Returning to work after childbirth can be difficult for many women, as long hours and work pressure often continue even when rest and family care are needed. A video from Gurgaon has now drawn attention to this reality and sparked a wider discussion on how workplaces treat new mothers.
The video was posted on Instagram by @lifeworklullaby with the caption, “Corporate toxicity is true. This is exactly when she was dealing with her postpartum.” It shows a man recording his wife, a new mother, working on her laptop at 1:30 am, even though she has recently given birth. In the clip, the husband questions the demands placed on her by her office and the lack of support during her postpartum phase. “Manager has made her life hell,” he says in the video.
He then raises concerns about what employers expect from women after childbirth. “Matlab tum yaar ek nayi mother se kya expect karte ho ki wo bacche ka bhi dhayan rakhe aur tumhare liye 16-16 ghante kaam bhi kare? (What do you expect from a new mother, taking care of her baby and working 16-hour days?)” he asks.
The man also discusses his wife’s career to show the pressure she is under. He says she is a Chartered Accountant, a qualification widely regarded as one of the hardest to achieve in India. He adds that even after clearing such a tough exam, she is now being made to question her own skills because of the demands at work.
The video also includes criticism of what he refers to as “global work culture”. He argues that a workplace cannot be considered modern or global if it fails to support women during motherhood. According to him, calling such practices global while ignoring basic human needs reflects a toxic environment rather than progress.
Since being shared, the video has received wide attention on Instagram. Many users expressed support for the new mother and praised the husband for speaking out. Several viewers said the clip reflected experiences they or people close to them had faced after returning to work following maternity leave.
One user commented, “People are missing the point here. She can manage a career and a child together, there’s no doubt in that. The issue is working 16 hours (which is wrong anyway) and the manager not having the decency to understand that she has a young child. Her body needs proper rest and she needs to take care of her child. Leaving the job isn’t viable for many families financially and it’s wrong of anybody who asks her tk leave the job. Why should she? The company and laws are at fault, not her.”
Another user wrote, “Not just a new mother – nobody should be abused like this.” A third comment read, “So many of us can relate to it! Have experienced the same after joining work post maternity leave.” Another user added, “New mom or not, Pregnant or otherwise, working at 1 am is absolute burnout!”