Returning to work in 2022 after maternity leave was one of the most challenging and painful experiences of my life. The exhaustion from severe sleep deprivation affected every part of my day — my focus, my mood, and my ability to cope with even small challenges. Balancing professional responsibilities with the demands of early motherhood felt impossible. I was constantly running on empty, emotionally and physically drained.

I reached a point where I knew I needed help. When I shared my struggles with my GP, she told me she had seen many mothers facing similar challenges and suggested that I might be suffering from PTS. She offered me medication, but I declined — because deep down, I knew I wasn’t the problem. The system was. What I was experiencing wasn’t just an individual issue — it was the result of a system that expects new mothers to perform as if nothing has changed, even when they are utterly exhausted.

After that appointment, I decided to reduce my working days. Financially, it was difficult, but my health had to come first. I asked my employer to adjust my working conditions to reduce stress, and thankfully, they agreed. The change helped, but it didn’t erase the toll that prolonged exhaustion and stress had already taken on me.

Even now, I feel sadness and regret that I returned to work so soon. The stress and sleep deprivation during that period still affects me today. More than anything, I grieve the time I lost with my baby — time I can never get back.

Through this experience, I’ve come to realise how many mothers face similar challenges when returning to work: chronic sleep deprivation, emotional overwhelm, and the struggle to meet both professional and caregiving demands. Under the current system, maintaining well-being — or even continuing to breastfeed — becomes nearly impossible. We need better structures and compassionate policies that truly support mothers in this transition, so no one has to endure what I did.

Legally, women in the UK are entitled to take up to a year of maternity leave with job protection, although the level and duration of maternity pay depend on eligibility and individual employer policies. As statutory maternity pay decreases over time, many mothers feel financial pressure to return to work sooner than they are physically or emotionally ready. In reality, it can take up to two years for a woman’s body and hormones to fully stabilise, and for her to feel psychologically and physically “back to normal.” When you add the impact of chronic sleep deprivation, the demands of caring for their baby, and the emotional adjustments of early motherhood, the expectation that women should return to work as if nothing has changed after 12 months — or often even less — feels deeply unrealistic.

It is time to recognise that mothers need — and deserve — longer, better-supported maternity leave. Extending this crucial period is not just about time off work; it’s about protecting maternal health, supporting emotional recovery, and allowing families to thrive.

Proposal: To Extend Maternity Leave, pay and Maternity Allowance. Build compassionate return to work policies. 

1. Extend Statutory Paid Maternity Leave (SMP)

Increase paid maternity leave to 14–16 months, giving mothers sufficient time to physically heal, adjust to their new roles, and form secure bonds with their babies without the stress of an early return to work.

2. Compassionate Return-to-Work Options and support :

The transition back to work can be overwhelming. Offering gradual return-to-work programs, such as
3-6 months after maternity leave ends employers make temporary adjustments to workload, shift hours, or expectations during the transition period back to work. 

3. Extend Maternity Allowance (MA1)

Provide an extended and adequate maternity allowance to ensure financial stability for mothers who are self-employed or otherwise ineligible for statutory maternity pay. No mother should face the impossible choice between her income and her health. 

Why This Matters

Longer maternity leave, supported by a fair allowance, allows mothers to recover both physically and emotionally, rebuild strength, and adapt to motherhood without financial strain. When mothers are supported, they are better able to care for their babies, establish healthy routines, and nurture the strong emotional bonds that form the foundation of a child’s early development.

The proposal aim:

To support women’s physical, psychological, and social well-being during matrescence—the profound transition into motherhood. By extending maternity leave and allowance, we create healthier beginnings for mothers, babies, and families alike.

Our Call to Action

We urge policymakers to prioritise maternal health and well-being by recognising the lasting impact of these crucial early months. Let us take decisive action to extend maternity leave and maternity allowance, giving every mother the time, dignity, and support she deserves to nurture the next generation.

Please sign this petition to make your voice heard.

Together, we can make a significant difference for mothers, children, and the future of our communities.