Accountant here. I had an 8pm meeting on my first week back from maternity leave. On my DC’s first birthday in fact. If I’d said no I wouldn’t have got the sack or anything, but it was needed for the work we were doing (I don’t recall why it needed to be 8pm actually…).
Definitely clients which have longer drives (or even worse train journey as makes you late for nursery). You get given the shit portfolio once you’re on the mummy track.
I don’t think the role necessarily needs to have changed? If she’s in a client or consultancy role it’s very tricky to do those hours with children. My fun memories include ignoring a client phoning me at 9pm while I sat on my baby’s bedroom floor trying to get him to go to sleep.
If childcare timing is an issue why can’t the dad do the drop offs and pick ups?
Breastfeeding? My employer was good at providing a room for a woman who came back from maternity leave whilst expressing, it wasn’t easy for her though.
Nurseries all fully booked? I had that issue once too, 10 months notice for DC2 wasn’t enough apparently.
The office has closed while she was off, and it’s now been consolidated with one miles away. Particularly with fewer people in each day with hybrid working. Even worse if she actually needs to be in the office as she can’t work from home as she’s going to have a nanny so the kids are all home too.