The Alarming Decline of Moms in the Workforce: Why Support Matters More Than Ever
Over the past few months, researchers have flagged a troubling trend: Mothers of young children are exiting the U.S. workforce in the sharpest numbers in over 40 years. This steep decline underscores just how hard it is to balance work and caregiving when support systems fall short. For many families, the high cost of childcare, constant fatigue, and lack of flexibility create what can feel like an impossible equation.
The Alarming Numbers
In the first half of 2025 alone, more than 400,000 women left the workforce. Among mothers of children under five, labor force participation fell by 2.8 percentage points between January and June—the steepest drop recorded in over four decades. Researchers point to caregiving challenges as the leading reason parents are stepping back. Without reliable childcare and adequate support, many families find staying in the workforce unsustainable.
What Parents Are Up Against
The challenges of working parenthood are layered and compounding. For some, childcare costs consume such a large portion of income that continuing to work barely makes financial sense. For others, newborn wakeups, toddler tantrums, and the unrelenting demands of caring for little ones create a level of sleep deprivation that wreaks havoc on all virtually aspects of life. Even when parents want to stay in their careers, the lack of systemic support often leaves them feeling like they have no choice but to step away.
A Role for Employers
Employers have an important part to play in stemming this trend. Flexible schedules, paid parental leave, childcare stipends, and mental health support all make a measurable difference for families trying to stay afloat. Another way to help is by reducing some of the day-to-day stressors that wear parents down—like the exhaustion that comes with broken sleep.
One option that more than 140 companies are turning to is the SNOO Employee Benefit Program, which provides families with SNOO Smart Sleeper at no cost. SNOO’s gentle rocking and soothing sounds help babies sleep longer and more safely, which in turn means more rest and peace of mind for parents. For families juggling work and caregiving, even a little extra sleep can ease stress, support mental wellbeing, and help make staying in the workforce more realistic during a time where the challenges of parenthood are most pronounced.
A Piece of the Bigger Picture
Of course, real progress requires a combination of solutions: better childcare infrastructure, more equitable workplace policies, and cultural recognition of the load parents carry. But tools like SNOO can play a meaningful role within that broader safety net, offering relief in one of the most challenging aspects of early parenthood.
Moving Forward
The record decline in moms’ workforce participation highlights just how urgent it is to better support parents. By adopting a range of strategies—from childcare assistance and parental leave to innovative benefits like SNOO—employers can help parents stay, thrive, and contribute. When families have the right supports in place, parents don’t have to choose between caring for their children and pursuing their careers. And that’s a win for families, businesses, and society as a whole.