Let me tell you a story…

My story.
Because I was that mom. 

The one who planned. 

 The one who showed up to work every day—pregnant and dealing with kidney stones in the third trimester.  The one who thought the system would at least try to meet me halfway.
And then I found out: maternity leave of any kind in America is a joke.

 I Worked in Healthcare… and Still Got Burned

 I worked full-time—and then part-time—for over a year in the medical field as an MA (medical assistant) at our local medical group.
Not a side gig.  Actual, consistent hours in a system supposedly built around caring for people. 

I was pregnant. I followed the rules. I kept my supervisors in the loop. I kept showing up.

But when it came time to take my maternity leave, I was told I was 20 hours short of qualifying for FMLA.
Twenty.
Just one more week of work, 20-25 hours. That was the difference between job protection and being treated like I was disposable.

 My Son Was Born 6 Weeks Early—And That Changed Everything

My baby didn’t come on schedule.
He came early.
Six weeks early to be exact.

I went into labor during Christmas break. I had to text my boss from the hospital while they tried to stop my contractions and prepped to transfer me to a bigger hospital, because there weren’t enough NICU nurses on staff that night. 

surely they’ll give me a little grace, right?

  My work “gave” me 6 weeks unpaid leave but made me use my PTO to pay for my regular hours. When I asked for an additional six weeks unpaid —to care for my premature baby who had just started feeding and physical therapy and was eating every 60–90 minutes at 6 weeks old, they said:
No.

Even when I offered to use my already earned PTO that I still had in my bank:
Still no.

No to extending my leave.
No to using my own time.
No to saving my job.

So I resigned.

Not because I wanted to.
Not because I was lazy.
Not because I didn’t love my work.

But because I had to choose my child—and they made it clear I wasn’t welcome to return if I did.

 Let’s Be Clear: THIS IS NOT OKAY

We live in the wealthiest country in the world, and yet somehow:

• There’s no guaranteed maternity leave for part-time workers
   
• Most companies offer the bare minimum the law requires
   
• FMLA protections apply only if you hit the right hour and employment thresholds
   
• Part-time moms are left completely unprotected
   
• Moms are punished for having babies “off schedule” — as if we control that
  
   

 I Didn’t Want A Handout—Just a Chance to Come Back

I wasn’t asking for a vacation.
I asked for six more weeks of unpaid time, using my own PTO.
All I wanted was for my locker to be left open.
A sign that I mattered.

But the message was clear:
You’re only valuable when you’re making us money.
Not when you’re healing.
Not when you’re nurturing a tiny human who needs you more than anything.

I wasn’t even using any of the company’s benefits like insurance or continuing education credit reimbursements.

 To the Moms Out There: You’re Not Crazy, You’re Undervalued 

If you’ve ever felt angry, dismissed, or abandoned by your employer during or after pregnancy – you’re not being dramatic.
You’re not emotional.
You’re right.

They don’t want to acknowledge how you feel because then they’d have to admit they were wrong.

To the moms who had to resign, who gave up careers, who cried from heartbreak instead of hormones:
I see you.
You did what you had to do.
That makes you strong as hell.

From a Faith & No Bull Perspective

God didn’t design motherhood to be a liability.

He made it sacred.
He didn’t create women to be torn between caring for their babies and keeping their jobs.

And yet, here we are—in a modern system and first world country that punishes women for doing the most natural, vital, life-giving thing there is.

 We were meant to be supported, not quietly pushed out.
We deserve a system that treats birth as valuable – not as an inconvenience.

Final Word: Keep Speaking Up

I shared my story because I know I’m not alone. 

We need better laws, better employers, and better respect for mothers.
until then?  keep sharing your stories. Keep supporting each other. Most importantly…

Keep choosing your babies— every time, no matter the cost.

With truth, fire, and no apologies,
— The No Bull Mommy

Drop your story in the comments.