Balancing Work and Motherhood: Navigating the Experiences of First Time Breastfeeding Mothers

Abstract

This study explores the experiences of first-time working mothers and how they integrate breastfeeding into their professional responsibilities, focusing on the emotional, physical, and logistical challenges they face after returning to work. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 mothers to gather first-hand accounts of balancing breastfeeding and work. The analysis highlights how temporal constraints, limited resources, and emotional stress—including guilt and exhaustion—affect mothers’ well-being and their ability to manage work alongside caregiving. Key challenges include inadequate lactation facilities, rigid work hours, lack of support from employers, and difficulty finding time and private spaces to pump, which collectively contribute to stress and emotional strain. Mothers adopt various coping strategies, such as careful time management, adjusting work schedules, and relying on family support for childcare and household responsibilities, to meet both breastfeeding goals and professional obligations. Despite these strategies, workplace gaps in accommodation persist, underscoring the need for organizational policies that support breastfeeding, including lactation rooms, flexible work arrangements, and networking opportunities with other mothers. These measures help alleviate physical and psychological burdens and promote better integration of motherhood and work. The findings advocate for systemic changes in workplace norms and policies to create an enabling environment where first-time mothers can thrive professionally while fulfilling their caregiving roles, highlighting the importance of supportive practices that recognize the dual responsibilities of modern working mothers and their well-being.