This Mom Shared A Gut-Wrenching Video On Her Last Day Of Maternity Leave

A working mom is going viral for her raw reaction to her last day of maternity leave.

As she prepares to leave her twins to go back to work, Marissa Jeanne reflected on maternity leave time, sharing that she was in no way ready to drop her kids off at daycare. She is left wondering why she feels like she didn’t “do enough” while away from work and reconciling on how grateful she is for the three months she did get with her babies (because, as we know, the U.S. does not offer any paid time off for new parents).

“Today is my last day of maternity leave, and I go back to work tomorrow. And I just feel like I haven't had enough time with them,” she admits before reflecting on her time away from work. She can’t help but think that she didn’t “accomplish” enough while on maternity leave.

“I know I got longer than a lot of women get with three months, but I just don't feel ready physically and mentally. I feel like there's so much that you think that you are going to do on maternity leave. I think you're going to accomplish so many things and do so many things with your babies.”

“And then here I am at the end and I'm like, ‘I didn't do any of that, but I feel like I did do a lot of this and that's one of the most important things,” she says, motioning to her sleeping twins on her chest.

“I think the hardest part is it's just like such an abrupt change that you're with your babies all the time, and then you pick them up from daycare and you might just get a few hours with them. So that's just such an abrupt change, and it's really hard.”

The OP also admits that her career is a big part of who she is — a part of her life that she didn’t want to give up. Walking the tightrope of being a career-driven person and a present parent is a near-impossible feat with so many falls and slips. As she gears up to walk this very same tightrope, the OP reconciles that she won’t be able to “do it all.”

“I also love my career. I am proud of what I do, but there's always that mom guilt of you're not giving enough time to your kids, but you can't do it all. You can't give 100% to everything. I think that's something important to remember,” she says.

“I just feel so honored to be their mom and to have gotten the past three months with them. So I'm really grateful for that. For all the working moms out there, you're amazing. Yeah, you can't do it all, but you're doing the best that you can for your kids and that's all that matters.”

In the United States, the Family and Medical Leave Act grants most workers 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave. However, paid parental leave is not a given—in fact, only 13 states have passed legislation mandating it. Even in instances where paid family leave is required, it can be for as little as six weeks, like in Wisconsin.

This is in stark contrast to other comparable countries. OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries offer on average 18.6 weeks of paid maternity leave. They also largely pay well, with 16 countries paying mothers 100% of their earnings — not exactly the American experience.

The World Health Organization recommends a minimum of 14 weeks of leave to heal from pregnancy, but mothers are expected to go back to work way before that.

As one user commented, “This is one major problem with usa is postpartum care and leave for mamas.”

AKA no care or leave at all!

Oh, and please do not forget, the financial burden of astronomical childcare costs, the country’s rollback of women’s reproductive rights, and the ever-present misogynistic societal standard put on moms to work like they don’t have kids and parent like they don’t have a job!