Parental leave is finally part of the political conversation. Enjoy this piece from Bryce Covert in the New York Times opinion section.  

We get so excited when we see companies like Spotify step up to#leadonleave! Spotify’s New Parental Leave Policy Is Pretty Amazing Source: www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/spotify-parental-leave_564de6c7e4b08c74b73483fe?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063  

A must read to help understand the cultural history of the working mother/childcare gap we find ourselves in today. “By late 1944, a mother could send a child of two to five years of age to childcare for 50 cents per day (about $7 in today’s money, adjusting for inflation). That included lunch, and snacks … Continued

This 8-year longitudinal study delivers some needed data about the experience of working mothers and mental health. Lead author Dr Elizabeth Westrupp said one of the surprising findings was that the pressure did not ease as the child grew up, with this kind of stress-induced mental health issues in women persisting for the first eight … Continued

Great article from Julie Kashen at the Century Foundation — with charts and footnotes! Oh my! Tech Companies Are Leading the Way on Paid Family Leave, and the Rest of the Country Should Catch Up Source: apps.tcf.org/tech-companies-paid-leave?utm_source=hootsuite    

This is a tough, but important read. Too many parents are asked to part with their infants before either is ready. Tragically for this family, their son died on his first day away from his parents. As a way to remember Karl, his parents created a website where you can lobby your government representative to … Continued

Checking our perceptions against actual data is one of our favorite things! This NYT article does a great job of explaining the breakdown of household and childcare duties by gender.  

Yes, this is from Vogue, but many of these are suggestions we find ourselves offering to our working mothers – it is just plain smart to start back midweek. And always, always, always #1! 13 Things Every Woman Should Know Before Returning From Maternity Leave – Vogue Life hacks every working mother should know, including … Continued

Taking extended leave is not just a balance calculation about whether you make enough money to pay for childcare and living expenses in the here and now – you have to take the long term perspective. Salary confessions of working moms – Business Insider “There’s a ton of discrimination for women who’ve taken time off to … Continued

We hear a lot about the importance of breastfeeding for the baby, but this lovely post illuminates the impact supported breastfeeding can have on the whole family (no judgments here for those who did not breastfeed for whatever reason!). The moments he describes are the moments that make up a life of partnership between parents. … Continued