Wake up and smell the breastmilk

Just goes to show... Not all breastfeeding advocates are out-of-touch hippies in sensible shoes.

In a smart, decisive, and timely move, the Workplace Breastfeeding Support group at the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee has issued an open letter in support of national paid maternity leave. Prompted by a new research review by pediatrician Gerald Calnen, just published in the journal Breastfeeding Medicine, the Committee says:

"At least 150 countries around the world provide some sort of national paid maternity leave. The USA is one of the few that does not. . .

For breastfeeding mothers, it takes time to recover from birth and build a reliable milk supply. Babies, too, take awhile to establish their feeding skills. Several studies have found that early return to work leads to earlier weaning.”

And, as anyone who's been paying attention knows, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that whenever possible, babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to receive the numerous health benefits it provides.

Fact is, most American mothers work outside the home. For the vast majority of us, employment is an absolute economic necessity, a personal priority that makes us better people and parents, or both. So where do policymakers get off, expecting millions of new mothers in America to choose between their babies' health and keeping a roof head over the family's head?

FMLA's a good start, but it doesn't cover enough American workers. We're behind the learning curve - and the rest of the developed world - on this one. We can let policymakers know we need and expect a change. And we can do it without breaking anyone's bank. (In fact, imagine the productivity, long-term loyalty, and human resource savings that could come from mothers who aren't arriving at work exhausted and guilt-ridden!)

Click here to find out which states have progressive paid maternity/family leave, and to share their successful models with the policymakers in your own state. And let your members of Congress know you don't want to see another session go by without their support for national paid family leave.