Experiencing the Demands of Parenthood: How Unpaid Care Work Shapes Parental Well-Being in Germany

Sina C. Löwe , Hertie School, DYNAMICS Doctoral Program, Humboldt University of Berlin

The transition to parenthood represents a critical life phase, characterised by profound changes in social roles, daily routines, and emotional demands. While previous research has provided valuable insights into gendered well-being trajectories, the mechanisms underlying these differences remain insufficiently understood. In particular, the role of paid and unpaid work as potential sources of stress or support is still unclear. For Germany, where traditional gender norms and a persistent care gap prevail, no longitudinal study has yet examined how changes in unpaid care work relate to parental mental well-being. To address this gap, the study draws on rich longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), covering the period from three years before to three years after the first childbirth. Fixed-effects regression models with interaction and mediation terms are applied to capture within-person changes in well-being, measured using the SF-12 mental health scale, and their link to individual work and care patterns across the transition to parenthood. The findings reveal clear gendered patterns: mothers experience a sharp rise in care work and a marked decline in well-being after childbirth, while fathers show minimal changes. The overall results suggest that unpaid care work moderates, rather than mediates, the relationship between parenthood and well-being, with effects contingent on gender and timing. Future analyses will further distinguish between types of unpaid work and integrate measures of total workload, offering a more comprehensive understanding of how gendered work–care dynamics shape the experience of parenthood and contribute to persistent inequalities in well-being and family life.

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 Presented in Session 5. Flash Session Parenthood, Childbearing, and Family Formation