'Like a trap you can't escape': The women who regret being mothers

"Motherhood has taken my health, my time, my money, my strength, and my body. The price is too high, and the cost is forever. Motherhood is an endless job that you do even when you don't want to, because a little person depends on you. It feels like a trap you can't escape."

"Teo has nothing to do with my regret, he's a fantastic, adorable boy and I love him fiercely. I'd give my life for him without a doubt. He's kind, easy-going, and a brilliant student."

"Often when women feel safe enough to talk about maternal regret what comes up isn't a lack of love, but a sense of isolation, exhaustion, or lost identity."

Carmen, a teacher in her 40s, is part of a hidden community of women who regret becoming mothers, though she loves her son deeply. She describes motherhood as taking her health, time, money, strength, and body, feeling trapped in an endless job. Women in this situation rarely speak openly due to fear of judgment and family disapproval. The film If I Had Legs I'd Kick You explores themes of maternal burnout and isolation. Psychotherapist Anna Mathur explains that maternal regret typically stems not from lack of love for children, but from feelings of isolation, exhaustion, and lost identity.

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