The very phrase ‘working mum’ leaves a trail of stereotypes in its wake: frazzled mum with a child on one arm and a phone in the other, bashing away at a laptop trying to ‘have it all’. A corporate go-getter in a pinstripe suit determined to keep climbing the ladder at the expense of her family. A suspiciously zen earth mother with a side hustle that can’t possibly be turning a profit. These clichés are at best laughable and outdated, and at worst harmful.

In Stylist’s recent ‘This Is 30’ survey, 49% of mums agreed that trying to juggle work and family life is one of their biggest challenges, while 84% of those surveyed felt that women are expected to live up to impossible standards.

It’s a sentiment that’s reflected in a White Paper commissioned by Maltesers® as part of their Let’s Lighten The Load® campaign. The research seeks to explore the challenges faced by working mums and offer real solutions as well as deepening society’s understanding of these issues.

The White Paper found that 69% of working mums in the UK have suffered some type of discrimination or negative treatment in the workplace due to becoming a mum, while 55% say they need more support from employers and colleagues to be the working mum they want to be.

So, what’s the actual reality for working mums away from the stereotypes, Motherland-esque parodies and statistics? We asked nine women what they want people to know about the realities of working motherhood – here’s what they told us…

9 things working mums want you to know about the realities of motherhood