Modern Dilemmas of Motherhood in Media

While we have seen considerable shifts in the media industry acknowledging, discussing, and supporting the return to work for mums, there is still much more to be done, especially as four in five women will have a baby at some point in their lives (The Female Lead; From Labour Ward to Labour Force, It’s Not Working).

The wild ride of the return to work

The adjustment is immense and often underappreciated. It is a significant transition, both professionally and personally, layered on top of the profound physical, mental, emotional, and social changes experienced during maternity leave. Returning to work marks the beginning of another new chapter, requiring an extraordinary level of balance between career ambitions and the demands of motherhood.

While every mother’s experience is unique, common challenges emerge as women re-enter the workforce. On a practical level, there is the relentless effort to establish a new rhythm. The morning rush to get everyone out of the house while preparing for a 9 AM start, finalising a client presentation, ensuring a World Book Day costume is ready, checking in with the team —the list is endless.

However, beyond the logistical demands, the emotional toll is often the hardest to manage. The emotional strain of transitioning from spending 100% of your time with your child to relying on nurseries, family, or a partner for caregiving is a difficult shift. The guilt of leaving in the morning, and the ongoing tension of missing pick-ups or bedtimes due to work commitments all weigh heavily. The Female Lead's research found that guilt (73%) was the second-highest emotion experienced by UK mums, just after anxiety (74%). These emotions may ease over time but never truly disappear.

At work, emotional challenges persist. Being out of the industry, even for a short period, can leave women feeling out of the loop, as though their peers have moved forward while they have been standing still. Logically, they know they have accomplished one of life’s most demanding and remarkable feats and have gained invaluable new skills, but this does not always counteract the dip in confidence that accompanies the return.

Why do we put ourselves through it?

That being said, returning to work can also be an opportunity. For many women, it is not just work but their career, which they have spent years investing in. Going back to work provides a sense of fulfilment (56% agreed in The Female Lead's report) and independence (45%). The ability to reclaim a part of their identity outside of motherhood is empowering, even if it takes time to adjust to having to make full sentences again and the endurance of back-to-back meetings. But those wins at work and when they are then paired with the victories at home, it’s monumental.

The pay back for business

The return to work is undeniably a wild ride, and the juggle is real. However, with the right support structures in place, 67% of UK women report feeling more confident at work. Beneficially, for agencies 70% feel more loyal to their company (The Female Lead) but also bring another perspective to the workforce, which only helps diversify thinking. The payback of having women in the workforce has been proven in the performance of the business and satisfaction of employees.

Enhancing the experience

So, how do we shift this and ultimately support women in their return? It starts with visibility. Sharing experiences, both the highs and the lows, opens the conversation and fosters an environment where real support systems can be implemented. It allows the return to not only be acknowledged but actively supported. In doing this, we can empower women and champion the value that mums bring to the media industry.
At the7stars, a number of thoughtful policies have genuinely made a real difference in easing my transition back to work. These include a phased return on full pay, recognising that coming back after leave is a major adjustment that takes time and support. A dedicated return-to-work coach is also available to guide employees through both the practical and emotional challenges — before and after they return. Flexible working requests are welcomed with openness, and the introduction of a ‘mum buddy’ system helps ensure no one feels alone during this time.

But what more can we do?

1. Acknowledgement – Continue to acknowledge the adjustment period but critically provide a longer grace period than you might believe is needed in that adjustment
2. Connection – Help facilitate the connection of returning mums with other mums and encourage the open conversation around the transition and the ongoing juggle
3. Direction – Careers are important for returning mums so provide a clear career progression path, allowing the opportunity to acclimatise back into work so look at doing this around three months