“People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one.”(Leo J. Burke) As a mother to a boy who never slept well during infancy, I can easily relate to this saying. Thankfully to the mandated paid maternity leave in Belarus, where I became a mother, I had the day time to catch up on sleep without worrying about making money, losing my job or ruining my career. Now, living in the US, as I am pondering on having a second child, I realize that a mandated, worry-free maternity leave is no longer an option. Therefore, I would like to focus my research on the important topic of Maternity (Parental) Leave in the US. Based on personal experience, academic research and other sources, I will argue that a reasonable paid time off, mandated by federal
