I can't agree with the foregoing. A child is raised by a community as a whole thus the community should step up as a whole to offer support for it's care during the first months. To me, the fact that it is a female who is typically central to that care is not relevent. If a male were taking this responsibilty, I would support that equally. Our society will tolerate "time off" for recovery of injuries sustained during some "elective" activities by either gender, so as a female needs some time to recover after child birth, we've already established the legitimacy of that!
My wife has ribbed me in the past, that "I do not cook" (well the kids never starved), and would eat out too often. I should cook more at home. I pointed out that she took her car to have the oil changed, or have the snow tires put on too often, and could do those things at home. She took my point.
Men and women are different, but still equal....