‘Good Motherhood’ – A Dilemma for Migrant Women from Eastern Europe

Abstract

This chapter is concerned with the ideological construct of ‘good motherhood’, which seems to be a heavy burden for working migrant mothers from the post-socialist states. As circular migrants, they leave their home (temporarily) and seek employment abroad as caregivers in order to provide for their children and families. Their outward-bound mobility proves to be inconsistent with post-transition discourses on motherhood, and they are caught in dilemmas. Based on interviews with Polish and Ukrainian care migrants, I will analyze the meaning of ‘good motherhood’ for these women and demonstrate how a globalizing discourse on ‘good motherhood’ ideology impedes decent mothering practices.