I think the thing that devalues it is constantly having to justify your existence. Everyone has to do it. If you can say you work in an office, there is a collective sigh of relief because it is a role that can be objectively/financially measured.
Motherhood (and, yes, I KNOW men do it too, but I'm guessing as a percentage it's so small that I can move on for a moment...) is so random, all consuming, ill defined, and exhausting that it cannot be fitted in a box. It's easier for those that don't do it to be dismissive because it's unfathomable until you're in it (and even then......).
Not sure what I'm trying to say, because I would love love love to be back at work full time, but can't at the moment.
and I know that part of that is that I would feel like a "real" person.
Just because privately I feel that what I'm doing is the most important thing in the world, doesn't mean that I don't buckle under the weight of other's opinions sometimes and consider myself a lesser person/worry that I should be able to spin more plates. But why the hell should I? I'm doing OK, DS is great, DH is very happy..
Oh stop reading, I'm delirious with sleep deprivation, and that's before the new one is even born. Thank god I'm lucky enough not to have to battle on with "work" too.