SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT

Tammy Duckworth becomes first sitting US senator to give birth

US Senator Tammy Duckworth on Monday gave birth to a baby girl, making history as the first member of the Senate to have a baby while in office

US Senator Tammy Duckworth is the 10th member of Congress to give birth while in office.
US Senator Tammy Duckworth is the 10th member of Congress to give birth while in office. Source: AAP

2 min read

Published

Source: AFP, SBS


Skip to article content

"Bryan, Abigail and I couldn't be happier to welcome little Maile Pearl as the newest addition to our family," Duckworth, 50, said in a statement.

The milestone by the Illinois Democrat makes her the 10th member of Congress to give birth while in office.

The other nine women were members of the House of Representatives when they had their babies. 

Duckworth was a House member when she had her first child, in 2014.

A decorated Asian-American US Army veteran, Duckworth lost both her legs in 2004 when the helicopter that she was co-piloting was shot down by insurgents over Iraq.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

She entered the House in 2012 and then the Senate in 2016, where she is one of the 100-strong chamber's 23 women.

Duckworth has made advocating for working class families a key focal point of her service in Congress.

In her statement she described parenthood as an economic issue affecting women and men alike.

"As tough as juggling the demands of motherhood and being a senator can be, I'm hardly alone or unique as a working parent, and my children only make me more committed to doing my job and standing up for hardworking families everywhere," she said.

Congratulations poured in from fellow lawmakers, including from top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi.

"I'm sure she will grow up to be just as strong as her mother!" Pelosi tweeted.


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world