To work or not to work: Changes in the intentions to return to work amongst first-time mothers

Until recently there have been no statutory maternity leave provisions in Australian workplaces and the recently instituted statutory leave does not benefit all employees. A prospective panel study of Australian first-time mothers was recruited in the last trimester of pregnancy and followed for the next year to consider how intentions to return to work may change after birth and the factors that influence any changes. Before birth, nearly all the mothers intended to return to work, although their postnatal practices were affected by the availability of maternity leave and condition of work. Less education and limited maternity leave were predictive of the intention, and actual, early return to work. These mothers, breastfed for shorter periods and their children were likely to be in childcare for longer periods each day. Women with the highest levels of education were likely to have jobs with more family-friendly structures and this security of future employment allowed these women to delay their return to work. Across all of the mothers, there was a gap between expected timing of return and actual return, as they weighed work hours and responsibilities, against time with their child. Changes came about after reassessing priorities, and comparing the desire to spend time with their child, the quality of care available and job availability. Having a more difficult child increased the hours that mothers worked. Mothers’ attitudes to maternal employment changed over time, with benefits being perceived similarly over time, whereas the costs became less apparent. However, mothers working longer hours perceived greater costs, rather than benefits, for themselves and their child. In addition, mothers who believed that there were greater costs of employment were more likely to be depressed over time, whereas higher rating of benefits and workplace support of the mother, lead to greater work satisfaction and her retention in the workplace. The decision to return to work after having a child is more complex than simply being a period away from work. Return to work is complicated by the desire to stay with the child, the child’s temperament, and the quality of care that was available for the child, in addition to the nature of work and the benefits that work provided. Supporting mothers, and by extension their partners and children, by providing adequate maternity leave benefits and family-friendly structures will ensure that women can balance their work and family roles and is insurance for employee retention