Tell President Trump Not to Dump the Pumps!
There has been a lot of recent press coverage on how repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will limit access to birth control. It’s an issue that is rightfully causing great concern among American women. However, did you know that the ACA also contains specific benefits that allow our nation’s mothers to continue breastfeeding their babies while returning to work? It’s an overlooked but crucial bit of health coverage that deserves attention, too. I became aware of this issue from conversations among concerned women in mom.life, the mobile app where I am co-founder, president and CMO.
I want to make sure we take steps to protect this important benefit, especially since President Trump has a history of hostility towards breastfeeding moms who need to pump at work. According to attorney Elizabeth Beck, Trump called her “disgusting” when she requested a break to pump during a 2011 deposition. When this accusation became public in a July 2015 CNN interview with Alisyn Camerota, Trump didn’t take the opportunity to reassure working moms that he will offer them the support they need when returning to work after having a baby. Rather, he went on Twitter to attack Beck’s competency as a lawyer.
Why does this matter so much? Breast milk is extremely nutritious and beneficial for babies. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends natural breast milk as the only food for infants up to 6 months and as a staple until they are one, as it can protect against disease, infection and allergies. The rate of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is reduced by over a third in breastfed babies. There is evidence of longer-term benefits too: Breastfed infants grow up to become adults 15 to 30 percent less likely to be obese, compared to their non-breastfed counterparts.
However, the average length of maternity leave in the US is only 12 weeks. (Compare that to our neighbor up north, Canada, which grants working mothers up to 52 weeks of leave without consequence.) This short timeframe leaves American moms, in particular, struggling to continue breastfeeding while returning to work. After all, if new mothers don’t breastfeed at regular intervals, their bodies will soon stop making milk altogether.
The solution? Breast pumps. From the Spectra S2 — which actually mimics a baby’s sucking patterns — to the powerful electric Medela, today’s popular breast pumps are comfortable, efficient and accessible. They allow moms to pump from anywhere and safely store their milk for later use, so they can continue breastfeeding without being chained to their home and baby 24–7.
Yet, this game-changing device is expensive. It can cost up to $400, adding an extra financial burden onto the already sky-high costs of having a baby. The United States is currently the most expensive country in the world to give birth, setting parents back an average of $10,000 for the delivery procedure alone. (A C-section meanwhile, is $15,000.) Furthermore, it is the only industrialized country in the world without paid maternity leave — stripping women of postpartum financial and job security.
In recent years, however, programs such as the Affordable Care Act have begun to tackle some of these serious challenges American families face. Since 2013, the ACA requires insurance companies to cover breast pumps and lactation consultant visits at no cost to the patient. The act has also made it a requirement for employers to provide space and time for mothers to pump at work. It’s part of a larger push to better supporting American moms (and dads) through the parenting process. Other key childcare benefits of the ACA include pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care as well as emergency medical coverage for pregnant women.
Of course, current efforts by government leaders to revoke the ACA puts all of this progress directly at risk.
Parents and parents-to-be should contact their senators and state representative to make sure pumps stay covered when the new administration puts forth their plan for healthcare reform. To see them silently disappear is a step in the wrong direction. You can also make your voice heard on social media using #dontdumpthepumps.
