Maternity leaves in the Netherlands are not as long as in Sweden. The
legal minimum I think is 6 weeks post partum. But, if I remember
correctly employers in the Netherlands are also required by law to
provide opportunities (space etc) to breastfeed at work (am not sure
about pumping). Having pumped milk at work myself I know it makes a huge
difference to be able to have the space/privacy etc.
Josefine Wendel, MS,RD
A native of the Netherlands transplanted to the US.....
PS My husband now works for a Swedish company here and they offer 3
months paid maternity and paternity leave! Would almost make you have
another child!
Leslie Ward wrote:
>
> Annelies,
>
> >still it counteracts the suggestion that comes from this study from Ohio, that working and
> bf are kind of contradicted<
>
> This is a point I try to make over and over again, with the employed moms I see, that the two ARE possible together.
>
> I use a statistic I got from Mothering Magazine years ago, that Sweden has a 100% bf initiation rate and a 99% maternal employment rate. But I also point out that they also have a 18 month paid maternity leave (with additional unpaid leave available), on site day care centers, and lactation facilities.
>
> I also make it a point, that it was the employed mothers who pushed for these benefits/policies. Until the mothers themselves stand up for their babies, breastfeeding and, sadly, for themselves, this issue won't change here in America.
>
> Corporate America (MHO,only) believes he double L would freeze over before a paid maternity leave would be of benefit to anyone other than the mother (even though WABA has material that proves otherwise). And so, employed mothers in America are left to consider a 12 week unpaid maternity leave is a win. They also accept that smokers are allowed 'breaks' to step outside and smoke, yet a mom is not allowed 'breaks' to pump breastmilk.
>
> Why America (in some choice instances) fails to acknowledge that the rest of the world (corporate and otherwise) does it differently and succeeds, is kind of a wonder to me. Well, really, I do not wonder - I know, but that is for a whole other list and discussion.
>
> My point is, that breastfeeding and anything is not mutually exclusive, as we know from this list. It may only be a matter of finding a tool to assist with a complication, a matter of support, information, education or finding an alternative to a chosen course or medication or situation. And as I began this post, it is ultimately the mother, and her decisions, convictions and willingness to either go the extra mile (or whatever), give up (whether it's to quit working or quit breastfeeding) or finding some sort of compromise. But it going to be the mothers themselves who do the most to change the culture, if you will.
>
> It is going to be the people such as are on LactNet that will do the most to work on the instutional and social barriers that exist and make many women feel as though breastfeeding and work (sex, birth control, medical treatment - whatever) are exclusive of each other.
>
> We are the ones who are convinced of and will continue to do the convincing that breastfeeding matters and must be considered, promoted, protected, taught, thought about and made workable/doable in any given situation.
>
> Climbing down from the soapbox to go open some more packed boxes and try once again to find my alarm clock (hey I found my favorite mixing bowl in a box marked garage - who knows what their packing system was).
>
> Leslie Ward
> Fort Hood, TX
>
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