This woman has been pregnant for five years so she can send you this important message

Lauren is a paralegal at a small law firm in Denver, and she has been pregnant for 260 weeks. She has decided to stay pregnant until her child turns six years old, because she can’t afford to take time off of work to give birth and care for a newborn. Lauren’s work doesn’t offer paid family leave, and neither does her husband’s.

So for Lauren, staying pregnant until she can afford to not be pregnant is her best option.

Alright, obviously being pregnant for five years with the same baby isn’t possible. The National Partnership for Women and Families created a funny-but-not-funny-because-it’s-true video starring Lauren (and narrated by Sophia Bush), a fictional character who represents real life moms and dads throughout the United States — and they’re making a really important point.

“It’s absurd that most U.S. workers — 86 percent — don’t have paid family leave through their employers,” the caption on the video reads. “And only some are lucky enough to live in the four states that have paid family and medical leave laws. But we can change this.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oQ2do02hO0?start=33&feature=oembed

The organization offers a plan of action on its website: “Ask your members of Congress to watch the video and then stand up for a robust national paid family and medical leave program.”

Urge your members of congress to support a comprehensive national paid leave law by clicking here. A pre-written letter has been provided by the organization, so all you have to do it fill out your name, your congress person’s name, and send it. It takes seconds, and the outcome could be life-changing for so many people. And Lauren can finally stop being pregnant.