In honor of Philly moms, free strollers, breast pumps — and advocacy for paid parental leave
“I don’t think that anyone should have to choose their job over family,” Austin said.
For years, Taylor Austin longed to be a mom. Three words — or, rather, the lack of them — kept that dream at bay: paid parental leave.
“That level of stress, that level of anxiety; the fear of not knowing how you’re going to survive is poignant,” said Austin, of Southwest Philadelphia, who had to change jobs in order to start a family. “I don’t think that anyone should have to choose their job over family.”
Now 36 weeks pregnant with her second child, she and other members of MomsRising.org, in conjunction with the Paid Leave for All movement, organize pop-ups throughout the country to bring awareness to the issue by giving moms free resources and some relaxation.
In conjunction with Mother’s Day, on Saturday the groups offered free strollers, diapers, milk pumps, and many other parental resources to unsuspecting customers at the Moon + Arrow boutique in South Philadelphia.
Dallas and James Taylor walked in, baby Wilson on dad’s hip, looking for a Mother’s Day card. Instead, the family walked out with free baby food pouches, wipes, calming balm, and vitamins.
It was a pleasant surprise, said Dallas Taylor, a nonprofit worker who said she was told she didn’t qualify for paid parental leave after giving birth almost a year ago. James Taylor was allowed four weeks.
“Even still, that’s looming over your head, going back to work and having to make sure all your bills are covered and everything. It definitely makes it tough,” James Taylor said.
Lindsay Brinkmann knows that feeling well enough to not want another child.
In 2018, the marketing worker was given eight weeks of paid maternity leave to look after her twin boys.
“I had to fight for it and it wasn’t enough,” Brinkmann said.
Taking matters in her own hands, she and the other women at the company rallied to secure an increase in paid parental leave for all employees. They managed to get an extra month.
“It shouldn’t have to be such a battle. This is a super important thing, and it should be equal across the board for everybody,” Brinkmann said, after getting a free massage at the pop-up.
According to the event organizers, 62% of Pennsylvanians lack access to paid family leave and 61% cannot even access unpaid leave through the Family and Medical Leave Act.
But it doesn’t take a mom or a dad to realize the importance of paid parental leave and the cost of parenthood.
Gabriella Ayala, 26, beamed with excitement when she realized the $245 wearable breast pump her pregnant coworker had been wanting was available for free at the pop-up.
“I notice it’s already hard enough to have a work-life balance for mothers and fathers,” Ayala said. “We’re in [the office] five days a week, so definitely childcare is a big concern. I am hoping this can at least help her a little.”
Ayala isn’t looking to have children any time soon, even after hearing of President Donald Trump’s support for a “baby bonus” stimulus plan of $5,000 per newborn.
“I think $5,000 is kind of like a slap in the face to people who have reproductive systems. It takes way more to even have a baby, and we still don’t have guaranteed time to take care of the baby after,” she said.