On Friday we learned that the Government has approved by law decree the extension of paternity leave to eight weeks in 2019, 12 in 2020 and 16 weeks in 2021, when will be matched to that of the mother. In addition, you have established that these permissions are paid and not transferable, that is, they cannot be transferred from one parent to another.
The measure is intended to end the inequality of work for women, who are the most discriminated when they become mothers, as well as parents can be involved in the care of the baby and enjoy more time of the newborn. Both very necessary measures.
But the main problem is that the measure has been designed to benefit the parents (which I repeat, it is not against this), and apparently also the mothers, to prevent maternity from being an obstacle in the workplace ( let me doubt that there is any real change). But without any doubt, What nobody thought about is what babies really need.
The baby needs his mother at least six months
First, we have to consider a undeniable biological issue: It is the mother who has gestated and given birth to the baby. It is also who breastfeeds your child, if it is what you have chosen.
Both the World Health Organization and the Spanish Pediatric Association recommend six months of exclusive breastfeeding. If you choose not to breastfeed, or you can't, it can't be a reason for discrimination either, so Six months is the minimum time that should be guaranteed for the mother and the baby.
Secondly, the mother needs to recover from childbirth and the current 16 weeks of leave are very little time to do so. There is research that speaks for a minimum of nine months so that mom and baby can recognize, enjoy and establish a secure attachment relationship, even for up to a year.
The woman has undergone major changes, both physically and emotionally, during pregnancy and postpartum, in addition to continuing to nurture and care for the baby as if it were still inside the uterus. It is what is known as extrogestación of the baby or second nine months of pregnancy. A time that the baby needs to minimally complete its development to survive outside the uterus.
In Babies and more Maternity leave in Europe and in the worldThe obligation to return to work at 16 weeks does nothing but add more pressure to women in their role as mothers and professionals. Many are forced to leave their jobs because they want to take longer care of their children, while those who return to work and continue to breastfeed have to deal with misunderstanding and the difficulties of pumping milk at work.
Something that has been asking for some time
The claim to increase maternity leave to six months is not something new that arises as a reaction to the extension of paternity leave. It has been asking for years, both through signature collections and recently by the Spanish Association of Pediatrics itself.
It is considered a priority for proper care and for feeding the baby that mothers leave is extended for at least six months and that the parents' licenses be transferable.
"If the legislative amendment does not reflect this aspect, Spanish mothers would not see their leave extended in a single day and would continue to be, together with the Maltese, European mothers with less time available for paid leave" - expresses an official statement issued by the AEPap
In Babies and more Maternity leave in Spain: how long does the maternity leave last in each situationThe baby needs both dad and mom
Of course, but it is mom who breastfeeds. Not in all cases, but here it would be impossible, in addition to discriminatory, to give personalized leave according to the way in which you choose to feed the baby. Therefore, we fall into the same conclusion, six months is the minimum time.
However, let's think about the baby again. According to the distribution of maternity and paternity leave that will take effect in 2021, both parents must enjoy the first six weeks at the same time, while the remaining ten may be distributed up to 12 months from birth or adoption, being distributed in full or partial days -a previous agreement with the company-. But in no case can they give in.
If you enjoy both of these 10 weeks in equal measure, you will also have an extra week each.
Let's make accounts. In practice this implies that at 16 weeks mom will have to go back to work and dad can keep the baby for the next 10 weeks, if he takes them all in a row. Plus the extra two weeks (if applicable), they do a maximum of 28 weeks in which the baby is in the care of dad and / or mom.
But what happens next? The baby has turned six months and who takes care of him. There is no alternative but to leave it in the care of another person or take it to a nursery school. But nothing happens, we open more nurseries if necessary. Is it really what we want for our children, for society?
In Babies and more The government wants to match maternity and paternity leave and universalize education from zero to three yearsAnd single parent families?
Equality is carried by flag, but only one family with two parents has been thought of. What about single parent families? They are not taken into account in this case. It is discriminatory that they cannot enjoy the entire permit, and that in addition to the difficulties of raising alone, your baby has less time of care.
No one wants job discrimination for women, but most mothers would prefer to stay with their baby for as long as possible if they could choose. And here is the key to real reconciliation: in being able to choose.
The real conciliation is in the freedom of choice of each family.Freedom to choose
Deciding for fathers and mothers is, in my view, a form of authoritarianism. Every family and work situation is different and a common obligation cannot be imposed that dictates how to live paternity and maternity, and how each family has to take care of their children.
Labor equality is necessary, but I doubt that equal and non-transferable permits can modify women's labor discrimination on a day-to-day basis. It will continue to be women who ask for breastfeeding reduction, or to a greater extent those who are absent when the baby becomes ill. A deeper mental change in society is necessary, not by imposition without freedom of choice.
In Babies and more Do you equate paternity leave or extend maternity leave? Different positions on conciliationWhat would be a good formula?
Babies need mom and dad for the longest time available. That's clear. If we lived in an ideal society where it was possible that both could afford to stay home with their children for the first three years of life, it would be great. But what has been said is an utopia.
Permissions of six months of equal, paid and transferable maternity and paternity leave It would be a good formula, in my view. A minimum of mandatory enjoyment for both, say eight weeks, and the rest transferable so that each family can decide the most convenient according to their situation.
But as such and as we are, it is not possible to be this way, because the budgets do not give so much, I consider that they should at least be transferable and that each family decides, according to your work and personal situation, what is best for the baby.
Conclusion
It should have been Priority is the extension of the maternity leave to six months and an equalization plan for parents for the coming years. Maternity and paternity leave that respect the basic needs of children, who have the right to be breastfed and cared for by both parents for as long as possible.
It would be preferable that the money invested in childcare be given to parents in the form of broader permits to take care of their children.
Do not be misunderstood that I am against the equalization of parents. On the contrary, I think it is a necessary advance to value fatherhood. I just think so motherhood is devalued and what could be done differently so that both father and mother and baby benefit.
