the week of the boob and a maternity leave rant

It's world breastfeeding week!  Yeah!  Find out about it here.  One thing that peaked my attention is one of their objectives:

5. To call on governments and maternity facilities globally to actively implement the Ten Steps, in particular Step 10, to improve duration and rates of exclusive breastfeeding. 

The vast majority of women in the United States can't exclusively breastfeed because we have to go back to work, because the United States in all of its modern glory, can't seem to get its shit together and follow the examples of other countries and institute the acceptance of longer maternity leave.  Why have we accepted "mommy rooms" that allow us to try to pump multiple times a day to try to keep up a supply of breastmilk instead of demanding more time home with our babies?  Lets have a World Maternity Leave Day/Week and let America explain itself.

I mean jeez, I sure could have used a little extra time, my c-section wasn't even healed (due to a hematoma and a very slow healing wound that had to be re-cut open to keep the inside healing evenly,)  and I had to go back to work.  Thank God that my manager and employer are very understanding and my leaving every week for 2 hours to go to the wound clinic was sort of over-looked since I had no sick or vacation time left.  I wanted and needed more time.

Many people have asked, how long are you going to continue breastfeeding/pumping?  Why is that a normal question?  I'll do it as long as I feel like it.  For one thing its free.  Neosure formula is expensive, not as bad as the very specialized formulas, but $16.49 a small can is plenty.  We're going through one can a week right now.  I almost feel I should at least pump as long as I can because it is so expensive.   When I wean him it'll be at least two, maybe 3 cans a week.  Scary!  

I'm so happy my boy E finally decided that he would breastfeed without the nip shield (in the Ren and Stimpy voice, the Rhubber Neeple, made E giggle every time) as I feel that's the only reason I've been able to keep up supplying about half of his food each day and still able to nurse in the morning and some evening "snacks."  He's now almost 8 mos. old.  

So yeah, breastfeeding is normal, cheap and a good thing!  So are longer maternity leaves, America!