THIS is what moms really need for mother's day

An urgent economic issue No Images? Click here       By: Pekic; License: RF By Emily Peck The Mother Of All Issues Sunday is Mother's Day and for a lot of women that means we get flowers or presents, possibly adorable homemade cards or maybe breakfast in bed. (Though, honestly, I have never seen the appeal of toast crumbs in the sheets, but you do you.)  Anyway, what mothers in the U.S. really need? Freaking paid maternity leave. The U.S. is the ONLY developed country in the U.S. that does not have a paid maternity leave policy for women. One result: 1 in 4 new mothers have to go back to work two weeks after having a baby, as I reported a while ago. It also means a lot of women wind up slipping into poverty just because they reproduced.  The lack of paid leave also contributes to the gender pay gap and is one leading reason that the U.S. lags behind other countries when it comes to the percentage of women in the workforce. It doesn't have to be this way -- something to think about while you're at Mother's Day brunch. Xoxox, Emily P.S. Here are some more real things moms want for Mother's Day, explained in tweets. Read More Before you go...You can follow me on Twitter @EmilyRPeck     More mom-content (momtent?) This mother's day just brunch me in the fucking face 26 pics that prove your mom has always been cooler than you Rural maternity wards are closing and women's lives are on the line     HuffPost is now a part of Oath and a part of Verizon.  On May 25th 2018 we will be introducing a new Oath Privacy Policy which will explain how your data is used and shared. Learn More. The reality of being a woman — by the numbers. Like what you see? Share it with a friend. Did someone forward this email? Subscribe here. Can't get enough? Check out The Good Life. ©2018 HuffPost | 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 You are receiving this email because you signed up for updates from HuffPost Feedback | Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe   - - Preferences  |  Unsubscribe