security)

Brazil - four months paid maternity leave with a return to former job guaranteed, and free childcare for employees with children under age six

Argentina - three months paid maternity leave, and child care expenses reimbursed for children up to age five

Colombia - 12 weeks paid maternity leave after birth or adoption - all businesses contribute to a fund which provides workers with cash subsidies to pay for child care

U.S.A. - nada, zilch, zero - how sad and frustrating!

COMING SOON: An interview with the authors of I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids.