Back to Work Days After a Premature Birth: A Viral Story Stirs America

This week, a video posted on social media shook the nation, quickly going viral. It features Rebecca Shumard, a 26-year-old mother, tearfully sharing how her employer made her return to work a mere 12 days after giving birth to a premature baby, who needs far more attention and care than a full-term infant.

Her daughter Eden was born during the 27th week of pregnancy and is still in neonatal intensive care. In the United States, mothers face an impossible situation where work comes first because paid maternity leave is not a given. This puts many new mothers in a difficult position, especially when dealing with complex situations like premature births. Where is the mind of a mother who just gave birth when she must go back to work? It's with her baby throughout her entire shift. She's constantly worrying about whether her baby is okay, if she has eaten, and when she can dash to the hospital to feed her with breastmilk!

The video, which has been viewed over three million times, captures Rebecca's overwhelming frustration. She calculates how long she'll need to sustain her breastmilk for her daughter's stay at the NICU, wondering if she’ll still have milk for her when she finally comes home. "Will I even have any milk left for her when she’s discharged? What do other NICU moms do?" she cries out on camera. "How can anyone afford to take time off when their baby is in intensive care? How do you cope with the guilt of having to work instead of being by your child’s side? This is America!" she concludes, disheartened.