Usha Vance, wife of US Senator JD Vance, has spoken about returning to work just seven weeks after giving birth, highlighting the challenges faced by American mothers who lack paid maternity leave. The US is one of only three developed countries without statutory paid maternity leave, according to the International Labour Organisation.
Vance's experience mirrors that of many women. Jessica Rebeschini, a 26-year-old mother from Iowa, returned to work as a waitress within two weeks of an emergency C-section, working 45-hour weeks for $4.35 an hour. She pumped breastmilk in restaurant toilets and feared her scar reopening. 'I was essentially risking my life,' she said.
One in four US women return to work within two weeks of childbirth, per Paid Leave US. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends at least six weeks off. Only 17% of US workers have access to paid leave, with rates worse for families of colour, said Myra Jones-Taylor of Zero to Three.
Rebeschini, who had $2 left after her son's birth, said she couldn't afford not to work. She worried about bonding and her son's health; he was later diagnosed with disabilities. She still experiences abdominal pain. After her third child, she took two months off but fell behind on bills and declared bankruptcy.
Dr Rebecca Jackson of UCSF said early return poses risks, especially for low-wage workers. 'If you're driving a bus, how do you stop to pump milk?' She recommends eight weeks off after a C-section. Kirstin Moody, a waitress from Mississippi, also faced similar struggles.
