There are three things I do every Valentine’s Day: Go on a lunch date with my husband, do some Valentine’s Day crafts with my two children, and send out cards to people I love, including family and friends. This Valentine’s Day, I’m doing one more thing: showing love to the teachers and staff members at the daycare center that my 4-year-old currently goes to. The pandemic wave has made it clear that our child care needs a systemic overhaul. Parents of kids under 5 are now in a state of despair and semi-panic , and part of our upset is the fact that the expensive child care we are paying for...

I have a story about persistence. In 2013, a self-describe “ largest Chinese-language newspaper serving North America ” published a controversial article. Titled “ Breastfeeding photos embarrass Chinese-American to death ,” the piece cited anonymous resources, labeled breastfeeding photos as “R-rated-photos,” described breastfeeding images as “disturbing” and “disgusting.” At that time, I just returned to work after a 3-month-long maternity leave to that particular newspaper as a staff writer. And yes, I was breastfeeding. I certainly felt shocked by that article and tried to talk to the...

“Public charge” is part of federal immigration law for over a century. The “public charge” test is designed to identify people who may depend on the government as their main source of support. If the government determines that a person is likely to become a “public charge,” it can deny a person admission to the U.S. or lawful permanent residence, or “green card” status. On October 10, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed to change this long-standing policy by excluding anyone who is likely to use certain health care, nutrition or housing programs in the future. The proposed test...

The U.S. Delegation to the United Nations-affiliated World Health Assembly (WHA) undermined a global resolution aimed at supporting breastfeeding, threatening trade sanctions against Ecuador before yielding to a proposal put forth by Russia, reported by the New York Times . The draft resolution was to reaffirm that breastfeeding is critical for child development and maternal health, to express concern over low rates of breastfeeding worldwide, and to call on WHO Member States to increase investment and implementation in breastfeeding policies, systems, and environmental supports. According to...

Great news from New Jersey this week: Firing or discriminating against women who breastfeed at work is now prohibited under the state legislation signed by Gov. Chris Christie on Monday! No, I don’t live in New Jersey. But I think it is a good example of supporting a welcoming environment to working mothers. Now New Jersey employers would be in violation of the new law, which serves as an update to the state’s civil rights law, for firing or discriminating against a woman over breastfeeding. New Jersey businesses must now also provide break time and a suitable location for breastfeeding women...

I am an American but my job allows me to look at America with a foreigner’s eye—I’ve spent most of my career life working as a U.S. based correspondent for a various of Chinese media outlets. Through the years I can’t help it but notice many senseless things in this country’s system. Paid family leave , for one. Gun safety, for another. Last month I wrote a piece on how to talk to kids about tragic events for Taiwan’s Commonwealth Parenting Magazine in light of the Las Vegas shooting. Even though the attack happened here in America, increased anxiety among children in other countries is...

It is National Breastfeeding Month and I was just in an Asian Breastfeeding Task Force kick-off meeting last week. Healthcare providers in Los Angeles and Orange County came together and formed this task force because they feel it’s clear that there are special and unique cultural and education issues when working with the population and breastfeeding practices. Los Angeles County is home to the largest Asian American population in the US. In 2015, 2/3 of the babies born in Garfield Hospital and half of the babies born in San Gabriel Valley Hospital were Asian, according to data from AHMC...

According to a study published in the journal Women’s Health Issues , 60% of pumping women don’t have basic workplace accommodations or adequate break times. That’s no news. I personally have pumped in many weird places. I returned to work three months after giving birth as a staff writer at a Chinese-language newspaper based in Los Angeles. The company didn't have a nursing room, even though California law requires appropriate reasonable space for pumping . I pumped in the restroom. When there was a line in the restroom, I pumped in my car. When the weather is too warm or the pump battery is...

Obamacare includes pregnancy, maternal and newborn care in its list of 10 essential health benefits insurance companies must provide for consumers. It requires health insurance plans must provide breastfeeding support, counseling, and equipment for the duration of breastfeeding. It amended the Fair Labor Standards Act so employers with more than 50 workers have to give “new mothers, for up to one year after a child’s birth, with reasonable time to take unpaid breaks to express breast milk for their nursing children.” Under this standard, employers also need to provide mothers a private room that is not a restroom to fulfill her breastfeeding and/or pumping responsibilities. Now, because Trump has threatened to overhaul Obamacare, these services are at stake.