Lullabies and lectures: exploring the dual struggles of Iranian student-mothers

Given the significant proportion of female students in Iran’s higher education system, this study explores the experiences of women who balance the demands of mothering and studying. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 student mothers recruited through purposive sampling from a major state-run university in central Iran. Thematic analysis of the data revealed four main themes: (1) Between duty and dreams; (2) Embodied costs of structural barriers; (3) The unwelcoming structure: Mothering on the margins; and (4) The resourceful response: The art of balancing. The findings indicate that student mothers face multiple challenges, as their efforts to manage traditional gender roles imposed by both families and universities subject them to a double burden and significant pressure. These challenges extend beyond the university and family as gendered organisations and are deeply rooted in the sociocultural and political contexts of Iranian society.