Companies are trying to make working conditions more tolerable for women with children in an effort to retain them as the workforce continues to shrink amid population decline and the retirement of the baby boomers.
Some are also rehiring women who leave to get married or have children, because securing dependable labor has become a high priority.
"The first year after returning to work was terrible. My child's nursery school would call me and ask me to come because my child was running a high fever," said one woman who asked not to be identified.