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The mother load

America is failing mothers. From shamefully short maternity leaves to crushing childcare costs, from high maternal death rates to uneven distribution of household chores. This series explores why it’s harder to be a mother in America than in any other developed country. Thanks to our readers, we raised more than $50,000 to support this reporting

6 March 2018

  • Tammy Duckworth

    'We're in the 19th century': Tammy Duckworth on motherhood and the Senate

    Illinois senator, due to be first to give birth in office, is working on better family leave – and wants Ivanka Trump to do more than just voice her support

28 February 2018

  • Looking at Premature Infant foot through Isolette Neonatal unit incubator baby

    My 2lb baby: 'lonely' is the only way to describe raising an ill or disabled child

  • Children nap in the afternoon at Dee’s Tots Childcare. Co-owners Deloris and Patrick Hogan care for children at their home seven days a week and most weeknights, leaving them time to sleep four hours each weeknight.

    America's 24-hour daycare centers: a visit in pictures

22 February 2018

  • baby lying down holding his mothers hands

    Trump's family leave plan is far too weak – but there is a better idea

    Ellen Bravo
    The White House proposal offers too little time and covers too few scenarios. But a bill before Congress offers hope

19 February 2018

  • Maria TheGuardian RachelCabitt-33

    A single mom, undocumented, living in the shadow of Ice

    A Portuguese immigrant feels at home in New Jersey, but the fear of deportation and being separated from her children is paralyzing

30 January 2018

  • mom and baby

    Struggling US families turn to crowdfunding to cover childcare costs

    The use of sites like GoFundMe underscores the crisis facing mothers, experts say – and donations can be hard to come by

20 January 2018

  • Lucia Graves

    Why you should join the Women's March

    Lucia Graves
    There isn’t a list long enough for the reasons behind the march, but our crowds will always be bigger than Trump’s

17 January 2018

  • kid with mom

    How America's 'childcare deserts' are driving women out of the workforce

    Rising daycare costs have put the spotlight on Washington state in a country offering little support for parents seeking childcare

16 January 2018

  • IMG 3749

    Why does it cost $32,093 just to give birth in America?

  • lead image?

    Bankrupted by giving birth: having premature twins cost me everything

    Jen Sinconis

28 December 2017

  • doctor

    My vagina was badly injured after giving birth. Why was getting help so hard?

    Christen Clifford
    My vagina tore when I had my first child, but it took five years before I got the medical attention I needed. I’m not the only one

25 December 2017

  • Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley of #IMomSoHard.

    Five comedians all mothers should watch

    When these women aren’t pumping breast milk or dropping their kids off at daycare, they’re turning their parenting travails into comedy

16 December 2017

  • PFostnatal

    How new moms are supported – or not – in France v the US: a feminist cartoon

    France offers full coverage for prenatal and postnatal care, but young mothers get little help afterwards. In the US, things can be even worse

15 December 2017

  • Mother exhausted in bed next to baby<br>GettyImages-466457205

    Two moms, four shifts: queer parents are overwhelmed, too

    Being in an egalitarian marriage isn’t enough to make up for this country’s appalling lack of support for women who parent

14 December 2017

  • Your stories about motherhood in America: 'There are no social safety nets'

    Since we launched our new project The Mother Load, we’ve been inundated with powerful emails from Guardian readers sharing their struggles and stories

12 December 2017

  • Pregnancy

    One way to tackle sexual harassment at work: better parental leave

    Katie Bethell
    Any company serious about addressing sexual harassment in the workplace should care about the women’s leadership gap. And this is one way to fix it

8 December 2017

  • Average age of motherhood and fatherhood in America Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016

    Read this before you have a baby (especially if you're a woman)

    We have the figures: if you’re a woman who enjoys paid work or relaxing activities, having kids will cramp your style

7 December 2017

  • Thorunn M. Ingvarsdottir (Þórunn M. Ingvarsdóttir). Mother of two. Iceland, the representation of women in parliament resulting in good policies for women

    There's proof: electing women radically improves life for mothers and families

    When Iceland elected a female president in 1980, it set off a domino effect that turned it into one of the most egalitarian countries. What can the US learn?

6 December 2017

  • Motherhood Final web

    These are my hardest moments as a mother. What are yours?

  • Chris Carlson of Nashua, New Hampshire with his daughter, Summer Carlson on Boston Common, Boston, MA on August 23, 2017.

    This man was just trying to be a good dad. Instead, he got fired

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