“I’m not ready”: Mom’s emotional TikTok about her last day of maternity leave strikes a nerve
Marissa Jeanne, a working mom, is going viral for sharing her raw and heartfelt reaction to her last day of maternity leave. With twins sleeping peacefully on her chest, she opened up about the emotional whiplash of returning to work and the impossible pressure of “doing it all” as a mom.
“Today is my last day of maternity leave, and I go back to work tomorrow,” she shared on TikTok. “And I just feel like I haven’t had enough time with them.”
For moms in the U.S., maternity leave is an emotional minefield. Three months can feel like a lifetime when you’re waiting for your baby to arrive, but on the other side? It’s a blink. I had three months with my first, and even though I soaked in every baby snuggle and milestone, it still felt too short. And yet, I was expected to return to work, juggle daycare drop-offs, and somehow not feel ripped in half by the transition.
Related: Should I stay home or go back to work post-maternity leave?
The impossible expectations of maternity leave
Marissa admits that while she’s grateful for her time away from work, she couldn’t help but feel like she hadn’t “accomplished” enough — a sentiment so many moms echoed in her video’s comments.
“I know I got longer than a lot of women get with three months, but I just don’t feel ready physically and mentally,” she said. “There’s so much that you think that you are going to do on maternity leave… And then here I am at the end, like, ‘I didn’t do any of that.’”
Sound familiar? Maternity leave isn’t a vacation — it’s a whirlwind of sleepless nights, feeding schedules, and healing your body while keeping a tiny human alive. And yet, our culture treats it like an indulgence moms should feel lucky to have.
The U.S. versus the world: A harsh reality check
Marissa’s video struck a chord, not just for the vulnerability she shared but for the stark reminder of how broken the system is. In the comments, moms from around the globe shared their countries’ policies, putting the U.S. to shame:
• “3m is inhumane. In the UK, I get full pay for 9 months and can take a tear,” @ChaosHousewives said, receiving over 1.4k likes.
• “In my country (Romania), you have 2 years of maternity leave,” @Leni added.
• “Germany has maternity leave for 5 years!” @SamanthaCarolina noted, leaving American moms reeling.
Meanwhile, here in the U.S., the Family and Medical Leave Act grants workers just 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave — a privilege many moms can’t afford to take. Only 13 states require any form of paid leave, and even then, it’s often too little, too late.
Why moms feel like they’re failing (but aren’t)
Marissa’s story speaks to the universal guilt working moms feel. She loves her career and feels proud of what she does, but the reality of spending only a few hours with her kids after work is a gut punch. “There’s always that mom guilt of you’re not giving enough time to your kids, but you can’t do it all,” she said. “You can’t give 100% to everything.”
And that’s the heartbreaking truth. Moms are expected to work like they don’t have kids and parent like they don’t have a job — all while battling skyrocketing childcare costs, the rollback of reproductive rights, and societal pressure to be everything to everyone.
But here’s what Marissa reminded her followers: “You’re doing the best that you can for your kids, and that’s all that matters.”
For any mom facing the bittersweet reality of returning to work after maternity leave, know this: It’s okay to grieve the time that’s passed. It’s okay to feel unprepared. And it’s okay to demand better — for you, for your babies, and for every mom who deserves more than 12 unpaid weeks to heal, bond, and find her footing.
Related: This is exactly how to negotiate flexibility after maternity leave
The emotional and long-term benefits of paid maternity leave
Marissa Jeanne’s viral video about the emotional toll of returning to work after maternity leave underscores a key point backed by science: paid family leave has long-term health benefits for moms. A groundbreaking 2021 study on Norwegian mothers revealed that those who gave birth after paid maternity leave became law in 1977 experienced better health outcomes decades later, including improved mental health, lower blood pressure, healthier weights, and less pain.
These findings aren’t just anecdotal—they’re a testament to the importance of giving moms the time they need to recover from childbirth and bond with their babies without the added stress of financial insecurity. Researchers speculate that reduced stress, more time to heal, and the ability to breastfeed longer all play significant roles in these lasting health benefits.
Related: Mom goes viral on TikTok for data presentation showing reality of maternity leave
As Marissa said in her video, “You can’t give 100% to everything,” and the U.S. isn’t making it easier. With only 12 weeks of unpaid leave guaranteed by law and minimal paid options, moms are often forced to make impossible choices between their careers and their health. Studies like these prove that giving moms paid time off isn’t just a gift for the early postpartum period—it’s an investment in their long-term well-being and, by extension, the health of their families.
While the U.S. still has a long way to go in offering equitable paid family leave, companies like Moms First are working to move the needle. By creating tools like PaidLeave.ai, they’re making it easier for families to navigate state-specific policies and access the support they deserve during one of the most critical and transformative times in their lives.
We hope Marissa’s story and the science behind paid leave spark a larger conversation about what moms truly need to thrive. Because when moms are supported, everyone benefits.
