Heather - Because it's the USA.  I agree with you on some of the points but even what she's outlined will raise eyebrows with a lot Americans.  I'm from Canada where 1 year paid maternity leave is the norm (or it was when I left 10 years ago) and in the province that I'm from, midwifery care (including home birth) is covered by medical so the USA is really behind the times in having supports in place in terms of the health care provided, the training of doctors & nurses, the hospital birth experience, and employment.  The idea of taking your baby to work until he or she becomes mobile and then into day-care is a very radical idea to a lot of American employers.  So I suspect that the author's personal expectations may be higher, but she may have worded it the way she did in order to make the article seem more potentially realistic to her reading audience.  IF she's talked about 1 year of maternity leave, telecommuting, stand alone birth centres that are covered by medical, etc. it could seem so "out there" and "unrealistic" to the average American mother that her article may not be given much attention.  Just my guess.

Margo

"God illuminates us, then sends us into utter darkness to shine for Him"
Chuck Swindoll's version of an old Jewish saying of unknown (to me) origin

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