A USA Todayarticle (hat tip Blogging Baby) cites a new report that found pregnant moms and mothers with new borns are taking less time off work than mothers did in the 1960s.
The report, based on a survey of those who gave birth for the first time between 1961 and 2000, shows more mothers-to-be working during pregnancy, often into the final month.
About 57% of new mothers in 1996-2000 had worked full time while pregnant compared with about 40% in 1961-65. And of those employed between 1996 and 2000, more than half worked into the last month of pregnancy. After giving birth, 65% returned to work within a year.
Women with a higher education level are likely to be in higher-paying jobs and tend to stay on the job longer while pregnant and return sooner, the report suggests.
One of the strongest theory in the article about why this is happening is that the current economy makes it very difficult for families to survive on a single salary. Child care can be expensive so women often have to return to work earlier than they would like to if they want to avoid the cost of child care services.
