As a concerned citizen of the United States, I am deeply troubled by the lack of support for new mothers in our country. Recently, a coworker of mine had a child and was only able to take two weeks off from work before returning to his job.

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United States is ranked last among developed countries when it comes to paid maternity leave policies. In fact, we are one of only two countries in the world that does not offer any form of paid leave for new mothers.

This lack of support has serious consequences for families across our country. Many new mothers are forced to return to work just days after giving birth, which can have negative impacts on their physical and mental health as well as their ability to bond with their newborns.

Furthermore, this lack of support disproportionately affects low-income families who cannot afford unpaid time off from work. According to a report by the National Partnership for Women & Families, 23% of women who took unpaid leave after having a child fell into poverty within one year.

It is time for our government to prioritize supporting new mothers and families in our country. We need policies that provide at least 12 weeks of paid maternity leave so that all women can have adequate time off after giving birth without fear of losing their jobs or falling into poverty.

I urge lawmakers at all levels – federal, state, and local – to take action now and improve our nation's maternity leave policies. Our families deserve better than what we currently offer them.