The soaring cost of living is forcing some mothers to work through the births of their babies and take no maternity leave.

As families struggle to cope with rising petrol prices and interest rates, some mothers are returning to the workforce earlier than planned.

One in 10 women is back at work by the time her baby is three months old, a study to be released today has found.

About 5 per cent of women return to work within days or weeks of leaving hospital, the Australian Institute of Family Studies report has found.

Although some of these women would have access to paid or unpaid maternity leave, they choose not to take it, the study of 3573 Australian women shows.

"For those who took no leave, the highest rate of return-to-work was in the first two months as some of these women returned to work immediately or reported that they did not stop working," study author Jennifer Baxter said.

"If paid leave is either not available or available for an insufficient time, some mothers may return to work sooner than desired," Dr Baxter said.

Australia is one of the few OECD countries without universal paid maternity leave but the Senate is considering various options including a 14-week scheme paid at the minimum wage.

One quarter of women take no maternity leave but they include women who are not offered leave by their employers and those who quit their jobs when their baby is born.

Returning to work after giving birth was not an option for Frida Maher - it was a necessity.

The Leichhardt mother returned to work within three months of having her children, Michael 5, Adam, 3 and eight-month-old Erika.

"If I don't work, my mortgage doesn't get paid," she said. "I am in a fortunate position in that my husband has been able to take parental leave with the first child and has worked part time." Despite having to return to work so quickly, Mrs Maher has still been able to enjoy motherhood.

Unlike many mums who stop breastfeeding when they resume work, the 38-year-old has had the luxury of being able to continue until her children were six months old.

"I think for a lot of mums, going back at six months is very hard work," she said.

"I was in a fortunate position where I had flexibility and choice. I told my employers I wanted to continue breastfeeding and they asked me what they could do to help."

Like many Sydney families, Mrs Maher said if she had not returned to work, they would not be able to stay in the city.



The Daily Telegraph, July 7, 2008