State of Motherhood

“As we approach this election year, it is clear that mothers’ voices are not only relevant but vital in shaping a future where families can thrive. Let us heed their call for action, prioritize their needs and champion the policies that will define the health and happiness of the next generation.”

– Jill Koziol, Cofounder of Motherly

Gen Z mothers are much less likely to plan on having another child

69%

of moms under 30 in 2024 are not planning on having another child, compared to 35% of Millennial moms under 30 in 2019

33%

of younger moms feel that the need/desire to work combined with inadequate childcare support contributes the most to not wanting to have more children

Younger moms are

5 times

more likely to point to concerns about the environment and the state of the world as reasons not to have additional children

“This data presents a comprehensive picture of modern and ambitious mothers. It reveals that women are more likely than ever to consider a career pause due to the high costs of childcare, among other factors. It also shows the surge of women who eventually return to the workforce after time away. I hope this is another cultural call to action that it’s not only time to advocate for more support for parents in the workforce but also to normalize career pauses so that women can shift in and out of the traditional workplace with more support and less penalty on reentry.”

— Neha Leela Ruch, Founder & CEO of Mother Untitled

Two-thirds of moms considered leaving the workforce last year due to the stress and cost of childcare, highest among Gen Z at 82%

66%

of moms considered leaving the workforce last year due to the stress and cost of childcare, up 14% from 2023

82%

of moms under 30 say childcare is their primary reason for considering leaving the workforce

66%

are paying more than $1,000 per month for childcare

50%

of non-working moms point to the need for affordable childcare as the prerequisite for returning to or entering the workforce

“Our traditional work contract is inadequate, particularly in supporting family needs. With 66% of young mothers considering leaving the workforce due to childcare costs and stress, it's critical to empower women to use technology to develop innovative solutions. Let's redefine work flexibility and enhance childcare options to retain and support working mothers.”

— Brooke Markevicius, Tech Entrepreneur & Author of "The Future Built by Women"

Gen Z moms are 2.5 times less likely than Millennial moms to have position flexibility and half as likely to have paid maternity leave

“Finally, Motherly provides undeniable evidence that the broken rung in the career ladder is not of our making! Toxic workplaces drive away experienced working moms, perpetuating the gender gap in leadership. We should prioritize our mental health over our careers, but when we do, we’re still punished. Toxic environments limit our representation at the top, stifle mentorship and growth, and deprive future and younger working moms of guidance. And let’s be clear: companies also suffer, losing valuable and proven productive employees, thereby negatively impacting their bottom line.”

— Christine Michel Carter, Speaker, Consultant, Writer

Moms 30 and older are

2 to 3 times

as likely as younger moms to have full-time employment that allows them to work from home.

20%

of moms over 30 are likely to have some support from a partner who also works from home—only 7% of younger moms are likely to have this support.

More than a quarter (27%) of all moms regularly receive financial support from their parents, rising to 49% for moms under 30

In 2023

55%

said they never receive financial support from parents/in-laws. In 2024, that number decreased to 48%

79%

are optimistic their children will be better off financially than their family, down 8% from 2023.

34%

say they’re “almost on track” to meeting their financial goals this year, as opposed to 40% in 2023 and 39% in 2022.

Nearly 60% of moms under 30 report equally sharing household responsibilities with a partner

Just

35%

of moms over 30 say they share equal household duties with their partners.

Gen Z moms are

2 times

as likely to have help from their partners compared to their own mothers' generations (Gen X and beyond)

“The survey shows promising trends among Gen Z moms, who not only report a more equitable distribution of household duties, but also a higher engagement in therapy, with 7 in 10 seeking support in the past year. These positive changes are crucial for maternal health. Despite this progress, challenges like affordable childcare, flexible work options and sufficient maternity leave remain pressing issues.”

— Erica Djossa, Founder & CEO of Momwell

53% of moms under 30 get at least an hour to themselves each day vs. only 39% for all moms

How Gen Z moms spend their time

34%

work out 3x a week

74%

go out with friends without children at least 1x a month

79%

go on a date with partner at least 1x a month

53%

get at least an hour to themselves each day

16%

of moms under 30 are having sex 3+ times a week, compared to 6% for moms ages 30-39.

19%

of moms under 30 state they are “extremely satisfied” with their sex life, compared to 11% of moms aged 30-39.

7 in 10

Gen Z moms have sought therapy in the last year, as compared to 5 in 10 among older moms.

Moms indicate near universal support for motherhood-related governmental policies, but Gen Z moms diverge, indicating apathy

At least 85% of moms support federally mandated paid leave, regulation to address climate change, federally protected reproductive rights and increased gun control policies, but surprisingly, moms under 30 are 3 times less likely to support these policies.

“The findings in this report should be a huge wakeup call for our politicians. Mothers overwhelmingly support federal paid leave, reproductive rights, increased gun control and climate change regulation. These are the issues that mothers care about. And we are going to vote accordingly.”

— Allison Whalen, Founder & CEO of Parentaly

Moms expect gun control, family leave, childcare and reproductive rights to be addressed this election year, with younger moms rating environmental concerns as high as healthcare concerns.

The findings continue to validate that today’s mothers are parenting without adequate structural support. It’s time for public policies and societal expectations to catch up to the needs of today’s mother. Because mothers are the key to a healthy, functioning, flourishing society — and we can’t get there without them.

METHODOLOGY STATEMENT

Motherly designed and administered this survey taken by 5,608 mothers through Motherly subscribers list, social media and partner channels. This report focuses on the cleaned and weighted Millennial/Gen Z cohort of 3,220 respondents aged 18-43. Edge Research weighted the data to reflect the racial and ethnic composition of the US female Millennial cohort based on available US Census data.

Time-lapse proves moms are never off the clock