A mother’s mental health has an impact on the
ability for her to provide financially for herself and for
her family and affects the workplace in general and,
by extension, the national economy. Social expectations
to be the “perfect mother,” physical changes
from childbirth, sleep deprivation due to the needs of
young infants, and the demands of the workplace that
spill over into family time may contribute to the
stress load of working mothers.9,17,24 Time demands
involved in working and caring for infants may limit
the working mother’s ability to engage in mental
health promotion activities such as socializing,
exercising, and maintaining a healthy diet.27 Because
working women may be more vulnerable to
depression due to the stressors of work and family life,
screening and referral for mental health issues in the
workplace by trained professionals is essential.28 In
addition, employers should provide workplace
education on the value of work and life balance and
reasonable accommodations for working parents
during the first year of a child’s life