#MaternalWellbeing

Thai working mothers face mounting pressure from the culturally pervasive “having it all” ideal — the expectation that women seamlessly combine uninterrupted career advancement, intensive hands-on parenting, flawless household management, and constant emotional availability to family members. Leading international research reveals this perfectionist benchmark as fundamentally misleading and psychologically harmful, creating unrealistic expectations that set individual women up for failure rather than prompting necessary social and institutional changes.

Comprehensive new studies document the devastating impact of invisible household and cognitive labor burdens on maternal mental health, career trajectories, and family wellbeing. Women who attempt to meet “having it all” standards experience significantly elevated rates of chronic stress, occupational burnout, and career stagnation, while policy gaps and inflexible workplace norms provide inadequate support for managing competing demands.

A growing body of research and commentary argues that the cultural ideal of “having it all” — combining an uninterrupted career, hands-on parenting, flawless household management and emotional availability — is a misleading and harmful benchmark for many women. New studies tie the burden of invisible household and cognitive labour to higher rates of stress, burnout and stalled careers for mothers, while policy gaps and workplace norms leave many without realistic supports. For Thai families navigating strong family expectations and evolving labour patterns, the evidence suggests pragmatic policy and workplace changes, not perfectionist ideals, will deliver better outcomes for women, children and the economy (WSJ opinion ; systematic review of mental labour ; cognitive household labour study).

A growing body of research is shining a spotlight on a deeply personal yet widely shared experience among new mothers—postpartum loneliness. While the joys and challenges of infancy are often discussed openly, the profound sense of isolation that can affect new mothers remains largely unspoken, despite its significant impact on mothers, families, and society as a whole.

For years, the narrative surrounding new motherhood has focused on physical recovery, infant care, and the balance between work and family. However, emerging studies and first-person accounts, such as the insights from a recent feature by Kara Kennedy in the Daily Mail, are revealing that loneliness is an underappreciated but critical factor affecting the wellbeing of new mothers. This isolation—often heightened by lifestyle changes, disrupted sleep, and societal expectations—can contribute to mental health challenges, including postpartum depression and anxiety, as emphasized by several recent studies (source).

Health authorities have unveiled new guidelines urging new mothers to increase their physical activity and improve their sleep habits, triggering widespread debate over the feasibility of these recommendations for parents of young infants. The advice, which is being “strongly encouraged” by medical experts, is rooted in growing evidence that exercise and quality sleep can support postpartum recovery—but many new parents and advocates are questioning whether such guidance truly reflects the day-to-day realities faced by mothers caring for newborns [The Guardian].