Paid maternity leave is virtually nonexistent in the US.  Even unpaid leave is not a given.  Since, the Family Medical Leave Act only applies to employers with 50 or more employees.  A worker must have worked for the employer some 12 months prior to requesting the FMLA leave.  According to one public agency, the FMLA covers 60% of the workforce.

One mother, Anna, describes her two births.  See post.  She was an independent contractor both times. So, the only leave she received was what she could squeeze in between births.  Every Western country, except Australia and the US, offer paid maternity leave according to Anna.  So much for family values…..