A descriptive study identifying occupational priorities and perceptions of motherhood

Motherhood represents a uniquely complex and dynamic experience, profoundly influencing occupational roles, emotional well-being, and socio-cultural identity. This study explored the occupational priorities and perceptions of mothers with a child born between 2018 and 2023 through the lens of occupational science. Using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, 38 mothers of young children from the northeastern United States participated in semi-structured interviews regarding their occupational performance and priorities across self-care (caring for oneself), productivity (accomplishing required tasks), and leisure (non-obligatory, freely chosen activity) categories. Results revealed that 94.7% of participants prioritized productivity-related tasks, while 86.9% and 81.5% identified self-care and leisure, respectively. Despite demonstrating strong self-awareness of their needs, mothers reported significant barriers to fulfilling their personal goals, particularly due to time constraints and caregiving demands. Qualitative analysis highlighted two themes: mothers’ self-knowledge of occupational needs and the constraints preventing goal attainment. Mothers expressed a desire for routine, self-care, and social connection, yet struggled to achieve these due to the overwhelming demands of caregiving. The findings underscore the compounded challenges faced by mothers, emphasizing the need for targeted study within this population. The findings reinforce the importance of supporting mothers by fostering self-advocacy, expanding ideation beyond productivity, and advocating for systemic changes to alleviate time pressures. Ultimately, amplifying mothers’ voices and perceptions provides critical insight into collaborative meaning-making and health promotion for and with mothers.