This past Monday February 13th, my daughter was born. All I wanted was a boring birth. I didn't want any crazy anecdote to tell for years to come. I wanted boring and uneventful. Well except the whole bringing new life into the world - that's enough! We don't need to be overdramatic and have a Seth Meyers-esque "Lobby Baby" situation.
But here I am, Sunday night with my daughter under the lights to help her with her jaundice. Who is Billy Rubin anyway?! I hate that guy. <- I'm not sure if that joke will land. My husband and I have been saying it to get some comic relief. We're also sleep deprived...
But this moment brings me back to my paper, and about pregnant workers in America. When I hear about the experiences of women who have been fired, pushed out, or discriminated against due to their pregnancy, it boils my blood. I have been fortunate enough in my career that during the years of fertility treatment and two successfull pregnancies and subsuqent leaves, I have only experienced support from my employers. And guess what? It was still really hard. I can't imagine adding the stress and fear of losing my job.
So things like staying awake all night in the hospital so that my daughter can undergo a very noninvasive, mild procedure while being on a paid maternity leave really brings into focus and refines the original inspiration for this paper. That my experience with pregnancy and childbirth and work should not be unique. It should be the standard.
Life Imitating Art - And by "Art" I Mean Homework Assignment © 2023 by Kori Amos is licensed underCC BY-SA 4.0
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