Note: The image on the left shows the original Chinese text written by the speaker; the speaker’s full name has been covered for privacy. The text on the right shows the English translation.
Hello everyone, I’m Wang Yangyang, a 35-year-old working mother who has lived through postpartum depression and the tension between career and motherhood. Before having a child, I was a confident product manager. After becoming a mother, I found myself trapped in an exhausting cycle— juggling projects by day and night feeds by night, while facing judgment as both a mother and an employee. The strain led to postpartum depression, and I nearly quit my job.
When I was close to breaking down, I joined Amy's Women Empowerment. There, I found sincere support from women of all backgrounds, which gave me the strength to begin healing and growing.
With the organization’s support, I gradually regained emotional balance and learned to navigate work and parenting. This journey not only lifted me out of depression but also sparked a realization: I couldn’t stop at my own recovery. Having faced this struggle myself, I understood how real and widespread these challenges are—and how little support exists. As both a survivor and a product manager, I realized I could use my experience and skills to help other working mothers.
I began compiling a practical guide for working mothers, covering maternity leave rights, breastfeeding accommodations, and time management tips, and shared it online. I also proposed workplace adjustments to my company, such as flexible re-entry schedules after maternity leave and emergency childcare leave, and these were adopted. With the organization’s help, I started a support group where mothers can access advice from experts and peers on everything from workplace rights to parenting.
Now, seeing mothers use these resources to stand up for themselves and seeing companies adopt more supportive policies, I believe more than ever that the struggles of working mothers are not personal failures. And our lived experience, combined with our professional skills, can drive real change. May every working mother be met with empathy and support, and may we continue to support each other, building a more compassionate world for all mothers and children.