It's almost the end of summer and in about a month, my maternity leave is ending. I feel like I'm just getting to know baby and now I have to leave her so we can keep the roof over our heads and food in her mouth!
Crazy, right?
In NY, we get 10 weeks Paid Family Medical Leave (which maxes out to about $750/week in one of the most expensive cities in America) and luckily I've been able to supplement finances with accrued sick/vacation time from work.
Twelve weeks is just not enough time to be with baby. If you follow Dr. Karp (of the 5 S's fame), you understand the importance of the "4th Trimester" which is the 3 months after baby is born. It's a term used to describe the first 3 months of baby's life while she adjusts to the world outside of your womb.
Three months doesn't feel like enough time to get adjusted to being earth side but like I mentioned before, I can't afford to be a stay at home mom and we live thousands of miles away from family who could help with childcare.
I'm not trying to make this a 'poor me' post and I don't think I should be criticized for not staying at home or having a baby I can't afford. The reality is many families survive on less and struggle more. Most families want the best for their children and that means having to return to work in order to provide for them.
It's disappointing that in the USA, parents are forced to make the choice of going back to work too soon. We often hear about children being our future and the importance of nurturing to their development but when will we practice what we preach? Baby girl, Mama's gonna try to do her best for you.
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| I'll miss morning walks with my sweet baldy! |
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