'I'm a bad mum': pregnant presenteeism and poor health at work.

This paper contributes to research on women's health by challenging the 'common belief' that pregnant employees are prone to take sick leave. Conversely, it shows how some pregnant employees are so determined to appear 'well' that they remain at work when they are ill. The paper coins the phrase 'pregnant presenteeism' to describe pregnant employees who resist taking sick leave.

Putting pregnancy in its place: conceiving pregnancy as carework in the workplace.

This paper contributes to understandings of the relationship between pregnancy, health and place by exploring how health advice on pregnancy may be implemented, in practice, 'at work'. The paper first defines the following of health advice on pregnancy as a form of informal 'carework' which obliges pregnant women to implement caring practices comprising emotional and embodied labour. It then observes how health advice on pregnancy carework pays little regard to the impact of place.

Secrets and lies: Breastfeeding and professional paid work.

This paper explores the conflict between health advice and organisational practice regarding breastfeeding. It focuses on the group of mothers with the highest rates of both breastfeeding initiation and of continuous employment following maternity leave: specifically, educated mothers in managerial and/or professional occupations. In this context, the paper investigates, through in-depth interviews, the embodied experiences of 20 heterosexual UK mothers, qualified to degree level, who returned to professional employment within 1 year of childbirth.