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Date: | Thu, 1 Feb 2001 12:17:43 EST |
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Jeanette wrote about hearing OTHER people at a meeting speak strongly in
favor of breastfeeding. YESSSSSS, it is gratifying.
In December I attended a workshop in Washington DC given by the National
Partnership for Women and Families. The topic was family leave income, a
very important subject for breastfeeding advocates in the USA because of our
pitiful situation with maternity leave---we have no national maternity leave
and are unlikely to get any in the future. Childbearing women ARE covered
under family leave, which, since it is gender-neutral, is politically
acceptable to many more US policy-makers.
So....our final session of the day was a brainstorming, in which we split
into three groups to brainstorm lists of the social benefits of family leave
income for the different stakeholders---families, employers, government. And
better breastfeeding outcomes made in onto the lists in all three groups! As
the only overtly identified breastfeeding advocate there, I felt most
welcome, not marginalized, and my issue was accepted as important.
It hasn't always been this way. I think we ARE making progress.
Lactnetters can learn more about family leave income at
www.nationalpartnership.org
Chris Mulford, RN, IBCLC
WABA Women and Work Task Force
Swarthmore PA (eastern USA)
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