Maternal presenteeism: Theorizing the importance for working mothers of “being there” for their children beyond infancy

This study theorizes why full-time working women with partners and school-age children deploy talk of maximal irreplaceable maternal care. The concept presenteeism frames women's personal beliefs, perceptions, ambitions as subject to normative pressures associated intensive mothering a postfeminist sensibility. accounts 20 who combine motherhood professional work are analyzed using thematic analysis. findings show that even in demanding careers about seeking be maximally visible their construct forms workplace flexibility matter luck. By contrast, irreplaceability was viewed fate. Examples resistance served highlight these assumptions conflation ideologies within the some mothers. Vestiges “intensive mothering,” performative notions “presenteeism” drawn from regimes work, sensibility can identified intersubjective experience A explains social practices consistent mothering” may persist beyond infant years, yet get recast choice