“Shocking Ultimatum: Husband’s Job Demand Sparks Turmoil in Marital Bliss as Baby Plans Hang in the Balance”
Jessica didnât tell her new employer how recently she had given birth, fearing sheâd be seen as a liability. Though her manager supported her pumping breastmilk, there wasnât a suitable place to do it. âSo I had to take my breast pump into the bathroom and hope that no one came in and saw me pumping,â she reveals.
She also worries about the impact of her early absence on her childâs development. â[He] has disabilities, and we didnât catch that until he was over a year old⦠I donât know if we would have caught it sooner had I been home more,â she reflects.
Pressure and self-doubt are common struggles for many working moms. A study published in the British Journal of Social Psychology found that mothers often feel more guilt than fathers when balancing work and family life. âNo matter how much we achieve at work or how much love and care we pour into our families, thereâs always that nagging voice in our head that tells us weâre not doing enough,â says Ashley Sharp, executive director at Dwell with Dignity. âItâs like we’re running a constant marathon, trying to catch up with the expectations of the world around us.â
Interestingly, research suggests that despite these challenges, working moms often report feeling happier than stay-at-home moms, with part-time work being the most satisfying option. A study in the APAâs Journal of Family Psychology analyzed data from the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, tracking 1,364 mothers from their childâs birth for over a decade.
