Maternity Leave!

As I sit on my couch on this sunny fall morning, cuddling with Bosco and enjoying my second day of maternity leave, I must admit that I am a very happy preggo, and finally have a moment to reflect on some things...

I recently read in one of my many pregnancy books (I couldn't tell you which one!) that women today are squeezing pregnancy into their busy lives, rather than re-arranging things a bit to allow for the many unexpected aspects of growing a baby for ten months!

In this regard, I feel so grateful to be in Canada, where birth and motherhood are valued enough to offer women a real chance at caring for their babies, and where public health means that we have not once had to worry about the what-ifs of childbirth. Women here are given a full YEAR of maternity leave, and for the duration of that year, the government provides me, even as a non-citizen with a work permit, with 55% of my salary. Many companies will even top up salary for a few months.

Ben and I have always known that when we were ready to have kids, there was no way I could handle only six to 12 weeks at home with our baby - in the States, during that formative first year of a baby's life, you really are forced to choose between being a mother or keeping your career, and this seems so wrong to me! I'm not saying all women should take a year of maternity leave, but they should at least have the choice to take longer than a few months and still return to a job afterward. To me, maternity care is a totally overlooked aspect of women's rights in the US. Anyway, I will get off my soapbox now :)

Aside from the logistics of pregnancy, I am just feeling so content at the moment - the debilitating back pain of last week has passed (now that Baby has dropped into position) and the hip pain that I'm told strikes at the end of pregnancy has not yet overtaken me, so I must be in some sort of brief sweet spot! Eeny Meeny is very active still (maybe it's all the Halloween candy, oops!), and every little kick, even if it's to the bladder, makes me melt.

I'm 36 1/2 weeks along, so Ben and I are eagerly awaiting Eeny Meeny's arrival, but also feeling grateful for each day that he or she stays put, growing bigger and stronger with each moment that passes!

Another perk of maternity leave? I've finally finished Eeny Meeny's nursery! Here's a peek at it - I'll post more photos on facebook for those who are interested :)