第一子出産時の女性の就労継続を促す要因について　―働く母親と専業主婦の語りからの考察―

抄録

  Still today, about 70 percent of women are found to be full-time housewives when they become mothers for the first time. Childcare leave is a must for regularly employed workers and part time working arrangements are also provided. As a result, most mothers return to work as marginalized workers.

  What in company institutional systems, and factors and attitudes are successful in enabling females to continue work? Group interviews for different cohorts of workers, especially working mothers and homemakers, revealed several successful factors which encourage women to continue to work during child rearing. The group interviews were carried out from November 2008 to March 2009. Women who manage to work after childbirth share four common factors.

  The first is that working mothers who aspired to work continuously when they graduated from university or school chose jobs that are supportive to working mothers. Secondly working mothers had successful experiences in their jobs before pregnancy. The work motivation gained though such experience made them decide to continue to work. Thirdly husbands who enjoy economic affluence as a result of double incomes become helpful to working mothers. The fourth factor is the belief that a day nursery is good for children’s growth and mothers’ mental health.