Maternal and professional identity change during the transition to motherhood

Becoming a mother derails many women’s chances for career progression. One reason for this is that women leave organisations when they become mothers, or reduce their working hours. Another reason is that people within the organisation start to view them as less career-orientated as a result of being mothers. At the core of this issue is that who a woman is – her identity – is being redefined in the transition to motherhood, by herself and by those around her. But, little is known about how her professional identity develops during the transition to motherhood, or whether its development is related to her growing maternal identity. This paper, therefore, presents a systematic review of the literature concerning changes in maternal and professional identities, as well as the relationship between them. Based on the evidence, this review concludes that although the development of maternal identity has been well documented in the literature, little is known about how a woman’s professional identity develops, as she becomes a mother. Suggestions for further research and practice are discussed.