America - Come on!

These two topics are way over published, and there's no need to do a literature review, but America, you are so behind. Matt and I would probably move back and be productive in your economy rather than this random country that we have called home for the last four years if you were in a different place with maternity leave and health care.

As part of my job last year, I was working on implementing paternity leave (or "new parent" leave for same sex couples) and adoption leave for all employees across all of my bank's countries. With this, I looked into what policies exist in all of our countries, and I also looked at maternity leave (which we hope to tackle soon, but at least we HAVE it in all of our markets...). Everyone knows that it's the best in Europe. In London you get six months paid and then another six months optional unpaid, in Germany they have to hold your job for THREE YEARS, etc. In Asia, it's touch and go - Obviously in China you only get one maternity leave (but you do have sterilisation leave - isn't that nice?), and in Pakistan and Malaysia you only get four maternity leaves (what happens for your fifth kid?). In Singapore, I got two months plus 8 weeks (ultimately about four months), 100% PAID maternity leave. Put that together with the super low tax rate here, and I'm banking by procreating here. During my childbearing life, what's my incentive to go back to a country where I might get 12 weeks unpaid? At 12 weeks I wasn't even physically recovered (granted my birth was ridiculous, but still!). It was only that last month where I was really able to enjoy maternity leave. My friend (an avid reader) is going back to work next week when her baby is SIX WEEKS OLD. That's just way way way too early (sorry - I know I didn't have such a strong reaction on the phone...). Granted she'll be fine, and the baby will be fine, but we should all have MONTHS to bond with our new babies as they develop and have their first experiences with the world. We should also not have to make a financial sacrifice. It's just so absurd and so behind.

Secondly, it is ridiculous that we are doing research to get extra health insurance so we can come to America this summer. Our work here gives us a certain amount (mine is up to S$80,000) to spend on our medical care, and if we get hurt (god forbid...) or sick in Singapore, we won't run through that too quickly. In America, that's like a day's work. If we get sick or in an accident when we're in America, we're screwed. I can't believe that it's so scary for us to go back to our HOME country.

I don't think I wrote about this, but my insurance (and Matt's) doesn't cover maternity expenses, so everything that we spent on appointments leading up to and the birth (and after...) was out of pocket. If we had been so blessed to have the natural birth we were hoping for, it would have been about USD2,500. Not a biggie. On the other hand, we ended up being there for five days in a private room, we had the labor tub (which we weren't able to use...), we had the epidural, the antibiotics, the vacuum, the emergency c-section at 11:30 at night, then the doctor had to come back around 2 or 3am - we had everything, and it all ended up costing about USD7,000. I don't exactly think this is a steal, but in the US this would have been SO MUCH MORE.

If the US would just have normal costing health care that was accessible to everyone and paid maternity leave, productive people like me and Matt might even come back!

In other news, Matt's parents have delayed their trip so they don't have to fly through Japan (oy - poor Japan), so they're arriving this Wednesday. Sam can't wait to play with them!

Today Matt and I went to IKEA, and I made peace with the place. The last few times we have gone Matt absolutely had to explore all options of everything before making any decisions (including when I was 9 months pregnant), and I was miserable - I hate shopping anyway, but IKEA is on a different level. It's SO big, and there are a million and one kids. This time was totally different. We made a list and agreed beforehand on exactly where we would look and what we would get. We spent an hour, we got THE high chair, a place for Sam's toys, plus they have a whole bunch of super great kids stuff - bowls and cups for kids plus really fun toys. We even got the Kitty a new mouse. She already batted it all around the house.

Sam tried sweet potatoes. She didn't really like it. She doesn't really like anything (food-wise). We're working on it...No hurry, but we'll keep trying. All of these photos are from today.