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Maternity Leave USA: This Is What It Looks Like To Be A Working Mom

Yet another photo of a multi-tasking mama goes viral.

On Sunday, yet another photo of a fierce, multi-tasking mom in the United States went viral.


The picture was posted by The Dallas Morning News and shows mom Melissa Wardlow photographing a high school football game while wearing her three-year-old son and baby daughter.

With more than 20,000 likes and 10,000 shares, this photo attracted a lot of attention and comments.

"I had 3 kids in 4 years and learned you do whatever necessary to get the job done," wrote one mom. "God bless her and moms everywhere! She rocks!!!"

"Should have seen her last December when she was 9 months pregnant on the field..........she HAD that baby right after Lake Ridge played in the state championship game," said a fan.

"For many of us moms, this is the norm," read another comment. "Love that our normal is getting some light. Go Mom."

Also the norm for many moms in the U.S.

In the United States, there is no paid maternity or parental leave for working parents. In fact, our friends south of the border live in one of only five countries in the world that do not provide parents with leave.

So moms and dads do what they have to do — and are being praised for it on social media.

Earlier this month, another photo of a tandem-wearing mom on the sidelines got the Internet's attention.

Dr. Megan Meier posted it with the comment: "Sports Medicine Doctor Mom — this is what happens when you are 35 weeks pregnant, husband leaves town for the weekend, childcare for 3yo falls through, and you have a game to cover!"


Dr. Meier is a sports and dance medicine doctor in Oklahoma City, Okla. Very pregnant in the photo, she can be seen tending to a player while wearing her daughter on her back.

In a later post, Dr. Meier commented: "I really believe that you can have it all and find a great balance to a multi-faceted career and life. However, it takes a lot of hard work and improvisation at times."

Last month, a photo of Brooklyn, N.Y. mom Hein Koh working while tandem breastfeeding her newborn twins went viral.


"What I am saying is that parenting is like any other challenge in life — the biggest fucking challenge in my own life thus far — and if you embrace it and figure out creative solutions, you can emerge a better person," wrote Koh. "It's important to think about the ways in which these challenges can help you move forward, rather than hold you back."

To be fair, this can be the reality for many new moms and dads in Canada as well. While our country is lauded for our parental leave policy, it doesn't extend to those who are self-employed or work part-time.

As a result, parents without leave have to get creative to balance it all.

#teleworkthursday #mommyslittlehelper #bossbaby #workingmom #multitaskingmama #worklifebalance

A photo posted by لولو 💙 ام الكسادر 💙 (@eclecticenthusiasms) on

Multi-tasking. I have a mermaid in the tub, a snoring baby in the crib, my office moved to the bathroom sink.

A photo posted by Adrienne Judy (@fitmom_adriennerochelle) on

Respect.

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