Contemporary Polish Women as Mothers - On a Continuum from the Pressure of Social Expectations to Regretting Motherhood and Maternal Burnout
Contemporary Polish Women as Mothers - On a Continuum from the Pressure of Social Expectations to Regretting Motherhood and Maternal Burnout

Summary/Abstract: Due to the fact that still the majority of the duties related to care and upbringing of children is assigned to mothers and performed by them indeed (not only in Poland), as well as due to them experiencing the societal pressure related to this role, making sometimes unrealistic demands on themselves and consequently feeling the contradiction between social expectations and the possibilities of fulfilling them is more acute for mothers. This creates a cause and effect sequence: women, indoctrinated with the social expectations of motherhood, begin to expect themselves to live up to them perfectly, which in extreme situations can lead to maternal burnout and/or even regretting motherhood. The consequence of this is a chronic burden that can limit the ability to draw on the connection with the child and the parenting role according to needs, not just imposed norms. The aim of this analysis is to show the relationship between social pressure related to the image of the 'ideal mother' and the psychological consequences experienced by women in their everyday parenting role. Particular emphasis will be placed on identifying the mechanisms leading to maternal burnout.

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