One in five working moms report pressure from job to stop breastfeeding

Over half of mothers worry about going back to work after giving birth, according to new research.

A poll of 1,000 working mothers found — from worries about breastfeeding and finding the right work-life balance, to whether their role had changed while they had been away — 51% worried about being a working mother.

In fact, the biggest worry among mothers heading back to the office after maternity leave was whether they’d have the energy to apply themselves to work and handle the demands of being a mom — 40% worried they would get too tired to do the job properly.

The study, conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Seraphine, explored the worries of 1,000 working moms and discovered that two in five worry about being too tired to do their work upon their return to the office.

And 82% found themselves concerned about maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Chief among concerns was breastfeeding. Eighty-nine percent of mothers surveyed reported breastfeeding their babies, pumping or using a mix of both, with 72% breastfeeding between four and 12 months.

Thirty-five percent of women surveyed reported returning to work before their baby was 6 months old, and 66% were planning to continue breastfeeding and/or pumping after returning to work.

Despite this, a third of mothers surveyed reported that returning to work was the reason they stopped breastfeeding, and 19% even reported receiving pressure from work to stop.

Among concerns about breastfeeding and/or pumping at work were leaking milk through their work clothes and the ensuing embarrassment (39%), as well as being able to pump at work (28%).

“With all the known benefits of breastfeeding, it is so important that mothers feel able to continue feeding their babies in whichever way they choose even after returning to work,” said a spokesperson for Seraphine. “We design our workwear range with nursing mothers in mind: smart office-appropriate styles with discreet access for pumping.”

However, even with all the worry, 69% were actually excited about going back to work after being on maternity leave.

Upon their return, 79% said they came back to a supportive work environment and saw positive changes.

In fact, nearly half (49%) noticed they were able to have flexible working hours upon returning to the office while a further 34% came back to work and found a breastfeeding room waiting for them.

And that’s not all that working mothers got to experience. Twenty-seven percent were able to have the time to pump, and another 35% received more privacy once they returned from maternity leave.

Seventeen percent were even able to take advantage of child care options organized by their workplace.

And 65% felt that being a mom actually enhanced their performance at work.

“Moms are amazing,” said a spokesperson for Seraphine. “Our mission is to help them feel that way! We provide beautiful clothes designed to flatter their figures throughout pregnancy with clever hidden features for nursing afterwards.”

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