Motherhood penalty laid bare: From co-workers comparing pregnant colleagues to broken race cars to senior women 'hazing' other moms

Pregnant woman talking to co-worker, looking annoyed (Credit: Klaus Vedfelt—Getty Images)

When Alicia Iveson joined the advertising agency world, she thought she was about to enjoy the young, progressive culture it’s famed for. “I was confronted with the exact opposite—just really archaic behaviors.”

Iveson could feel the sense of judgment (complete with actual “eye rolls”) coming from her coworkers as she left the office promptly to pick up her child from nursery. She even recalls being forced to join a regular team call during her child's bathtime to avoid being 'named and shamed' for missing it.