Why don't men get 1 year paternity leave?

[Catinthetwat]

I was just wondering what people's thoughts were on this?

I think it's hard to defend unequal access to parental leave. This is important for men, women and for children. The only argument against is an economic one. Is that a good enough reason?

The government are currently looking into extending the 2 weeks paternity leave to around 12 weeks I think - which would be a start.

So, men should be given 1 years paternity leave with pay and benefits equal to women - aibu?

@Absofrigginlootly Are you saying that you are a medical researcher and actually think that breastfeeding lowers chances of diabetes and raises IQ? I hope not! Otherwise, back to university with you!

Maternity leave is to physically recover from growing a human being and childbirth. Men don't need a year to overcome spunking in the right place at the right time.

It takes a year for a woman's body to get almost close to normal. Even if she feels it, her bones, bloods, hormones are not. And 2 years for the female brain to go back to normal after childbirth.

Try educating yourself a bit more

@Absofrigginlootly Ah, I've just read your second post. You're definitely not a medical researcher. Nevermind!

"Mothering" 😂

I don’t understand why that guardian article on breastfeeding was presented as an argument against breastfeeding when the article itself says

There is an overwhelming body of evidence supporting breastfeeding as the normal and most healthy form of infant nutrition, and our findings do not contradict this," he said.

"Bottle-fed babies may appear more content, but research suggests that these infants may be over-nourished and gain weight too quickly. Our findings are essentially similar to other stages of life; people often find that eating is comforting."

It goes on to say how the infant fussiness of BF babies is actually an essential part of the communication between mother and infant and is observed in other species.

I’m also aware from my degrees that it is observed in other newborn primates and serves an important function in neurological and cognitive development.

I know you don't understand. But that's not something that can be fixed here. It would take a few years of developing your critical analysis skills.

Hedge what an arrogant and rude post. You know quite literally nothing about me. Do you want to see my CV? I have several under and postgraduate degrees, as well as a professional health care qualification and yes worked in medical research as well as conducting my own during my degree and masters.

So you’re saying that you have a problem with the scientific body of evidence that UNICEF and the WHO have about the benifits of BFing?

And also, yes mothering. Short hand for both the physical parenting that mothers provide (feeding, washing, changing, disciplining etc) but also the maternal love that is essential for healthy brain development..... I’ve studied cognitive developmental neuroscience at university, have you?

Ah I see. You’re one of those

Fiver:
2 years for the female brain to get back to normal

I never knew that!
Damn good argument to keep wonen out of important jobs!
Sort of a mummy quarantine period. Who'd want a female doctor if she'd given birth 20 months ago. Her female brain would still be mush.

So you’re saying that you have a problem with the scientific body of evidence that UNICEF and the WHO have about the benifits of BFing?

Yes. Most medical researchers do.

I’ve studied cognitive developmental neuroscience at university, have you?

Yes. There's nothing about breastfeeding involved in a cognitive neuroscience degree. Good Lord.

Did I say there was? I said maternal love was essential for optimum brain development in human infants.

But if you’ve studied developmental cognitive neuroscience I don’t need to tell you that do I. It’s pretty much page 1 isn’t it

Most medical researchers have a problem with the scientific evidence of the World Health Organisation....??

It's only because we questioned them in a certain way they backed down in our case.

@tworoundabouts would you mind saying a bit more? My husband works for a university, and asked them to evaluate their policy in terms of equality. They refused. As I said earlier, he managed to get unpaid leave in the end, but only due to gaining his bosses backing (which could have gone either way).

But if you’ve studied developmental cognitive neuroscience I don’t need to tell you that do I. It’s pretty much page 1 isn’t it

No.

Most medical researchers have a problem with the scientific evidence of the World Health Organisation....??

Yes. On BF advice.

You must have read the wrong book then

HedgePlastic you’re a pretty vile person aren’t you?

Potentially. But it's important not to let ignorance reign.

And of course why be polite when you’re at it when you can be as rude and unpleasant as fuck hey?! You might just genuinely upset someone in the process of “enlightening” them, bonus!

www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2015/01/baby-brains-development-first-year/

@Absofrigginlootly I'm sorry that I was rude to you.

People are more likely to take on board what you’re saying if you’re not a cunt about it.

I don’t personally feel that nearly a year off is good for women and actually makes it harder to go back to work.

Paternal Leave would be far more useful during the busy years of between around eight and 16 when children need help getting tonand from activities or support with music, sport and school work. I would have loved having someone else juggle work and taxi duty at that stage.

The brain certainly does need love and human connection to flourish. There's nothing special about a mother compared to a father, though. Or compared to adoptive parents.

@SoyDora It's hard to be polite when someone just doesn't understand the evidence. I mean, how do you gently say "you're ignorant"?

@Abra1de I think the idea is to enable women to choose what is right for them. Women currently do have up to a year's leave. Not everyone takes it. I wouldn't want to see that taken away.