Early May is a key moment in the UK calendar for talking openly about perinatal mental health. Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 runs from Monday 4 May to Sunday 10 May, and World Maternal Mental Health Day is Wednesday 6 May 2026.

This blog is designed as a practical reference you can come back to. It’s written in the spirit of allyship because many of us will never live this experience directly, but we can still help create workplaces where returning parents feel safe, supported and treated fairly.

What we mean by maternity mental health

Maternal or perinatal mental health refers to mental health during pregnancy and after birth. This can include anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD and postnatal depression. Support is available for maternal care and mental health, and recovery is absolutely possible.

The return to work can be a pressure point, not because someone is less committed, but because it often combines physical recovery, sleep disruption, childcare logistics, financial pressure, identity shifts and the emotional weight of leaving your baby.

Why returning to work can feel harder than people expect

Even when someone wants to return, the transition can involve a change in confidence and identity, fear of being judged as less capable, a mental load that has multiplied overnight, separation anxiety, guilt, or grief about the end of leave, and practical pressure around childcare, feeding, sleep and commuting.

If someone is struggling, it is not a character flaw. It is a human response to a huge life change, often happening alongside exhaustion and hormonal shifts.

The hidden pressure point: being quietly sidelined

Many returning parents carry an extra worry that isn’t always talked about openly: the fear of being overlooked for roles, development, promotion or stretch projects because people assume their priorities have changed.

There can be a subtle narrative that once someone becomes a parent, they will not want to progress, take on responsibility, or say yes to opportunities. Sometimes this shows up in small decisions. Someone is not asked if they want to attend an event that involves travel because a manager assumes they will not be able to. Someone is left out of a project because it feels “too much” for them right now, without checking.

This can be well intentioned, but it is still a problem. When opportunities disappear, confidence can take a hit, and the return to work becomes about proving yourself all over again. The simplest fix is also the most respectful one: do not assume, ask.

What managers and employers need to know: rights and good practice

You do not need to become a legal expert to do the right thing. But a few basics help managers support people confidently.

People returning from maternity leave are usually entitled to return to the same job, and they have special protection in redundancy situations. Keeping in touch during leave also matters. It is good practice to agree how to stay in contact before leave begins, and to keep the person informed about important changes such as reorganisation, redundancies, training and job opportunities.

Keeping in Touch (KIT) days can also support a gentle transition. Employees can work up to 10 Keeping in Touch days during maternity leave without ending maternity leave or pay, and up to 20 SPLIT days during shared parental leave.

On return to work, employers should also consider health and safety, sickness absence, breastfeeding support, flexible working requests and fair processes.

A practical manager checklist for supporting mental health on return

This section is designed for line managers. It is simple by design.

Make the first conversation human, not procedural

Start with “How are you doing, really?” Then move to what would help, what has changed at work, what needs to be prioritised in the first month, and what can wait. Avoid making the first meeting feel like a performance review.

Agree a clear first month plan

Returning parents often need clarity more than motivation. Agree what good looks like in weeks one to four, which tasks are urgent and which are not, how success will be measured short term, and when you will check in again, ideally weekly for the first month.

Offer flexibility early, before problems build

Small, practical flexibility can prevent absence and burnout. Think start and finish times, temporary adjustments to workload, reduced travel, or remote days where feasible.

Do not minimise, joke, or compare

Even well-meant comments can land badly, especially if someone is already anxious or low. Avoid “You should be grateful,” “My partner went back and was fine,” “Everyone’s tired,” or “You’re lucky to have had time off.”

Keep it confidential and consistent

Agree what is private and what needs to be shared to put support in place. Then do what you said you would do. Consistency builds trust fast.

Keep opportunity open, do not assume

If a role, project, training opportunity or event is available, offer it. If it involves travel or unusual hours, ask what would make it workable. The key is not to pre decide on someone’s behalf. Ask, listen, and problem solve.

Use KIT days strategically when possible

KIT days can help someone reconnect with colleagues, systems and confidence without the pressure of being fully back.

Know when to signpost support

Managers are not therapists. Your role is to notice, respond respectfully, and signpost. If someone says they are struggling, ask what support they already have, and encourage them to speak to their GP or appropriate services if needed.

A practical returning parent checklist: what you can do before you go back

If you are returning to work and feeling wobbly, you are not alone. Here are practical steps that can genuinely reduce stress.

Ask for a return-to-work meeting before day one

A short call can reduce anxiety massively. Ask what has changed, what matters most, what the first two weeks will look like, and who your key contact is.

Use KIT days if they would help

A few structured KIT days can be a gentle bridge back, especially if you are anxious about walking into a changed workplace.

Make a first month request, not a forever request

It can feel easier to ask for temporary adjustments while you stabilise. For example, a later start for childcare drop-off, reduced travel, protected breaks, or clear written priorities.

Be clear about your ambitions, even if they have changed

You might feel ready to progress, or you might want steadiness for a while. Either is valid. The helpful thing is to say it out loud so managers do not fill the gap with assumptions. If opportunities come up, it is okay to say yes, no, or not yet.

Decide what you want colleagues to know

You do not owe anyone personal details. You can keep it simple: “I’m back, I’m adjusting, please be patient while I get up to speed.”

Notice the signs you might need extra support

If you are persistently low, highly anxious, having distressing intrusive thoughts, or struggling to function day to day, support is available and effective. Speaking to your GP or health visitor is a good starting point.

Common warning signs that deserve attention

Everyone’s experience is different, but it may be time to seek extra help if you notice ongoing low mood or tearfulness that does not lift, constant anxiety or panic, intrusive or frightening thoughts, feeling numb or unlike yourself, intense guilt or shame, difficulty sleeping even when you can, or feeling unable to cope day to day.

If any of this feels familiar, you are not failing. You may need support.

A closing note for allies and workplaces

The most helpful workplace response is not grand gestures. It is consistent, practical support for maternal care and mental health: respectful conversations, flexible problem solving, clear expectations, and a culture where people can say “I’m struggling” without fear.

It also means keeping development and opportunity open. Returning parents should not have to prove they are still ambitious. The simplest approach is to ask, not assume.