Maternity-Work: Emotional Experiences Throughout Pregnancy, Maternity Leave and Returning to Work
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the changes in the emotional experiences related to the maternity and work interface of working mothers over time: during pregnancy, during maternity leave, and returning to work. Eleven women were interviewed in the three different stages. Data were analyzed using thematic categorical content analysis. The results showed that there are differences in the emotional experiences over time. Negative emotional experiences (e.g., sadness, fear, anxiety) prevailed during pregnancy and maternity leave. On returning to work, mothers found a better balance between positive (e.g., contentment, satisfaction) and negative (e.g., worry) emotional experiences. A more significant effort to reconcile the spheres of work and family when returning to work was therefore highlighted. The study led to the conclusion that primiparous women experience more negative emotional experiences than positive ones in these three stages.
Keywords: maternity, work, emotions, longitudinal studies, emotional experience.
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