By Nisha Susan
A friend of mine used to say to anyone who’d listen that she didn’t care what politicians were motivated by – as long as their policies were good. Were they doing things for attention, for distraction or for stealing credit from some hardworking and innovative civil servant? Why should you care, she would say.
I’ve been mulling this lately. First, when I read about Maneka Gandhi’s Ministry of Women and Child Development recently squaring off against Arun Jaitley’s Ministry of Corporate Affairs. This was on the question of whether it should be mandatory for companies to disclose if they had formed internal complaints committees to deal with sexual harassment (as the law requires them to). Gandhi thought it perfectly reasonable that companies say yes we complied or no, we goofed. Jaitley thought it would hurt the companies’ tender hearts.
In the last couple of weeks, I’ve had occasion to think about Gandhi’s motivations again when she proposed that private companies extend maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks. Unfortunately, she’s done the extra service of claiming all mothers’ need to breastfeed as an irrefutable ‘body’ argument for maternity leave. The Labour ministry has agreed to the proposal and now it’s left to see if Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 gets amended.
Folks in the corporate world have responded to this news with everything from cautious promises of compliance to the appalled (and practiced) conviction that this will ensure that even fewer women are hired. Others have pointed out that this move leaves out women in the informal sector and even some in the government. There have also been plenty of sharp reminders that in the absence of paternity leave, this proposal enforces the same old futile ideas of child-rearing: Mommy does it all and must continue to do it all.
All the best doctors and gynaecologists, Gandhi is quoted as having said, recommend seven months of exclusive breast-feeding. This is on top of a pre-birth month in which mothers can “prepare for the baby’s needs”, she feels.
The rules our patriarchal world sets for mothers, both at home and at work, continue to be strict. And anyone who argues? You can squash them with the seeming mountain of Biology or the shimmering mirage of Culture (this is how we do it here, baby).
Now, the rules at work insist that women forget those other rules totally, pretend they didn’t have to get up extra early to ensure the clothes are folded, the meals are hot, fresh and varied and children are served tiny hand and tiny foot. They must stay at work as late as possible to impress everyone of their ability ‘to bust ass’. They must not appear distracted by thoughts of that other Home world. They must certainly not take leave for months on end to meet the demands of that other world.
Maternity leave is a very particular kind of Home intersects Work in the Venn diagram of life. The establishment would like to keep it all separate, but sadly for them women have acquired a taste for being paid for their labours.
And because the rules are getting entangled, we also have some peculiar knots. In the US, infamous for having minimal to no paid maternity leave, breastfeeding is now almost a religion. While in India, where the number of working women is actually dropping in the formal sector, we now suddenly might have a new legislation that cites breastfeeding and childcare for paid leave.
Surely maternity leave should not only be to enable women to breastfeed? This argument is based on a series of false notions: that women want six months off to breastfeed, that all women should (and can) breastfeed, that all infants take to breastfeeding.
A 2013 WHO study shows that breastfeeding has no long-term benefits. An even newer study looked at 8,000 pairs of children, including pairs of siblings (so as to eliminate class and income differences), and came to the same conclusion. A formula-fed baby in a family is just as likely to thrive as his or her breast-fed sibling. The author of the study, Cynthia Cohen said, “We need to take a much more careful look at what happens past that first year of life and understand that breast-feeding might be very difficult, even untenable, for certain groups of women. Rather than placing the blame at their feet, let’s be more realistic about what breast-feeding does and doesn’t do.”
A 2010 review of 50 years of research tells us something else that is interesting. Children whose mothers went back to work before they were three years old didn’t show any particular problems later on when compared to those whose mums stayed at home. No problems either in their behaviour or in their academic performance. This review also noted a silver lining: children whose mothers went back to work when they were toddlers were less likely to develop anxiety or depression.
So is Maneka Gandhi simply being strategic since a ‘body’ argument is harder to refute than a ‘social’ argument? As my friend would say, why care what the politician’s motivations are? I don’t, and if Maneka Gandhi thinks that breastfeeding is a great way to ensure no one fights maternity leave, good for her.
However, here is what would be nice: to have separate ministries for Women and for Child Development, so that the former jockeys for women’s rights whether or not they have anything to do with children. Such a ministry would perhaps think differently about how to ensure women’s rights are protected at work.
Our troubles at work do not begin and end with sexual harassment. They do not begin and end with breastfeeding or maternity leave. It continues to be that we women enter the world of work with no sense that we are entitled to it. It continues to be that our employers, peers and even our government like to ring the enormous gong of Biology and Culture over our heads all the time. All the time that we are trying to think about work.
The world is full of government policies and frantic people who want to promote breast-feeding, and that’s okay. Wouldn’t it be great to have just as many government policies that announce that it’s perfectly normal (Biology! Culture! Money!) for women to work and for men to want to look after the children?
Images: Ojas’ First Shoot by Harsha KR /CC by 2.0 & Mud Fest 2008 by Shawn Perez /CC by 2.0
January 9, 2016 at 4:09 pm
aparna_jain theladiesfinger that can’t be right. WHO UNICEF studies show +ve impact of breastfeeding on immunity, child development
January 9, 2016 at 4:11 pm
gargorama not for 6 months. yes, the initial first milk etc. this is 6 months feeding. theladiesfinger WHO UNICEF
January 9, 2016 at 4:12 pm
gargorama am sure it helps with immunity. But who made up the 6 months is the question theladiesfinger chasingiamb
January 9, 2016 at 4:12 pm
Do look at the WHO (and other) studies cited in the piece. gargorama aparna_jain WHO UNICEF
January 9, 2016 at 4:35 pm
theladiesfinger Formula is expensive and not affordable by all. The resultant costs of compromised immunity of the kids is high & stressful
January 9, 2016 at 4:59 pm
theladiesfinger The study you quote was done in UK to look at possible long term benefits, the conclusions don’t seem clear. priyardinkar
January 9, 2016 at 5:00 pm
theladiesfinger The short term benefits particularly in countries like India are well established & yes it is a choice. priyardinkar
January 9, 2016 at 5:02 pm
theladiesfinger I get that maternity leave & breastfeeding should not be linked but two things- but that does not mean + priyardinkar
January 9, 2016 at 5:03 pm
theladiesfinger that (in a country where many women have limited resources) breastfeeding is not beneficial + priyardinkar
January 9, 2016 at 5:04 pm
theladiesfinger In the ministry’s defence they are using the point to garner support for maternity leaves (so okay for me). priyardinkar
January 9, 2016 at 5:07 pm
theladiesfinger I am not or never will be a mother who has breastfed but have done work for companies that try to use this + priyardinkar
January 9, 2016 at 5:07 pm
annaverve theladiesfinger priyardinkar IMO it was more about delinking breastfeeding from maternity leave so we see women less as cows
January 9, 2016 at 5:08 pm
theladiesfinger + narrative to encourage formula & sell more, in countries with hygiene issues & extreme poverty. priyardinkar
January 9, 2016 at 5:08 pm
annaverve theladiesfinger priyardinkar women already face so much pressure in so many ways; this is yet another standard to live up to
January 9, 2016 at 5:09 pm
JhagdaluAurat I get that & mentioned it. But IMO when saying no long term benefits with links + theladiesfinger priyardinkar
January 9, 2016 at 5:10 pm
JhagdaluAurat + it is important that we mention short term benefits (with links by same orgs). theladiesfinger priyardinkar
January 9, 2016 at 5:11 pm
theladiesfinger but then how can we continue with patriarchal benevolence towards ‘weaker sections’?
January 9, 2016 at 5:12 pm
JhagdaluAurat Always for choice & women must get maternity benefits even if they can’t/don’t breastfeed. theladiesfinger priyardinkar
January 9, 2016 at 5:25 pm
JhagdaluAurat annaverve theladiesfinger Breastfeeding makes no woman a cow. It’s a choice. Truth is more maternity leave facilitates BF
January 9, 2016 at 5:27 pm
priyardinkar annaverve theladiesfinger not all women have a choice & my point is the linking of the two narrows down the chance further+
January 9, 2016 at 5:28 pm
priyardinkar annaverve theladiesfinger BF doesn’t make a woman a cow, govt message seems to treat women that way, beings without autonomy
January 9, 2016 at 5:30 pm
theladiesfinger I’m amazed I never thought about the need to treat these two groups as separate. Right you are!
January 9, 2016 at 5:32 pm
priyardinkar I second that…! I’m no cow and this is neither so debatable rather a matter of choice JhagdaluAurat annaverve
January 9, 2016 at 5:34 pm
espiritz_ priyardinkar annaverve we’re not talking about women like us, trust me 🙂
January 9, 2016 at 5:36 pm
JhagdaluAurat And that was one of my main points in my response to TLF, privilege- formula is that. espiritz_ priyardinkar
January 9, 2016 at 5:38 pm
JhagdaluAurat priyardinkar annaverve I know, though I would have felt better if could get more maternity leave when in need 🙂
January 9, 2016 at 5:43 pm
JhagdaluAurat Gov is not asking for proof from mothers, it’s not a necessary condition for leaves priyardinkar annaverve theladiesfinger
January 9, 2016 at 5:47 pm
JhagdaluAurat annaverve theladiesfinger Perceptions damning women don’t need a logical basis. Shaming BF or lack thereof defeats purpose
January 9, 2016 at 6:08 pm
priyardinkar annaverve theladiesfinger as is lack of choice. Same same
January 9, 2016 at 6:46 pm
zainity priyardinkar annaverve theladiesfinger there’s all kinds of pressure exerted on women most of which doesn’t involve proof 🙂
January 9, 2016 at 6:57 pm
JhagdaluAurat Breastfeeding is never forced; breastfeed vs formula depends on affordability only priyardinkar annaverve theladiesfinger
January 9, 2016 at 7:07 pm
zainity sigh. You’re not getting me.Am talking of unstated pressure on women, who,for a variety +priyardinkar annaverve theladiesfinger
January 9, 2016 at 7:10 pm
zainity priyardinkar annaverve theladiesfinger of reasons may not be able to. Lack of time, infections,ill health may be 1 those reasons
January 9, 2016 at 7:11 pm
zainity priyardinkar annaverve theladiesfinger in such circumstances such campaigns become one more stick to beat ‘errant’ women with
January 9, 2016 at 9:59 pm
annaverve hah, good to know I wasn’t the only one left deeply unhappy by the way that piece was argued.
January 9, 2016 at 10:07 pm
AmbaAzaad It felt really strange hearting that but you know 🙂
January 11, 2016 at 4:47 pm
Thank you for this article Nisha. At the onset, I have an objection with the way ‘work’ has been used here. We are talking about a very small section and class of women who are employed in the organized corporate system. Most of the Indian women either work in unorganized sector or at home. I think we need to be sensitive about the usage of ‘work’ as in this context it implies that one type of work is more valuable and valued than other types of work. As a middle class woman, I have chosen to stay at home to care for my children and do things that really interest me, away from the corporate world. I know we are very fortunate that we can afford to do this, but the work I do is no less important than the work a woman who goes to an office does.
Could you please explain what you mean by “breastfeeding is almost a religion in the US”? Yes, I will talk biology here, because making breast milk after the birth of a baby (which is another normal body function of a human female) is a normal bodily function. Breast milk is made for many a reason, one of them, because the human baby gut is immature, cannot handle the food that older humans normally eat and yes that includes formula, which is made from cow’s milk and a lot of other additives. It take approximately the same amount of time to breastfeed or formula feed a new born, which is about 6-7 hours in a 24 hour day. And comparatively it is much less work and so much easier to just whip out your breast and feed the baby, as opposed to mixing bottles of formula, heating the water, sterilizing, all the while trying to calm a howling baby because the water is not the right temperature. And there is no guarantee that the woman’s partner will help her, even if he were to get paternity leave! So yes, maternity leave is important to enable a woman to breastfeed without hassles. Though many women in the organized sector who have to get back to office, now invest in a breast pump, pump and store their milk to continue to breastfeed. They do this despite it being a lot more work, to provide the best for their babies.
Oops, did I just say-“breast is best”? Well, the same WHO who said there are no long term benefits to breastfeeding, recommend exclusive breastfeeding for six months (http://www.who.int/topics/breastfeeding/en/). If you were to open the PDF which you have linked, in the very first paragraph, to quote- ” Breastfeeding has well-established short-term benefits, particularly the reduction of morbidity and mortality due to infectious diseases in childhood. A pooled analysis of studies carried out in middle/
low income countries showed that breastfeeding substantially lowers the risk of death from infectious
diseases in the first two years of life (1).” When you say it has no long term effects, do you mean to say parents should just ignore the well established short term benefits?
I agree that it has no long term benefits. But feeding formula comes with a lot of risks, which can have long term repercussions both for the baby and the mother- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2812877/, http://massbreastfeeding.org/pubhealth/. Formula manufacturing is not regulated, there have been many recalls of formula in the US and UK. And I fear that those recalls may not even happen in India.
Cynthia is quite right, breastfeeding is difficult and unattainable for some women. But the main question is why? Its because, we are conditioned to not trust our bodies or our instincts, hospitals and the medical system often treats women in labor as vessels to get babies out. Not like intelligent beings, who can think and know how to birth a baby. The way women birth, in often over medicalized settings, hampers their chances of establishing a smooth breastfeeding relationship- http://www.llli.org/docs/lad/ChildbirthandBreastfeeding.pdf. The moment the system thinks something is amiss in the breastfeeding relationship, a bottle of formula appears almost magically, an instant solution. The patriarchal systems is what makes it difficult and unattainable! Not just for the corporate, five star hospital birthing women but also the government hospital, institutional birthing women. And who is blaming the women for it? We can support, encourage and empower women to make feeding decisions and yes, an extended maternity leave will definitely help.
Yes, we are frantic people, trying to promote breastfeeding because there is a business case for breastfeeding, even with only short term benefits, it can protect lives of babies, mothers, saving many a rupee!
My partner cares for our children, they are his children to! And the government should have policies to enable men to care for their children as well, but definitely, not at the cost of breastfeeding. If the woman has to or wants to join her office, then policies at the work which enable her to continue breastfeeding will help, while her partner can take care of the baby.