Shameless appropriation of the new motherhood “experience” by corporations

[JemimaTiggywinkle]

www.instagram.com/p/CdlhfOjo3VN/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

I’m not sure how to articulate this exactly, and I’m not sure if I’ve lost the plot completely, but this targeted advert made me really annoyed.

It’s basically some women telling other women how they will feel returning to work after having a baby (including leaking breasts apparently, facepalm emoji).

Perhaps it’s a positive that these experiences are being spoken of openly, but really it feels to me it’s just trivialising, sterotyping and kind of making fun of women’s experiences (covered in yoghurt and breasts squirting everywhere)… to advertise maltesers.

Anyone agree? Or disagree? Maybe I’m just bitter and jaded today.

Overall I think it's positive.

I get your point about commercials trivialising it - "oh you'll be alright!" When really that few minutes late to pick up isn't just about the walk of shame but about the fact you're late because your employer won't let you work from home or adjust your hours slightly and your DH somehow managed to get another job while you were pregnant that's slightly longer hours so it's always you picking up and you've just spent all day at work and the 12 quid late pick up fee means you've paid for the privilege and can't afford the bloody box of maltesers.

But I do think it's important for women to get the message that it's doable and they'll be amoung friends when they go back, even if that's only partially true. We hear the opposite and how much guilt we'll feel, etc. far too much.

The advert really irritated me! Elements of it were true but for the most part it was cheesy. Worse than that I think it could hinder the view of women returning to the workplace ie I never has to hide away to pump!

I wish it had just focused on the emotions of the return to the workplace

I suppose it's supposed to be comforting but comes across very patronising. And of courses they're actors and they look like actors so it's all very fake feeling.

It meant well but it feels kind of insincere as I'm not sure how usual it is to have leaky boobs when you go back to work - like it's an expectation taken from America where women have to go back when they still have newborns but I think relatively rare in the UK as AFAIK most women take mat leave and stop bfing before returning to work. Although I appreciate I'm pretty privileged and there could be a lot of women who don't have secure work who are going back to work early?

I don't think they are actors. One is a GP who does tv GP stuff, another launched a flex working campaign and is also a radio host. The third could be an actress though as I don't recognise her