For years, women were endowed with responsibilities that were limited to household work and nurturing children. They were confined to domestic areas irrespective of their capabilities to handle all spheres of work. In recent years, however, the perspectives have changed to a great extent and now working women are simultaneously managing both roles of a worker as well as that of a caretaker. It has been a well-known fact that the entire period of pregnancy and childbirth is a strenuous process for mothers which is not only physically hectic but also can be mentally and emotionally challenging. The new mothers require a sufficient amount of rest and time for a speedy recovery. Although working women in the current era have been thriving in the professional world yet there are several challenges faced by the new mothers when they return to work after the gap of maternity leave.
The challenges faced by new mothers are not only of diverse nature but also underrated. One of the most common among them is the inability to maintain a work-family balance. The physical duties expected from new mothers of attending to household chores and looking after their children can have a drastic impact on the mothers as at the same time their duties in their respective jobs can be extremely demanding. Both the roles often clash and result in exhaustion faced by new mothers. As the job market is saturated and the workers are paid less, it becomes quite hard for women after their maternity leave to choose an appropriate work with decent pay. For some women, it is also not easy to find an adequate job whose nature of work fits their level of capacities, post-childbirth. A cognitively difficult situation can also take the form of a challenge when new mothers are in a constant dilemma whether to cater to family needs or fulfil their supervisors’ expectations. This especially happens when the new working mothers are also the sole nurturers at their residence. This gives rise to constant as well as a ceaseless feeling of guilt that remains as a shadow over their head. The emotional feeling of guilt results in creating a conflict within the mother’s mind where she is torn between passion and obligation. Another obstacle that is faced by new mothers is subtle discrimination in the workplace due to their gender wherein they are sometimes not part of certain discussions and meetings. This also leads to missing important projects and presentations due to their long absence from work.
Another common challenge faced by working women is the constant need to multitask. Whether they are working at the office or from home, they are stressed constantly as they have to tackle their time as much as possible, between their personal and professional life. For new working mothers who are sole nurturers, it is sometimes difficult to arrange a trustworthy, affordable as well as a capable babysitter who will take care of her child. One of the most difficult challenges is when the child is undergoing physiological or neurological problems and needs special care, attention and support. In such cases, the mother has to invest special efforts to manage her child and hence it becomes all the tougher for a working mother to balance work as well as family life.
Due to societal expectations, there is also pressure on these new working mothers to be perfect at all times as with a single mistake they can be easily replaced in the workplace or be labelled as a ‘bad mother’ at home. Sometimes women experience postpartum depression after childbirth wherein along with other symptoms, they may find it difficult to look after their child and perform work-related roles with dedication. This majorly affects both their mood and self-esteem which in turn prolongs the problem. There is no proper time left for mothers’ self-care which further negatively impacts their entire social, occupational and mental health.
There are certain ways to overcome the above-mentioned challenges for a better family and work life. One of the most helpful ways is to efficiently learn time management skills in order to have the day planned according to their work. It is also important to make sure the husband supports the new working mother not only emotionally but also socially by sharing the tasks to be carried out at home. Another crucial factor that aids in overcoming challenges is to work in an organisation where one is respected for their efforts and capabilities where they can consider the new mother’s emergency situations. Maintaining a cordial relationship with other relatives or siblings can also be of major assistance in times of need. One of the most necessary points that such new working mothers need to acknowledge is that they should not feel guilty about trying to achieve their ambitions as, even though motherhood is a massive part of their life, they still have an individuality that needs to be maintained.
– Urveez Kakalia & Debanjana Banerjee.