The invisible frontline workers: lived experiences of urban Indian mothers during COVID-19 in India

ABSTRACT

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Indian mothers, a vulnerable group have not received adequate attention with respect to their challenges and mothering experiences. This study utilizes a feminist theoretical framework to explore the lived experiences of a cohort of urban Indian mothers of children aged 10 years and below in the context of COVID-19. Through the qualitative research method of in-depth unstructured interviews, the study identified the following overarching themes: Challenges in mothering, Inequality of gender norms, Support and Self-compassion, Self-care and Gratitude in the context of lived experiences of mothering during the pandemic in India. The findings bolster the need to create systemic changes for enforcing stronger policies around gender equality and to recognize unpaid care and domestic work as well as build a more equitable society for women. These results also have a bearing on investigations into the long-term effects of COVID-19 on maternal mental health.

KEYWORDS:

• Mothering
• COVID-19
• lived experiences
• self-compassion
• parenting stress

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the Research Council, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

Notes on contributors

Ketoki Mazumdar

Ketoki Mazumdar, M.Sc, MPhil, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the School of Human Ecology, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India. Her research lies at the intersection of gender and mental health with a focus on maternal mental health, socio-cultural dimensions of mothering practices, parenting and self-compassion.

Isha Sen

Ms. Isha Sen, M.Sc., M.Res. leverages her background in clinical psychology, developmental psychopathology and neuroscience in her research and clinical endeavours. Along with her interest in maternal mental health, she is also keen on studying the applications of technology-based interventions.

Sneha Parekh

Ms. Sneha Parekh, M.Sc., M.Phil is a Clinical Psychologist (RCI registered) practicing in Kolkata, India. Her areas of interest are positive psychology; specifically, resilience and mindfulness, and interventions for parents and children.