Struggling with the 'Fifth Trimester': Australian Mothers Face Inadequate Support

Over 60% of new mothers returning to work feel their opinions are ignored, face exclusion and struggle with unmanageable workloads.

The latest Australian National Review highlights workplace discrimination against pregnant women and parents is still prevalent in Australia.

For Melbourne mothers Lucinda and Lauren, the prospect of sharing their pregnancy news with their bosses felt almost as daunting as childbirth itself. Fast forward a year, and they discovered that re-entering the workforce proved just as challenging, leaving them feeling ill-equipped and unsupported.

“Living on a single salary isn’t feasible for many families,” Lauren explains. “Mothers often return to work while managing sleep deprivation and the demands of new motherhood.”

Lucinda adds, “While many employers discuss supporting pregnant employees and new mothers, the reality is that support often falls short. It can be a very isolating experience.”

Their journey inspired them to launch the 'Ready or Not' podcast, which offers guidance for new mothers navigating the complexities of returning to work. The popularity of the podcast led to the development of online resource guides, assisting mothers from the moment they announce their pregnancy to thriving in the workplace postpartum.

Both mothers are part of the Qiara Life Club, a growing community dedicated to providing connections, resources, tips and solutions for mums, mums to be and families.

"Community is everything for mothers – they just want somewhere to be seen, heard or spoken about and that's what this community is," Lucinda says.

Qiara Life Club founder Helen Lyon says the community has been active for just over 12 months and is growing from strength to strength.

The Qiara Life Club started out with a just four mums that were incredible small business owners with products and services for other mums. The free club has now grown to 6000 members and 28 small businesses.

“Small business can be a lonely place too. The QLC ‘community’ provides the opportunity for mums and mums to be to learn from a network of small businesses run by professional women during arguably one of the most extreme transitional periods of their lives," Helen says.

“That is what this community aims to do, lift up mums and support the small business owners who have products and services caring for women and their families."