While in France, paid maternity leave ranges from 16 to 26 weeks (from the third child), it is 39 weeks in the United Kingdom, 68 weeks in Sweden… and zero days in the United States, alone rich country in the world not to guarantee paid parental leave! A young American mother made the bitter experience of this, who quickly had to return to work after giving birth to a premature baby (27 weeks)!
Barely born, the daughter of Rebecca Shumard, has indeed spent 72 days in intensive care. But her mother was only able to stay with her for twelve days: “My daily life is to draw my milk at work, go to see her at the hospital, come home in the evening and start again the next day, testifies Rebecca. I should have been able to spend my days in the hospital with her, but that’s what you go through when you become a parent in the United States.
After the galley, the fight “for things to change”
After she posted a moving video on TikTok, Rebecca was able to benefit from a spontaneous movement of solidarity donations which should allow her to extend her leave: “People started asking me if they could help me and I I am very grateful to them,” she says. Before promising to fight to change things, even if “it will take time”.
Discover the difficulties she encountered in this video from our partner Brut.